Introduction
For more than a century, the global magnetic materials industry has relied almost entirely on Earth’s finite resources. Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, and rare-earth elements form the backbone of loudspeaker motors, EV motors, MRI machines, aerospace systems, and renewable-energy generators. These materials, especially those used in high-performance permanent magnets, have become increasingly difficult to source in the quantities and purities demanded by modern technologies. Supply chains have tightened, extraction methods remain environmentally damaging, and geopolitical pressures continue to shape global availability. Yet, as the world looks beyond Earth toward a future of lunar bases, Mars missions, and commercial space stations, a pivotal question has emerged:
"What if Earth isn't the sole source of magnetic materials?"
This idea, once relegated to science fiction, is gaining real scientific and industrial attention. Asteroids, comets, and meteorites are more than just relics of the early Solar System they are treasure troves of metals and minerals, many of which are essential for magnetic applications. These objects contain Iron-Nickel alloys, Iron sulfides, Cobalt-bearing phases, and even exotic materials like the meteoritic Fe–Ni compound known as "Tetrataenite", a naturally ordered alloy with exceptional magnetic potential.
With recent space missions successfully collecting samples from asteroids and comets, and with new spacecraft heading toward entirely metallic worlds, the foundation for extraterrestrial resource utilization is being laid. The idea of mining magnetic materials in space is no longer a distant dream; it is a technological frontier. The following exploration provides context for this emerging field, highlighting scientific breakthroughs, historical missions, and what extraterrestrial metals could mean for the future of magnet technology.
How Space Became a Magnetic Material Factory
Long before Earth formed, billions of years ago, heavy elements including the magnetic metals used today originated in the hearts of massive stars. During supernova explosions, these metals were thrust into interstellar space, where they cooled and condensed into microscopic grains. Over millions of years, these grains merged into asteroids, comets, and planetesimals.
Unlike Earth, where geological processes constantly recycle and obscure primordial materials, many asteroids and comets have remained chemically unchanged since the dawn of the Solar System. This makes them unique repositories of iron, nickel, cobalt, and magnetic minerals.
Among the most scientifically and technologically exciting of these materials is Tetrataenite, a naturally occurring Fe–Ni alloy with a rare L1₀ atomic ordering. Tetrataenite is found in certain meteorites, especially in slow-cooled iron meteorites, and has magnetic properties that rival some modern rare-earth-based permanent magnets. Its ordered atomic structure forms over millions of years at extremely slow cooling rates that are nearly impossible to achieve in industrial processes on Earth.
This discovery has sparked intense interest from material scientists. If extraterrestrial bodies contain tetrataenite or Fe–Ni phases that could be transformed into tetrataenite, the magnet industry could access a material that offers high magnetic anisotropy, excellent stability, and no dependence on rare earths. Asteroids, particularly metallic ones, may hold gigantic volumes of these alloys ready for extraction.
A Solar System of Metals and Magnetic Materials
The most promising objects for metal and magnetic material extraction are metallic (M-type) asteroids, believed to be remnants of differentiated protoplanetary cores. These bodies contain vast quantities of iron-nickel metal, potentially enough to exceed Earth’s accessible reserves many times over.
NASA’s Psyche mission, launched in 2023 and en route to asteroid 16 Psyche, represents a major step toward understanding these metallic worlds. Psyche may be composed primarily of a mixture of Iron and Nickel, possibly similar to the cores of rocky planets. If confirmed, it would be the first direct exploration of an entirely metal-rich asteroid.
The magnetic industry has a particular interest in such asteroids because Fe–Ni alloys are the basis for soft magnetic materials, transformer steels, motor laminations, and the precursor phases of tetrataenite-like compounds. Access to pristine extraterrestrial Fe–Ni could unlock new possibilities in large-scale magnetic component manufacturing, especially in future orbital industries.
