Topaz evaluation targets potential new U.S. commercial helium-3 supply for quantum computing and national security
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LONDON, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
Pulsar Helium Inc. (AIM: PLSR) (TSXV: PLSR) (OTCQB: PSRHF) (“Pulsar” or the “Company”), a primary helium company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an evaluation agreement with Lunar Helium-3 Mining, LLC (“LH3M”) to evaluate LH3M’s proprietary helium-3 separation, concentration, recovery and associated processing technology using data and helium samples from Pulsar’s flagship Topaz Project in Minnesota, USA. The collaboration targets a potential new U.S. helium-3 supply source for quantum computing and national security applications.
The objective is to assess the technical feasibility of recovering and concentrating helium-3 from Topaz gas, including technical compatibility, recovery performance, product purity, operating requirements, scale-up considerations and preliminary economics. The staged program may lead to discussion of a controlled pilot and, if the parties later enter into a separate definitive agreement, potential commercial deployment of LH3M’s technology at Topaz.
Helium-3 is an exceptionally rare and high-value isotope used as a coolant in dilution refrigerators that enable many leading quantum-computing systems to operate at temperatures near 0.01 kelvin. Secure access to helium-3 is therefore critical to expanding these systems and supporting U.S. quantum capability and national security. It currently sells for more than US$18 million per kilogram in specialized markets.
U.S. helium-3 supply currently depends on a single government production source: recovery from radioactive tritium decay at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, with sales and distribution managed by the DOE Isotope Program. LH3M estimates annual U.S. helium-3 production at approximately 1–2 kilograms and available U.S. inventory at potentially less than 5 kilograms; exact figures are not publicly disclosed. LH3M warns that this constrained supply is insufficient to support projected commercial quantum-computing demand at scale, creating a growing strategic supply-chain vulnerability.
If the evaluation demonstrates that helium-3 can be recovered economically, Topaz could become one of the first, if not the only, commercial U.S. sources of newly recovered helium-3 from a natural gas deposit. Such production could supplement constrained government-derived supply and help meet growing quantum-computing needs.
Beyond its role as a coolant, helium-3 has potential future use as a fuel for fusion. Helium-3 fusion is the only pathway to globally scalable green energy. Quantum computing and national security provide the immediate strategic rationale for evaluating additional supply at Topaz, with fusion representing a longer-term opportunity.
As announced by Pulsar on January 19, 2026, raw gas samples from the Jetstream #1 well at Topaz were independently analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey Noble Gas Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Both U.S. Federal laboratories confirmed helium-3 concentrations of approximately 11.2–11.9 parts per billion, closely matching results from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and providing strong third-party validation of the Topaz helium-3 discovery.
Thomas Abraham-James, Dr. Chris Salvino and Pulsar’s helium-3 expert, Dr. Peter Barry, are attending the 4th NASA–USGS Offworld Resources Workshop, being held October 13–15, 2026, at the NASA Ames Conference Center in Moffett Field, California. Dr. Salvino will present “Helium-3: A Collapsing Global Supply Chain and the Race to the Moon” today, Wednesday, October 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. local time, as part of the workshop’s Offworld Industry Concepts session.
Thomas Abraham-James, Chief Executive Officer of Pulsar, commented: “Our goal is straightforward: to unlock the helium-3 potential at Topaz. Independent verification by the USGS and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory established a strong scientific foundation, and this agreement gives us the opportunity to evaluate how LH3M’s technology can recover and concentrate helium-3 from Topaz gas.
“With helium-3 selling for more than US$18 million per kilogram, successful development could add a highly valuable and strategically important product stream alongside our primary helium development. We are excited to begin this work with LH3M.”
Chris Salvino, Chief Executive Officer of LH3M, commented: “We see a collapsing helium-3 supply chain just as quantum computing is moving toward commercial scale. Helium-3 is the coolant that enables many leading quantum systems to operate, and securing its supply is a national security priority as the United States competes with China for quantum leadership.
“Pulsar has independently verified helium-3 at Topaz, and LH3M brings proprietary separation technology to evaluate that opportunity. If we can demonstrate commercially viable recovery, this collaboration could help establish an important new U.S. helium-3 supply. Our immediate focus is to assess recovery, purity, scale-up and economics using Topaz data and samples.”
Evaluation Program
The program will begin with a desktop evaluation of Topaz gas-composition, isotopic and analytical data. LH3M will then prepare a proposed laboratory evaluation plan addressing the technology, equipment, test protocols, samples, analytical methods, technical success criteria, budget, schedule and applicable safety and regulatory requirements.
The proposed Phase 2 plan is expected to include technical success criteria addressing helium-3 purity, recovery, mass balance and repeatability. The parties’ initial working target is at least 95% helium-3 purity, subject to agreement in the final Phase 2 Plan.
