Different parts of Mars have different advantages and disadvantages when it comes to their available resources, just like Earth. The polar caps are likely the most valuable in terms of their water content, which will be critical to any early stage crewed mission to the Red Planet. But to really unlock the fully potential of Mars, geologists think we’ll need to look to the volcanoes, where there is likely to be easily accessible valuable materials like nickel, titanium, and chromium, that were placed there when the volcanoes were active. Reaching those deposits on the side of some of the largest mountains in the solar system safely is a challenge, and one that is tackled in a new paper by Divij Gupta and Arkajit Aich, where they look at the necessary requirements to set up an effective mining operation on the slopes of Olympus and Elysium Mons.
Their first step was to map the mountains in detail. Using data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, they produced a topographical map of the target mining areas around several Martian volcanoes. Luckily, much of the area was less than a 2 degree slope, making it safe for traditional rover operations, though there were steeper patches near the caldera and on some flank scarps.
To ensure that safety, though, the researchers calculated a geological “factory of safety”, which is a ratio of the forces resisting a slope failure to those driving it. Any value above 1.0 is considered “safe”, meaning any value below that has the potential for an induced landslide if a rover decides to drive on it.
Fraser explains in-situ resource utilization - a key idea in humanity's expansion into the solar system.One other factor of consideration for the slope calculation was their “aspect” - essentially which direction the slope faces. This is important when considering where to place solar panels, as well as help identify places protected from the relentless Martian wind.
After understanding the geological terrain they had to work with, the researchers turned to methods of extracting material from it. One possibility would be terracing, like what is seen in large strip mines on Earth. In this case, the ground is leveled with ramps going into between the different levels, ensuring the terrain stays stable with no risk of rock slides.
Another potential solution is “anchor drilling” where a large drill head would embed itself into the local regolith as an anchor point. After securing itself, it could use “high-force operations” to extract large amounts of valuable material quickly.
Isaac Arthur discusses how to make money on a newly colonized planet. Credit - Isaac Arthur YouTube ChannelTransporting that material back to a base where it could be processed is another technical challenge. To address this, the researchers analyzed whether roads or rail would be more effective. The answer, unsurprisingly, is rail, though it requires more of an up-front investment and likely wouldn’t be feasible until there was already enough activity to justify an installed rail line.
Designing a rover to actually do the mining was the final task in the paper. The design they came up with weighed in at about 2.1 tonnes and looked similar to Perseverance, with six wheels maintaining ground contact at all times. It would come equipped with a robotic arm, and be powered by a radioisotope thermal generator, similar to existing rover models. However, it would also have solar panels with a self-cleaning vibratory feature to ensure dust doesn’t settle on them for long periods of time.
Overall the system is a reasonable path towards successfully mining valuable materials from the sides of Martian volcanoes. However, that is just one consideration on the grand scheme of Martian colonization that will eventually happen in the coming centuries. Where it lies in the priority list remains to be seen, but at least it seems like we have a good engineering approach to tackling the problem when the time comes.
Learn More:
D. Gupta & A. Aich - Advancing Resource Extraction Systems in Martian Volcanic Terrain: Rover Design, Power Consumption and Hazard Analysis
UT - This Strange Feature on Mars was Probably the Result of an Ancient Volcanic Explosion
UT - Ancient Volcanoes on Mars Could Have Been the Place for Life