Silicate-rich asteroids, carbonaceous objects, and comets also contain significant quantities of magnetic minerals. Iron sulfides (like troilite), magnetite, metal grains, and silicate minerals containing iron and nickel contribute to the magnetic potential of these objects.
To illustrate what materials exist beyond Earth, the following table summarizes typical elements found in common Solar System bodies:
Asteroids and Comets Sample-Return Missions
The concept of extracting metals from space relies on real evidence. Over the past two decades, several landmark missions have physically collected extraterrestrial samples from comets and asteroids and returned them to Earth, giving scientists direct insight into the mineralogy and magnetic properties of small bodies.
Hayabusa Mission
Japan’s first sample-return mission visited asteroid Itokawa, bringing back microscopic grains. Although the sample amount was tiny, the mission proved that asteroid material could be returned safely. Chemical analysis showed metallic iron and nickel mixed with silicate minerals consistent with S-type asteroids.
Hayabusa2 Mission
Its successor surpassed all expectations. The spacecraft visited asteroid Ryugu, deployed rovers to its surface, blasted a small crater with an explosive device, and collected both surface and subsurface materials. When these samples reached Earth in 2020, scientists found carbon-rich compositions, iron-bearing minerals, sulfides, and evidence of early Solar System magnetic histories recorded in the grains.
OSIRIS-REx Mission
NASA’s mission to asteroid Bennu returned one of the largest extraterrestrial samples ever collected hundreds of grams. Early analysis already shows Iron-rich minerals and magnetic signatures that help reconstruct the origins of early planetesimals.
Stardust Mission
NASA’s Stardust spacecraft flew through the coma of Comet Wild 2, collecting dust particles. Many of these particles contained Fe-bearing silicates and high-temperature metal grains that must have formed close to the young Sun, a surprising discovery for a comet from the outer Solar System.
Rosetta Mission
ESA’s Rosetta mission orbited Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko for more than two years and deployed the Philae lander. Rosetta discovered Fe-Ni particles in the comet’s dust, along with sulfides and magnetic minerals. These findings showed that even icy bodies are laced with metallic constituents.
Meteorites: Nature’s Free Sample Return
Although not spacecraft missions, meteorites that fall to Earth have long provided insight into the materials available in space. Iron meteorites, in particular, contain Fe–Ni metal in highly concentrated form and are the main natural source of Tetrataenite. These missions and natural samples have dramatically advanced our understanding of what materials exist in asteroids and comets and how viable they might be for future industrial use.
Why Tetrataenite Matters to the Magnet Industry
Tetrataenite (Fe-Ni) stands out as one of the most promising extraterrestrial materials for magnet technology. With its L1₀ atomic ordering, it exhibits:
High magnetic anisotropy
Good coercivity
Thermal stability
Composition requiring no rare earth elements
These properties align closely with what the magnet industry seeks as a sustainable alternative to NdFeB or SmCo permanent magnets. Because Tetrataenite forms naturally under cooling rates of only a few degrees per million years, its unique ordering is difficult to reproduce artificially. Recent laboratory breakthroughs have produced synthetic tetrataenite-like phases, but these processes are still emerging.
In the 2023 Voice Coil Magazine October issue, Mr. Magdaleno and Mr. Klasco mentioned the possible use of Tetrataenite as magnetic material for the Magnetic Industry and for the Loudspeaker industry.
Extraterrestrial sources, particularly metallic asteroids, may hold enormous amounts of Fe–Ni alloy that could be thermally treated or structurally transformed into tetrataenite or related magnetic materials in space-based foundries.
This is one reason why metallic asteroids have caught the attention not only of planetary scientists but also material engineers and companies exploring the long-term future of off-Earth manufacturing.
