Exploring for hydrogen, helium and lithium: is it as easy as 1, 2, 3?

Hydrogen, helium and lithium, elements one two and three of the periodic table, are in demand to enable and enhance low-carbon energy technologies. Anthropogenic hydrogen is manufactured from water via methane reforming or from electrolysis. Both are costly and have environmental impacts. Helium is commonly found in low concentrations in association with petroleum gases. Lithium is mined by brine pumping or from igneous rocks, with consequential serious environmental impacts. Were it possible to economically find hydrogen in its molecular state, then surely such hydrogen would dominate the market. Similarly, helium generated without associated greenhouse gases would also be a market stimulant for a helium industry. What if hydrogen and helium could be co-produced from a single composite discovery? And what if the water leg to such hydrogen and helium deposits were rich in lithium? It, too, would be produced with costs for all elements shared. Helium is a natural product of crystalline rocks including granite and its generation can liberate hydrogen from interstitial water. These same rocks can be rich sources of lithium and may also deliver geothermal resources. The energy transition may therefore shift what we consider to be important for energy geoscience. The basement may become as important as the basin.