[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ieec.cat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/slider-comunicacio.jpg” max_height=”130px” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”24px||11px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Unitats de recerca” module_class=”ieec-orgs” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700||on|||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”28px” header_font_size_phone=”26px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoiY3VzdG9tX21ldGFfb3JnYW5pemFjaW9uZXMiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImVuYWJsZV9odG1sIjoib2ZmIn19@[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_title author=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”T\u00edtol i data” module_class=”ieec-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Cairo|300|||||||” title_font_size=”40px” meta_font=”||on||||||” meta_font_size=”16px” title_font_size_tablet=”35px” title_font_size_phone=”30px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Subt\u00edtols” module_class=”ieec-summary” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Source Sans Pro||on||||||” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.1em” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”22px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” module_class=”ieec-img-container” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” border_width_top=”10px” border_color_top=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-img-footer” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Reflected light image of a thin section of carbonaceous chondrite CV3 from NASA’s Antarctic collection, analysed in the study. Several chondrules with bright olivine crystals embedded in a carbonaceous matrix can be seen. J.M. Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez\/ICE-CSIC<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Much remains to be known about the chemical composition of small asteroids. Their potential to harbour valuable metals, materials from the early solar system, and the possibility of obtaining a geochemical record of their parent bodies makes them promising candidates for future use of space resources. A team led by researchers from the <\/span>Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia<\/span><\/a> (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) at the <\/span>Institute of Space Sciences<\/span><\/a> (ICE-CSIC) has analyzed samples of C-type asteroids, carbon-rich minor bodies of the Solar System, progenitors of the carbonaceous chondrites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Their findings, published in the <\/span>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society<\/span><\/i>, support the idea that <\/span>these asteroids can serve as crucial material sources<\/b> and identify their parent bodies, as well as for planning future missions and developing new technologies for resource exploitation.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Carbonaceous chondrites fall from the sky in a natural way, although with a proportion of 5% regarding the rest of meteorite falls. However, many of them are so fragile that they fragment and are never recovered. Therefore, they are rare and are mainly located in desert regions, such as the Sahara or Antarctica. \u201cThe scientific interest in each of these meteorites is that they sample small, undifferentiated asteroids, and provide valuable information on the chemical composition and evolutionary history of the bodies from which they originate,\u201d says Josep M. Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez, first author of the study and IEEC astrophysicist at ICE-CSIC.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The scientific team from the IEEC and ICE-CSIC selected, characterised, and provided the asteroid samples, which were analysed using mass spectrometry at the University of Castilla-La Mancha by Professor Jacinto Alonso-Azc\u00e1rate. This allowed them to <\/span>determine the precise chemical abundances of the six most common classes of carbonaceous chondrites<\/b>, fostering the discussion among the scientific community of whether their future extraction would be feasible.<\/span><\/p>\n The Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites research group at ICE-CSIC investigates the physicochemical properties of the materials that make up the surfaces of asteroids and comets and has made numerous contributions in this field over the last decade. \u201cAt ICE-CSIC and IEEC, we specialise in developing experiments to better understand the properties of these asteroids and how the physical processes that occur in space affect their nature and mineralogy,\u201d says Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez, who leads this group.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, for over a decade the group has been involved in <\/span>selecting and requesting from NASA the several carbonaceous chondrites analysed<\/b> in this study, as well as devising several experiments with them, since the ICE-CSIC is the international repository for NASA’s <\/span>Antarctic meteorite collection<\/span><\/a>. “The work now being published is the culmination of that team effort,” he adds.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cStudying and selecting these types of meteorites in our clean room using other analytical techniques is fascinating, particularly because of the diversity of minerals and chemical elements they contain. However, most asteroids have relatively small abundances of precious elements, and therefore the objective of our study has been to understand to what extent their extraction would be viable,\u201d says Pau Gr\u00e8bol Tom\u00e0s, IEEC predoctoral researcher at the ICE-CSIC.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAlthough most small asteroids have surfaces covered in fragmented material called regolith\u2014which would facilitate the return of small amounts of samples\u2014developing large-scale collection systems to achieve clear benefits is a very different matter. In any case, it deserves to be explored because the search for resources in space could minimise the impact of mining activities on terrestrial ecosystems,\u201d points out Jordi Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez-Insa, researcher from Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC) and co-author of the study.