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Article #7375Re: Justification for the Space Program <long>
From: Paul Dietz
Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1993 03:59
Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1993 03:59
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In article <1993Jan8.020405.26730@ptdcs2.intel.com> greason@ptdcs2.intel.com (Jeff Greason ~) writes: > Postulating a (hypothetical) super increase in aluminum extraction > techniques, common clay (for aluminum) can become a valuable resource. Hardly "super". Extraction of alumina from kaolinite is a demonstrated technology. It's just not competitive now when bauxites with > 50% alumina are plentiful. High grade bauxite reserves should last ~ 300 years at current consumption rates; somewhat lower grade bauxite for 1000 years. Only then would we go after clays or feldspars. Note also that the cost of producing alumina is a rather small part of the cost (both dollar and energy) of producing aluminum. Paul F. Dietz dietz@cs.rochester.edu
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Newsgroups: sci.space,talk.politics.space Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!wupost!udel!rochester!dietz From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Dietz) Subject: Re: Justification for the Space Program <long> Message-ID: <1993Jan8.035925.28222@cs.rochester.edu> Organization: University of Rochester References: <1992Dec29.181813.11510@unocal.com> <jfelder-070193115431@latvia.lerc.nasa.gov> <1993Jan8.020405.26730@ptdcs2.intel.com> Distribution: usa, world Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 03:59:25 GMT Lines: 18