- Just five countries control the majority of known helium reserves, underscoring its status as a strategically scarce resource.
- As terrestrial reserves decline, helium-3 mining on the Moon is gaining attention as a potential future source.
Helium may be best known for making balloons float, but it plays a far more serious role in modern industry—from cooling superconducting magnets in MRI machines to enabling cutting-edge research in quantum computing. Yet despite its critical uses, helium remains surprisingly scarce.
The visualization above from Made Visual Daily highlights estimated helium reserves by country, using data from Frontiers International.
Here's a closer look at the data:
The U.S. dominates with 20.6 billion m³ of helium reserves, more than twice the next-highest, Qatar, with 10.1 billion m³. Algeria, Russia, and Canada also make the list, while the rest of the world accounts for a relatively minor share.
Note: U.S. helium reserve estimates vary significantly depending on methodology. The figure above includes broader assessments of total reserves and resources, including reserves lacking full production history data.
Why Helium is So Valuable
Helium is unique in that it's a non-renewable resource on Earth. It's formed deep underground through radioactive decay and often extracted as a byproduct of natural gas production. Once released into the atmosphere, helium escapes into space—meaning it can't be recovered or recycled easily.
Its properties as an inert, ultra-light, and extremely cold gas make it indispensable for cryogenics, semiconductor manufacturing, and aerospace technologies. As such, helium is a resource not to be taken lightly.
Supply Risks and Strategic Reserves
Despite its importance, global helium supply chains remain fragile. In recent years, a combination of plant shutdowns, geopolitical tensions, and market fluctuations has led to multiple helium shortages. With global production at just 0.2 billion m³ per year, reserves could become even more critical in the coming decades.
Looking to the Moon for Helium-3
Interestingly, the Moon may offer a futuristic solution. Helium-3, a rare isotope not found in abundance on Earth, exists in greater quantities on the lunar surface. Scientists and companies are actively researching how helium-3 could be mined for potential use in nuclear fusion—possibly turning the Moon into a strategic resource hub.