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Given the diversity present in the main asteroid belt, it is crucial to define what types of resources could be found there. According to Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez: \u201cThey are small and quite heterogeneous objects, heavily influenced by their evolutionary history, particularly collisions and close approaches to the Sun. If we are looking for water, there are certain asteroids from which hydrated carbonaceous chondrites originate, which, conversely, will have fewer metals in their native state. Let’s not forget that, after 4.56 billion years since their formation, each asteroid has a different composition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n One of the study’s conclusions is that <\/span>mining undifferentiated asteroids<\/b>\u2014the primordial remnants of the solar system’s formation considered the progenitor bodies of chondritic meteorites\u2014<\/span>is still far from viable<\/b>. On the other hand, the study points to a type of pristine asteroid with olivine and spinel bands as a potential target for mining. A comprehensive chemical analysis of carbonaceous chondrites is essential to identify promising targets for space mining. However, the team states that this effort must be accompanied by new sample-return missions to verify the identity of the progenitor bodies.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAlongside the progress represented by sample return missions, companies capable of taking decisive steps in the technological development necessary to extract and collect these materials under low-gravity conditions are truly needed. The processing of these materials and the waste generated would also have a significant impact that should be quantified and properly mitigated,\u201d adds Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez.<\/span><\/p>\n The team is confident of very short-term progress, given that<\/span> the use of <\/b>in-situ<\/i><\/b> resources will be a key factor for future long-term missions to the Moon and Mars<\/b>, reducing dependence on resupply from Earth. In this regard, the authors point out that if water extraction were the goal, water-altered asteroids with a high concentration of water-bearing minerals should be selected. \u201cIt sounds like science fiction, but it also seemed like science fiction when the first sample return missions were being planned thirty years ago,\u201d says Pau Gr\u00e8bol Tom\u00e0s.<\/span><\/p>\n In an international context, several proposals have been put forward, such as capturing small asteroids that pass close to Earth and placing them in a circumlunar orbit for exploitation. For certain water-rich carbonaceous asteroids, <\/span>extracting water for reuse seems more viable<\/b>, either as fuel or as a primary resource for exploring other worlds. \u201cThis could also provide science with greater knowledge about certain bodies that could one day threaten our very existence. In the long term, we could even mine and shrink potentially hazardous asteroids so that they cease to be dangerous,\u201d Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez concludes.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Press release prepared in collaboration with the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”M\u00e9s informaci\u00f3” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n More information<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on||||” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This research is presented in a paper entitled \u201c<\/span>Assessing the metal and rare earth element mining potential of undifferentiated asteroids through the study of carbonaceous chondrites<\/span><\/a>\u201d, by <\/span>J.M. Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez, P. Gr\u00e8bol-Tom\u00e0s <\/span>et al.<\/span><\/i>, to appear in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on 10 December 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Enlla\u00e7os” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Links<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contactes” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Contacts<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ module_class=”ieec-contact-col” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-contact” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Castelldefels, Barcelona [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ module_class=”ieec-contact-col” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-contact” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”ieec-about” module_class=”about-ieec” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” global_module=”17324″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”20px|50px|20px|50px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Sobre l’IEEC” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||on||||||” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of more than 25 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centres, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC\u2019s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.<\/p>\n The IEEC is a non-profit public sector foundation that was established in February 1996. It has a Board of Trustees composed of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya \u00b7 BarcelonaTech (UPC), and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). The IEEC is also a CERCA centre.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The team analysed meteorites from historical falls and NASA’s Antarctic meteorite collection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":41913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[111,74,98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlighted-news-small","category-news","category-science"],"yoast_head":"\nThe physical and chemical composition of asteroids<\/h2>\n
The future of exploration and resource extraction on small asteroids<\/h2>\n
\n
Oficina de Comunicaci\u00f3 de l\u2019IEEC<\/h4>\n
Correu electr\u00f2nic: comunicacio@ieec.cat<\/a><\/p>\nAutor Principal a l\u2019IEEC<\/h4>\n
Josep M. Trigo-Rodr\u00edguez<\/h4>\n
Institut de Ci\u00e8ncies de l’Espai (ICE-CSIC)
Correu electr\u00f2nic: trigo@ieec.cat,<\/a> trigo@ice.csic.es<\/a><\/p>\nAbout the IEEC<\/h2>\n