Helium stands as one of the most remarkable elements in human history—discovered first in the cosmos before being found on Earth, and evolving from a scientific curiosity to an indispensable component of modern civilization. This noble gas has transformed from its initial role in early airships to becoming the cornerstone of cutting-edge technologies that power everything from quantum computers to life-saving medical equipment. The journey of helium spans over 150 years of scientific breakthroughs, geopolitical tensions, industrial revolutions, and technological innovations that have fundamentally reshaped how nations view this finite resource and its strategic importance in the global economy.

Find out about the noble gasses as a group here [Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), Radon (Rn), Oganesson (Og)]. Find a review of the 50 most important industrial gases here. Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well.

A History Of Helium

The story of helium represents humanity’s quest to understand the universe while simultaneously harnessing its properties to advance civilization. From its celestial origins in stellar nucleosynthesis to its critical role in semiconductor manufacturing, helium has enabled technological leaps that seemed impossible just decades ago. This comprehensive examination reveals how helium evolved from supporting traditional applications like weather balloons and welding operations to becoming an essential enabler of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space exploration technologies that define our modern era.

Chronology

• 1868 – French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovered helium’s spectral signature during a solar eclipse in Guntur, India, while English astronomer Norman Lockyer independently observed the same yellow spectral line from London, making helium the first element discovered extraterrestrially before being found on Earth [1]
• 1882 – Italian physicist Luigi Palmieri first detected helium on Earth by identifying its spectral line in gases emitted from Mount Vesuvius lava, marking helium’s initial terrestrial discovery [2]
• 1889 – American geochemist William Francis Hillebrand observed unusual spectral lines while analyzing uraninite mineral samples but incorrectly attributed them to nitrogen, missing the opportunity to isolate helium [3]
• 1895 – Scottish chemist Sir William Ramsay successfully isolated terrestrial helium from cleveite mineral using mineral acids, definitively confirming helium’s existence on Earth and earning him the 1904 Nobel Prize in Chemistry [4]
• 1903 – Kansas state geologist Erasmus Haworth discovered significant helium concentrations in natural gas from Dexter, Kansas, when an oil drilling operation produced a non-flammable gas geyser containing 1.84% helium [5]
• 1905 – University of Kansas chemists Hamilton Cady and David McFarland perfected techniques for rapid helium determination in natural gas and developed methods for separating helium from other gases [6]
• 1907 – Ernest Rutherford and Thomas Royds demonstrated that alpha particles are helium nuclei by allowing particles to penetrate thin glass walls and analyzing the resulting spectrum [7]
• 1908 – Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes first liquefied helium by cooling the gas to less than 5 Kelvin, establishing the foundation for cryogenic applications [8]
• 1912 – Alfred Fowler produced spectral lines from hydrogen-helium mixtures, supporting early atomic theory development and helium’s role in understanding stellar physics [9]
• 1917 – United States Navy sponsored three experimental helium plants during World War I to supply non-flammable gas for military barrage balloons, establishing helium’s strategic defense importance [10]
• 1926 – Willem Hendrik Keesom, student of Onnes, successfully solidified helium by applying additional pressure, completing the understanding of helium’s phase transitions [11]
• 1938 – Russian physicist Pyotr Leonidovich Kapitsa discovered superfluidity in helium-4 at temperatures near absolute zero, revealing helium’s unique quantum mechanical properties [12]
• 1950s – Helium seeps were first identified in Tanzania’s Rift Valley, though commercial exploitation would not occur until decades later [13]
• 1961 – Scientists Vignos and Fairbank reported the existence of gamma-phase solid helium-4, expanding understanding of helium’s complex phase behavior [14]
• 1972 – American physicists Douglas Osheroff, David Lee, and Robert Richardson observed superfluidity in helium-3, demonstrating quantum effects in different isotopes [15]
• 1995 – First major helium shortage occurred, highlighting supply vulnerabilities and marking the beginning of recurring global helium supply challenges [16]
• 2000 – American Chemical Society designated the discovery of helium in natural gas as a National Historic Chemical Landmark, recognizing its scientific and economic significance [17]
• 2010 – “Helium Shortage 2.0” occurred due to limited helium sources and international trade restrictions, impacting global research and medical applications [18]
• 2013 – Qatar started the world’s largest helium production unit, dramatically increasing global supply capacity until diplomatic crises later disrupted operations [19]
• 2015 – UK universities and Helium One company discovered systematic methods for helium exploration, leading to major finds in Tanzania using techniques adapted from oil exploration [20]
• 2017 – Qatar diplomatic crisis severely affected global helium production and highlighted geopolitical supply risks for importing nations [21]
• 2018 – “Helium Shortage 3.0” began, lasting into 2019 and demonstrating the market’s continued vulnerability to supply disruptions [22]
• 2020 – COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted helium markets through production facility shutdowns and supply chain disruptions worldwide [23]
• 2021 – Russia’s Gazprom Amur facility in Siberia began operations, becoming the world’s largest helium plant and positioning Russia to control 25-30% of global production [24]
• 2022 – United States removed helium from the critical minerals list, citing increased known supply despite ongoing concerns about long-term availability [25]
• 2023 – Helium prices nearly doubled from 2020 levels, reaching $14 per cubic meter as global demand continued outpacing supply growth [26]
• 2024 – IDTechEx forecasts predicted helium demand for semiconductor manufacturing would increase five-fold by 2035 due to AI, quantum computing, and advanced chip requirements [27]
• 2025 – Chinese companies established their first large-scale helium production facilities to reduce dependence on United States supplies amid ongoing trade tensions [28]

