This document contains preliminary concepts for mining and beneficiation of lunar regolith from a 50 metric ton/day mine. Assumptions for the design are outlined below. Lunar regolith is the material to be mined. Since it is already a fine-grained material, the two steps of crushing and breakup from a rock surface are eliminated. The size of the operation was set at 50 metric tons of regolith/day for a three-year period. Operations will occur around the clock to make most efficient use of equipment, thus we assume 24 hr/day. For simplicity we have assumed that the lunar regolith has a uniform density of 1.68 and that it can be mined to a depth of 6 m. No research was done on power supply or distribution. It was left to others to consider the various trade-offs between nuclear and solar power and to design the needed utility system.


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    Title :

    Lunar mining equipment


    Contributors:
    Bekkedahl, S. (author) / Breidenbach, T. (author) / Brown, M. (author) / Francis, C. (author) / Freeman, J. (author) / Scharnott, M. (author) / Thon, R. (author)


    Publication date :

    1989-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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