NASA's High-Tech Sensor Hunts for Critical Minerals in the American West
NASA has developed a cutting-edge sensor, AVIRIS-5, to aid in the search for essential minerals in the American West. This technology, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the 1970s, is a game-changer in mineral exploration. AVIRIS-5, about the size of a microwave, fits snugly inside the nose of NASA's ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft. Since its first deployment in 1986, JPL has continuously enhanced its capabilities.
The GEMx project, an ongoing initiative, has already covered over 366,000 square miles (950,000 square kilometers) in the vast American West. Deserts are ideal for mineral spectroscopy due to their sparse vegetation. The project aims to identify minerals with unique chemical structures that reflect different wavelengths of light, creating 'spectral fingerprints' specific to critical minerals.
Critical minerals, as defined by the USGS, are those with significant economic or national security implications for the U.S. These include aluminum, lithium, zinc, graphite, tungsten, and titanium, which are integral to the manufacturing supply chains of essential technologies like semiconductors, solar electricity systems, and electric vehicle batteries. In March 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order to boost the production of these minerals, recognizing the threat posed by reliance on hostile foreign powers' mineral production.
Beyond mineral hunting, spectrometers like AVIRIS-5 have been utilized on spacecraft to study planets in our solar system, including Mars, Mercury, and Pluto. One spectrometer is even en route to Europa, a moon of Jupiter, to search for the chemical ingredients necessary for life.
JPL's Earth system scientist, Dana Chadwick, envisions a broader range of applications for AVIRIS-5, from land management to snowpack water resources and wildfire risk assessment. According to Chadwick, critical minerals are just the beginning for this versatile sensor.
This technology has the potential to revolutionize various fields, and its impact extends far beyond the search for critical minerals. As the project continues, it will be fascinating to see how AVIRIS-5 contributes to our understanding of the natural world and supports technological advancements.