Interstellar Visitors: Sources of Metals and Alloys
Recent observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS have revealed a remarkably unusual chemical composition, adding fascinating nuance to our understanding of what magnetic- or metallic-rich bodies beyond the Solar System might contain. These observations have shown that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS exhibits a remarkably unusual ratio of Nickel to Iron compared with ordinary solar-system comets. High-resolution VLT/UVES spectroscopy revealed that the neutral Nickel to neutral Iron abundance ratio (Ni I/Fe I) in its coma can reach values nearly nineteen times higher than the solar Ni/Fe ratio. In logarithmic terms, this corresponds to roughly 1.27 dex above the solar value, which is far beyond what has been measured in comets formed within our own planetary system. One particularly striking feature is that nickel emission was detected consistently even when the comet was still far from the Sun, whereas iron was not clearly detected until the comet reached about 2.6 astronomical units. This behavior suggests that Nickel-bearing species were released more easily than iron-bearing ones at large heliocentric distances. The unusual abundance ratio appears to decrease as the comet approaches the Sun, implying that the mechanisms releasing metals from the nucleus are temperature dependent. Researchers propose that the source of these metals may not be metallic grains but instead volatile organometallic compounds, specifically Nickel Tetracarbonyl and Iron Pentacarbonyl, which sublimate at low temperatures and could account for the early and strong Nickel release.
When compared to ordinary solar-system comets, the difference becomes even more pronounced. Studies of many well-known comets have shown that their Ni I/Fe I ratios tend to cluster close to unity, typically around log(Ni/Fe) ≈ –0.06 with a moderate dispersion. These values are somewhat enriched relative to the Sun, but still within an order of magnitude. In contrast, 3I/ATLAS displays a Ni/Fe ratio that is exceptionally high, exceeding even the upper range seen in solar-system comets and presenting one of the most Ni-rich compositions ever reported. This anomaly reinforces the idea that 3I/ATLAS formed in a very different chemical environment, perhaps in regions where volatile metal carbonyls were stable or abundant, or in a disk with a markedly different temperature and oxidation history. The extraordinary Ni/Fe ratio observed in 3I/ATLAS provides a powerful diagnostic of the diversity of solid materials present in other planetary systems and highlights how interstellar visitors can challenge assumptions built from studying comets native to our own Solar System.
Asteroids Mining Methods
Many asteroids are rich in Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, and even Platinum-group metals, making them extremely valuable for both industrial and technological applications. Accessing these resources in orbit could also serve strategic purposes, providing fuel depots and support stations for long-duration missions, and ultimately enabling the construction of habitats, vehicles, and tools directly in space without the need to lift all materials from Earth.
Several mining methods have been proposed to extract these resources. One of the most prominent concepts is Optical Mining, which involves concentrating sunlight using mirrors or reflectors to heat the asteroid surface. The intense heat causes spalling, a process in which volatile compounds such as water are released along with small particles of rock. A containment system captures the released materials for processing. This approach has the advantage of minimal mechanical complexity and utilizes solar energy, though it requires precise control over heating and debris collection.
Thermal desorption is another method, using resistive heaters or concentrated solar energy to release water vapor from regolith. Microwave heating is a promising variant, where microwaves penetrate the asteroid material and selectively heat water-bearing minerals, releasing volatiles without excessive mechanical disruption. The liberated water can then be condensed and either stored for life support or electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel.
Some approaches combine extraction and propulsion, such as using the extracted water directly as propellant in steam-based or electrolysis-driven systems. By doing so, spacecraft can refuel themselves while mining, improving operational efficiency. Mechanical excavation is also under consideration, though the microgravity environment poses unique challenges. Hovering spacecraft equipped with counter-rotating bucket wheels or robotic arms could collect regolith, which is then processed by heating or chemical extraction. Chemical methods are emerging as a compelling alternative, especially the use of deep eutectic solvents and ionic liquids that can dissolve metals from asteroid or meteorite material. These solvents operate at moderate temperatures and allow selective extraction of valuable metals such as nickel, iron, and even platinum-group elements. Magnetic separation is another complementary technique, particularly for ferromagnetic metals, enabling the recovery of iron and nickel from processed material.
