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Moon mining could become a huge money-making industry in the coming years.
According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the moon holds untapped resources worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
One of the biggest treasures is water ice, which could be used to support future lunar settlements or even be turned into rocket fuel.
Then there are rare Earth elements, which are highly sought after and essential for modern electronics.
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But probably the most lucrative of them all is helium-3 - a rare, non-radioactive isotope that could one day be used for nuclear fission.
And it holds tonnes of monetary value, too. Helium-3 traded for about $2,500 per litre in 2024, the Edelgas Group reported.
"That's a huge market, in principle, and something is coming along very fast," said Martin Elvis, a senior astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Consultants at professional services firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) have predicted that the lunar economy could be a stupendous $170 billion market by 2040.
Now, NASA, China and several private companies are planning to begin lunar mining within the next decade. The goal is to extract valuable resources that could help fuel space exploration or be brought back to Earth for investigation.
But scientists are warning that large-scale mining operations could interfere with astronomy.
The moon is home to science-rich sites, like the far side, which provides a radio-quiet zone perfect for studying the universe’s early history.
Elvis said the moon's permanently shadowed regions near its poles are also 'special places for astronomy' and ongoing human activities, such as water extraction, could disrupt the intricate lunar research.
"Mining for water is probably the worst," he added.
Furthermore, the success of lunar mining relies on companies finding customers beyond government space agencies.
For example, SpaceX’s partnership with NASA helped develop new rockets and spacecraft for the International Space Station.
This collaboration gave NASA reliable access to space while allowing SpaceX to expand into a thriving business, launching commercial satellites and private astronaut missions.
However, some experts warn that time is running out. According to Elvis, there is a relatively brief window of time to 'inject the need for science' into the lunar mining debate.
Meanwhile, Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, argues that decision-making shouldn’t be left to governments and corporations.
"There should be more stakeholders than just the wealthy and companies that want to do this," he said. "The stakeholders ought to include all of us — just as all of us have a stake in terrestrial environments."
