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Thomas Abraham-James, the British geologist praised for his team’s discovery of helium in Tanzania and in Minnesota and Greenland, celebrates a decade working in the helium industry. Thomas calls the industry a nascent economic opportunity that many don’t understand past party balloons and associated hydrocarbons. However, Pulsar Helium is motivated to educate the public.
Helium is one of the most stable elements on the periodic table. This honor allows it to be included as a noble gas, meaning that it is virtually unreactive when paired with other substances. Helium also has extremely low melting and boiling points, allowing it to be a liquid most frequently and a gas when other elements turn into solids. These unique qualities make the gas perfect for a variety of applications.
Party balloons are the first thing consumers think of when they hear helium, but Thomas and others focused on protecting the element see that as a waste of a valuable commodity. This is because helium is essential for technologies such as MRI scanners, computer chips, spaceships, fiber optic cables, and additional products. Since liquid helium is used in countless electronics, artificial intelligence is an emerging sector where the element is even more in demand.
Thomas first began mineral exploration after studying geology and earth science in university. As a British citizen who grew up in Australia, he already had a thirst for travel and discovery, which was further unleashed once he entered the industry. His breakthrough discovery of helium in Tanzania in 2016 pushed him into a niche part of gas exploration, since he was primarily focused on elements like platinum, nickel, or gold in the past.
This decision to bring awareness to the endless uses of helium and protect the commodity has paid off. After wrapping up his work in Tanzania, Thomas co-founded Pulsar Helium to establish itself in the North American market. The company was later praised for its discovery of a high grade helium occurrence in Minnesota and being the first organization to look for helium in Greenland.
Since unveiling many hidden reserves of helium around the world, Thomas wants to spend the rest of his career finding the element without the presence of hydrocarbons. While he has been focused on this variant of helium for a while, the overall goal is to educate leaders that decarbonization is possible in the future. If Thomas was capable of providing a stable supply of helium through a reliable reserve, he would enable people to continue living the lifestyle that they love, which requires more of this element.
Thomas is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Geological Society of London, and the Society of Economic Geologists. With these connections, he plans to discover more reserves of helium while ensuring that technology, medical, and research sectors have enough to continue producing in-demand goods.