Mining comets and asteroids presents different challenges and opportunities. Comets, often described as “dirty snowballs,” contain abundant ices and volatiles, making them ideal sources of water and other compounds, though their highly elliptical orbits complicate rendezvous and operations. Asteroids, on the other hand, may contain both hydrated minerals and metallic deposits, offering a combination of water and metals that could support space infrastructure. Technical hurdles are significant, including anchoring in microgravity, controlling regolith, supplying sufficient energy for heating or processing, and reliably capturing and storing extracted materials. Economic viability is also a concern; the cost of reaching, mining, and transporting resources from these bodies is high, and profitability depends on factors such as mission reuse, throughput, and proximity of target objects.
Despite these challenges, promising concepts and real-world studies are advancing rapidly. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has provided critical data on asteroid composition, while projects like TransAstra’s APIS program have demonstrated the feasibility of optical mining in laboratory settings. Research into chemical extraction using ionic liquids or deep eutectic solvents continues to show promise for efficiently recovering metals and oxygen without extreme thermal processes. Future prospects include small spacecraft swarms capable of mining near-Earth asteroids for water, storing it in orbital depots, and gradually building a self-sustaining space economy. This could eventually lead to orbital refueling stations, in-space manufacturing of components, and construction of habitats using local materials, reducing dependency on Earth. Legal frameworks and economic models are also evolving to support space resource utilization, providing clarity on ownership, property rights, and commercial exploitation.
In summary, mining asteroids and comets represents one of the most exciting opportunities for the future of humanity in space. With methods ranging from optical heating and thermal desorption to chemical extraction and mechanical excavation, scientists and engineers are developing a toolkit to unlock these extraterrestrial resources. While challenges remain, the combination of innovative technologies, strategic planning, and incremental demonstration missions could pave the way for a space-based economy where water, metals, and other resources are extracted and utilized directly in orbit. This vision, once realized, will not only support exploration and colonization but also transform how we think about resource availability, industry, and sustainability in the final frontier.
A New Magnetic Boundary
As humanity prepares for a future among the stars, the raw materials that built Earth’s technologies may soon come from beyond our world. Asteroids and comets contain not only the metals essential for modern magnetics but also rare alloys like tetrataenite that could revolutionize future designs.
The space missions: Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx, Stardust, and Rosetta have brought us closer to this reality. Each sample reveals minerals and metals that nature preserved for billions of years, waiting to be rediscovered.
In the decades ahead, the magnetic materials industry may expand not by digging deeper into Earth but by reaching outward into the Solar System. Mining the magnetic universe could redefine how humanity sources materials, manufactures technology, and builds the next generation of machines both on Earth and in space.
References
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[25] TransAstra / NASA, Optical Mining of Asteroids, Moons, and Planets to Enable Sustainable Human Exploration and Space Industrialization. NASA report describing the use of highly concentrated sunlight to heat asteroid surfaces within a containment bag and extract volatiles. NASA
[26] Patent US 11,085,669 B2 (“Optics and structure for space applications”) — describes a system where focused sunlight heats an asteroid surface to ~1000 K, causing spalling and outgassing of volatiles.
[27] Patent WO 2016172647A1 — specifies optical design, spall-fracture mechanisms (thermal stress + gas pressure), vesicle mechanics, and a bag-enclosure system for optical mining.
[28] NASA NIAC Phase I report (Sercel et al.) — experimental demonstration of optical mining: concentrated sunlight (≈10 kW) generates a hot spot on asteroid simulant, drives spalling at ~0.7 mm/s. NASA
[29] U.S. Army article on TransAstra’s solar-furnace test at White Sands Missile Range — lab test of optical mining where concentrated sunlight caused the test “asteroid” to eject material.
[30] MIT Article, Asteroid Mining
[31] Mining asteroids, De-Risk the Energy Transition with Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing - IEEE Spectrum
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Citation: S. Magdaleno, "Mining the Solar System for Future Magnetic Technology: Harvesting Our Abundant Solar System - Asteroids and Comets," Salvador Consultant.