Science
Researchers find iron-rich rocks in Western Australia can produce natural hydrogen
Laboratory tests by Edith Cowan University researchers show magnetite from the Pilbara region generates hydrogen gas when exposed to heated water under pressure.
The short version
- Edith Cowan University researchers demonstrated that magnetite in Western Australia's Pilbara region generates hydrogen gas when reacting with high-temperature water under pressure.
- The process was accelerated in laboratory settings by injecting a solution into banded iron formations.
- Commercial viability and large-scale implementation remain unknown, as hydrogen yield depends heavily on rock permeability and water flow through underground fractures.
Key facts
- Researchers at Edith Cowan University placed magnetite samples in 200°C water under high pressure for 60 days to simulate deep underground conditions, demonstrating natural hydrogen production.[ScienceDaily]
- Scientists successfully enhanced the hydrogen-generating chemical process in the laboratory by injecting a solution into banded iron formations.[ScienceDaily]
- The study revealed that hydrogen generation relies on rock structure, pore space, and water access through permeable pathways, rather than solely on the quantity of magnetite present.[ScienceDaily]
- The study was published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.[ScienceDaily]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain whether the laboratory-tested process can be scaled up efficiently in actual underground geological formations to serve as a practical energy source.[ScienceDaily]
Sources
- Australia’s red soil may be hiding a massive clean energy sourceScienceDaily - Environment