SpaceGold, Lunar Station, and Planex Unite to Locate Metal-Rich Regions on the Moon for Space Mining Operation

SpaceGold, Lunar Station, and Planex have announced their partnership to map the mining sites for a Moon mining operation as early as the first quarter of 2027. SpaceGold is a U.S.-based space company that will mine and return resources from space more cost-effectively than mines on Earth. Lunar Station Corporation provides clear lunar surface data analytics solutions about the lunar environment, to mission design, operational preparedness, and situational awareness. Planetary Experience Consulting LLC, or Planex, serves our part-time chief scientist needs and also advises other companies, non-profits, and academic institutions on the lunar and planetary environments in which their technology must function.

Economic abundances of platinum-group metals (e.g., rhodium, iridium, platinum, and palladium) exist in volcanic lunar terrains as revealed by spacecraft spectral and reflectance data. Geochemical laboratory data from Apollo lunar rock samples corroborate these data. Exploiting these lunar resources and economically returning them to Earth will reduce the need for Earth-mined resources, enabling greener stewardship of our planet.

Lunar Station and Planex, in collaboration with SpaceGold, will define logistical staging areas on the Moon’s surface for SpaceGold’s mining operations near former volcanic eruptive centers. Like mining operations on Earth, estimating mineral reserves is crucial for mining on the Moon. However, due to the Moon’s unique impactor, radiation, vacuum, geologic, and gravitational features, we should consider several other factors as well. 

“We are very excited to be working with the team at SpaceGold. Their innovative approach is mobilizing and accelerating the lunar mineral resource utilization industry in every way,” said Blair DeWitt, CEO of Lunar Station Corp.

The team behind this operation consists of managers and directors who worked at large organizations and enterprises like NASA, Blue Origin, Boeing, and National Lab, passionate to offer a sustainable and clean-Earth solution for resource acquisition.

“Space mining holds the key to unlocking our full industrial potential both on Earth and beyond. With numerous private companies planning missions to provide services and construct infrastructure on the moon beginning next year, the moon represents the most accessible target and our first option for mining operations in space,” said Jasper Julian, CEO of SpaceGold Corp.

The partnership of SpaceGold, Lunar Station, and Planex is committed to mapping potential mining sites on the Moon for their operation in the first quarter of 2027. SpaceGold’s expertise in both mining and space industry, combined with Lunar Station’s comprehensive suite of new lunar intelligence, and Planex’s experience in planetary geology, make this a strong alliance.

“I’m pleased to work with SpaceGold because of how important it is to move polluting mining off Earth. My company Planex is ready to help SpaceGold find the most profitable sites on the Moon for production of valuable platinum-group metals for use on Earth while also preserving the Moon’s natural beauty,” said Kirby Runyon, Ph.D., founder/CEO of Planex — Planetary Experiencing Consulting LLC.

The collaboration of these three companies marks a significant step toward the exploration of space resources, and it is set to impact the future of space exploration and resource utilization. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to advance the technology and the infrastructure needed for space mining, as well as the stewardship of our planet. 

About SpaceGold:

SpaceGold is a U.S.-based space mining company that aims to mine and return resources from space more cost-effectively than mines on Earth, targeting the last quarter of 2024 for an orbital prototype launch and the first quarter of 2027 for its first moon mining operation.

Website: https://spacegold.co/

About Lunar Station:

Lunar Station, founded in 2016 as an MIT start-up, offers a comprehensive MoonHacker™ Intelligence Platform that provides clients with answers to complex questions related to Lunar mission designing, operational preparedness, and situational awareness. The platform is accessible through the internet, enabling remote sensor teams targeting the Moon to distribute their data globally.

Website: https://lunarstation.space/

About Planex:

Planetary Experience Consulting LLC, or Planex, is a space consulting firm founded by planetary geologist Dr. Kirby Runyon that provides advisory services to companies, non-profits, and academic institutions on planetary geology and the environments that technology must function in on the Moon and other planets.

Website: https://planex.space