Final Thoughts

The remarkable journey of helium from a mysterious solar phenomenon to an essential pillar of modern technology illustrates humanity’s capacity to transform scientific discovery into civilization-advancing innovation. What began as astronomers’ curiosity about an unknown spectral line has evolved into a strategic resource that enables everything from life-saving medical imaging to the semiconductor chips powering artificial intelligence systems. Helium’s unique properties—its inertness, exceptional thermal conductivity, and quantum mechanical behaviors—have made it irreplaceable in applications spanning healthcare, aerospace, electronics manufacturing, and fundamental scientific research. As nations grapple with supply security concerns and the finite nature of this noble gas, helium’s story continues to unfold as a testament to how a single element can reshape geopolitical relationships, drive technological breakthroughs, and fundamentally alter the trajectory of human progress across multiple industries and scientific frontiers.

Thanks for reading!

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References

[1] Helium – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium

[2] How Scientists Discovered Helium, the First Alien Element, 150 Years Ago – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-scientists-discovered-helium-first-alien-element-1868-180970057/

[3] 150 years of helium | Feature | Chemistry World – https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/150-years-of-helium/3009232.article

[4] The history of helium: Properties, reserves, production and uses – https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/the-history-of-helium-properties-reserves-production-and-uses/48282/

[5] Discovery of Helium in Natural Gas – National Historic Chemical Landmark – American Chemical Society – https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/heliumnaturalgas.html

[6] Helium first discovered during 1868 eclipse; the element later developed by 20th century chemist, Purdue science leader – James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Department of Chemistry – Purdue University – https://www.chem.purdue.edu/history/helium.html

[7] Who discovered helium? – https://phys.org/news/2016-03-helium.html

[8] Helium | Definition, Properties, Uses, & Facts | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/science/helium-chemical-element

[9] WebElements Periodic Table » Helium » historical information – https://www.webelements.com/helium/history.html

[10] The History of Helium: From Discovery to Modern Uses – https://www.adamsgas.co.uk/2024/08/19/the-history-of-helium-from-discovery-to-modern-uses/

[11] It’s Elemental – The Element Helium – https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele002.html

[12] Celebrating the 150th anniversary of helium’s discovery | why we need it more than ever | Colorado State University – https://source.colostate.edu/celebrating-the-150th-anniversary-of-heliums-discovery-why-we-need-it-more-than-ever/

[13] Helium: Sources, Applications, Supply, and Demand – https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5628/3/4/13

[14] Helium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table – https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/2/helium

[15] Helium Was Discovered 150 Years Ago. Here’s Why It’s So Important | Live Science – https://www.livescience.com/63372-helium-150th-anniversary-discovery.html

[16] Economics, Helium, and the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve: Summary and Outlook | Natural Resources Research – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11053-017-9359-y

[17] Helium Dependent Technologies • Noble Helium – https://noblehelium.com.au/helium-dependent-technologies/

[18] Semiconductor manufacturing faces helium supply shortage – https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/semiconductor-manufacturing-faces-helium-supply-shortage/51068/

[19] The Geopolitics of Natural Resources: A Case Study on Helium – McGill Journal of Political Science – https://mjps.ssmu.ca/2020/11/08/the-geopolitics-of-natural-resources-a-case-study-on-helium/

[20] Helium resource global supply and demand: Geopolitical supply risk analysis – ScienceDirect – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344923000721

[21] A Safe and Reliable Supply of Helium is Necessary for U.S. National Security – Compressed Gas Association – https://www.cganet.com/helium-supply-necessary-for-national-security/

[22] Understanding Growth Challenges in Helium (He) Gases For Military Market 2025-2033 – https://www.marketreportanalytics.com/reports/helium-he-gases-for-military-67079

[23] High Demand Noble Gas: Helium Creates Lucrative Investment Opportunities as a Critical Tech Resource – Article | Crux Investor – https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/high-demand-noble-gas-helium-shortage-creates-lucrative-investment-opportunities-in-critical-tech-resource

[24] Helium Is Instrumental in Semiconductor Manufacturing – IER – https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/helium-is-instrumental-in-semiconductor-manufacturing/

[25] Helium Conservation Needed to Support a Growing Semiconductor Industry | IDTechEx Research Article – https://www.idtechex.com/en/research-article/helium-conservation-needed-to-support-a-growing-semiconductor-industry/31674

[26] Helium Scarcity: Impact on Semiconductor Manufacturing – https://42t.com/insights/implications-of-helium-scarcity-for-semiconductors/

[27] Why Semiconductor Growth Will Drive Helium Demand | Technology Magazine – https://technologymagazine.com/articles/why-semiconductor-growth-will-drive-helium-demand

[28] Exploring the Global Space Race: Moon Bases, Mineral Resources, and Helium-3 – International Defense Security & Technology – https://idstch.com/geopolitics/exploring-the-global-space-race-moon-bases-mineral-resources-and-helium-3/