If the laboratory evaluation is successful, the parties will discuss a controlled pilot under a separate agreement and may negotiate definitive commercial terms for deployment of LH3M’s technology at Topaz. Pulsar will retain ownership of all Topaz samples and all helium-3, helium and other materials derived from them.
The evaluation remains at an early stage. There is no assurance that it will be successful, that a pilot will proceed or that the parties will conclude a commercial agreement.
About LH3M
Lunar Helium-3 Mining, LLC is a U.S.-based company developing an integrated architecture to detect, extract, capture, separate and return helium-3 from the lunar surface, where a much larger potential supply exists. Its technology portfolio is protected by a significant number of issued and pending international patents. LH3M is supporting Pulsar’s Topaz Project as a next step toward potential commercial helium-3 production, while developing its lunar architecture to supply substantially larger volumes over the longer term. These efforts support quantum computing, federal government strategic initiatives and globally scalable green fusion energy. Dr. Chris Salvino serves as its CEO and Chief Engineer. More information is available here: WWW.LH3M.com
On behalf of Pulsar Helium Inc.
“Thomas Abraham-James”
CEO and Director
Further Information:
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https://pulsarhelium.com
https://ca.linkedin.com/company/pulsar-helium-inc.
Lunar Helium-3 Mining, LLC
media@lh3m.com
877-215-8883
www.lh3m.com
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About Pulsar Helium Inc.
Pulsar Helium Inc. is a publicly traded company quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (United Kingdom) and listed on the TSX Venture Exchange with the ticker PLSR (Canada), as well as on the OTCQB with the ticker PSRHF (United States of America). Pulsar’s portfolio consists of its flagship Topaz helium project in Minnesota, the Falcon project in Michigan (both in the USA), and the Tunu helium project in Greenland. Pulsar is the first mover in both locations with primary helium occurrences not associated with the production of hydrocarbons identified at each.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) that relates to the Company’s current expectations and views of future events.
Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance—including statements using words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “proposed,” “should,” “target,” “will” and similar expressions—are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements concerning: the evaluation of LH3M’s helium-3 separation, concentration, recovery and processing technology; the preparation, agreement and implementation of a Phase 2 laboratory evaluation plan; the timing, design, funding and conduct of laboratory testing; the proposed technical success criteria, including the initial working target of at least 95% helium-3 purity and measures relating to recovery, mass balance and repeatability; the ability to recover and concentrate helium-3 from Topaz gas; the performance, scalability, operating requirements and economics of LH3M’s technology; the potential value and strategic importance of helium-3 recovered from Topaz; the potential development of a controlled pilot; the potential deployment of LH3M’s technology at Topaz and commercial production of helium-3; the future availability, demand, applications and market value of helium-3; the negotiation and completion of any pilot, licence or other definitive commercial agreement; and the operational knowledge that LH3M may obtain for its longer-term lunar helium-3 activities.
These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions considered reasonable by management as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, assumptions that: the parties will perform their respective obligations under the evaluation agreement; suitable Topaz data and representative helium samples will be available in the quantities and on the schedule required for the evaluation; the parties will be able to agree on a Phase 2 Plan and technical success criteria; LH3M will obtain sufficient funding, commission and test the required equipment, maintain the required insurance and possess the technical capability and facilities necessary to undertake the proposed work; the laboratory testing will produce reliable and repeatable results; the parties will obtain any required regulatory, transport, safety and export-control approvals; intellectual-property and data-rights issues will be managed in accordance with the evaluation agreement; and market demand and pricing for helium-3 will support continued evaluation and potential development. There can be no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the early-stage and experimental nature of the evaluation; the possibility that the parties may not agree on the Phase 2 Plan or may decide not to proceed to a later phase; the risk that funding, equipment, insurance, personnel, facilities or representative samples may not be available when required; delays in commissioning equipment or conducting laboratory work; the possibility that LH3M’s technology will not achieve the targeted purity, recovery, mass-balance, repeatability, scalability or economic performance; technical, analytical and scale-up uncertainties; sample loss, contamination or variability; intellectual-property, confidentiality or third-party infringement issues; regulatory, transport, safety and export-control requirements or delays; changes in helium-3 demand, availability, applications or pricing; the absence of an established transparent commodity market for helium-3; the parties’ inability to agree on a pilot or definitive commercial agreement; the possibility that any pilot or commercial system may not be technically or economically viable; and the other risks disclosed in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated February 3, 2026, for the year ended September 30, 2025, available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
The evaluation is at an early stage. No reserves have been assigned to the Topaz Project, and there is no assurance that helium-3 can be recovered economically or at commercial scale, that the evaluation will satisfy the agreed technical success criteria, that a pilot will be undertaken, or that the parties will enter into a definitive commercial agreement.
Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors may emerge from time to time, and the Company cannot predict all such factors or assess their effect. No assurance can be given that the forward-looking statements will prove to be correct, and readers should not place undue reliance on them. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
