Thread: NRC urges rethink over sale of helium reserve

Science: In 1996, the US Congress decided to sell the 1 billion cubic meters of gaseous helium—specifically the heavier isotope, helium-4—that the country had stockpiled. But conditions it imposed on the sales are keeping the price of helium artificially low...

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Selling off our helium reserves cheap, could be a big mistake. Several activities, which may be big time in a decade or so require large amounts of lifting gas. As we know hydrogen is a significant fire hazard, so hundreds of lives may be lost, because helium is too expensive. Perhaps 1% of the world's gas and oil wells (mostly in the USA) release gas that is more than 1% helium. Helium can be extracted from other gas, (including our atmosphere) that is about one part per million helium, but that is very expensive.
The article confused the issue, by specifying the heavier isotope of helium. Neil