Where Does Helium Come From?

Helium comes from two main sources: cosmic nucleosynthesis during the Big Bang and radioactive decay of uranium and thorium within the Earth’s crust. However, the helium we use on Earth comes almost entirely from underground deposits formed by radioactive decay – not from the helium produced during the Big Bang. 

In this article, we’ll explore helium’s cosmic origins, as well as its extraction and processing for industrial and medical applications.

Most Helium Was Formed During the Big Bang

In the first three minutes after the Big Bang, a process called Big Bang nucleosynthesis occurred, which produced around 25% of all the mass in the universe as helium – the remaining 75% was mainly made up of hydrogen, with trace amounts of lithium and other light elements. 

Stars continue to produce helium through nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms. Approximately 600 million metric tons of hydrogen in our sun fuse into helium every second through a process called the proton-proton chain reaction.

But most of the helium in the universe today was created shortly after the Big Bang.

How Helium Is Formed on Earth

Most of Earth’s helium originates deep underground as a byproduct of radioactive decay, where elements such as uranium and thorium emit helium-4 nuclei that accumulate over millions of years. 

Over those millions of years, this radioactive decay has produced helium that is trapped in the same underground pockets that contain natural gas. The rocks above these reservoirs are impermeable, preventing the helium from escaping into the atmosphere. This is important because helium is so light that, once it reaches the surface, it escapes Earth’s gravity and drifts into space. And once it escapes into space, it’s essentially lost for good. 

The concentration of helium in natural gas deposits varies a lot. Rich deposits typically contain up to 7-8% helium, but most contain less than 0.3%.

The United States has historically been the world’s largest producer of helium, with significant deposits in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Other countries with substantial helium reserves include:

• Qatar
• Algeria
• Russia
• Canada
• Tanzania

How Helium Is Extracted from Natural Gas: Step-by-Step

Helium is extracted from natural gas by cooling the gas until other components liquefy, leaving helium in a gaseous state for easy separation and purification.

Here is the process, step-by-step:

Step 1: remove impurities such as water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide from the natural gas.

Step 2: cool the cleaned gas mixture to cryogenic temperatures (around -200°C / -328°F). At these low temperatures, most gases liquefy while helium stays in gas form.

Step 3: separate the helium-rich gas from the liquefied components.

Step 4: further purify the helium using pressure swing adsorption or other methods.

Step 5: collect helium at the desired purity level – often 99.995% or higher.

Will We Have Enough Helium in the Future?

Since helium cannot be economically produced synthetically and we are already experiencing helium shortages, there is a risk of running out of helium. Helium has important use-cases, including in MRI systems, so efforts are being made to conserve helium and find new sources. 

How Helium Is Being Conserved

There are helium recovery systems that make it possible to capture and reuse helium. Hospitals have become efficient at recycling the helium used to cool superconducting magnets. These closed-loop systems can recover over 90% of the helium used.

There Are Efforts to Find New Helium Sources

Helium specialists are looking for new ways to meet demand for helium.

Geological surveys continue to identify new helium reserves globally, with promising discoveries in countries like Tanzania, Canada, and Russia. 

Also, scientists are exploring alternative methods of helium production. The most notable ones include extraction from air (where helium exists at about 5 parts per million) and harvesting helium-3 from the lunar surface, though both remain economically and technologically challenging.

So, while nobody knows if we will have enough helium in the future, there are potential solutions to helium shortages.  

Lawrence Haynes

Currently serving as Marketing Director at WestAir Gases & Equipment in San Diego, CA Lawrence leverages his expertise in industrial gas solutions and equipment marketing. With a proven track record in cross-industry marketing strategy, he brings a specialized experience in content development, marketing automation, and partner relations to the industrial gas sector.