Mantle8 begins non-invasive hydrogen exploration in Spain’s Pyrenees
French geoscience company Mantle8 has begun preparations for a scientific exploration programme covering about 1,680 square kilometres across Navarra and the Basque Country, after securing exploration permits for the Aralar I and Aralar II areas.
The company said the permits, granted by Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge through its Directorate-General for Energy Policy and Mines, authorise a one-year renewable programme focused on investigating the potential for natural hydrogen and helium.
Mantle8, which operates in Spain through its local subsidiary Mantle8 Iberia, stressed that the current permits are limited to non-invasive scientific research and do not allow drilling, industrial extraction or the construction of permanent infrastructure.
The exploration programme will involve geological mapping, soil-gas analysis, water and rock sampling and passive seismic monitoring. Field teams are expected to work in small groups using lightweight equipment and existing tracks.
The company said the work would not involve hydraulic fracturing, chemical injections or freshwater consumption, and that it would not interfere with groundwater or local aquifers.
The Aralar massif is regarded as an environmentally and culturally sensitive area, with its distinctive karst landscape and groundwater resources playing an important role in the surrounding region. Mantle8 said it recognised the cultural significance of Aralar to communities in Navarra and the Basque Country, including the San Miguel de Aralar sanctuary.
The company is now preparing to engage with local councils and communal land-management bodies in areas where fieldwork is planned. Mantle8 said face-to-face meetings would be used to explain the scope of the research, planned activities and measures intended to minimise environmental impacts.
Where local permissions are required, the company said these would be obtained before the relevant work takes place.
Mantle8 also plans to establish a dedicated contact channel and question-and-answer section on its website for residents, farmers, hikers and local institutions. The company said it intends to provide information about field activities and allow members of the public to raise questions directly.
The next phase will include further analysis of existing geological and geophysical information to identify areas where field investigations may be useful. Non-invasive fieldwork will then focus on geological mapping, soil-gas sampling and passive seismic monitoring.
Any fixed sensors would be located in consultation with relevant authorities and landowners, with the necessary permissions obtained before installation, according to Mantle8.
The company said it would report its findings to the competent authorities in accordance with the permit conditions, regardless of whether the results indicate the presence of commercially interesting resources.
Mantle8 founder and chief executive Emmanuel Masini said the company was committed to providing clear information to communities, municipalities and institutional partners throughout the programme.
The company emphasised that Spain’s mining framework treats exploration, investigation and exploitation as separate stages requiring different authorisations. A successful exploration campaign would therefore not give Mantle8 an automatic right to drill or extract hydrogen.
Any move towards drilling or industrial production would require separate applications and additional environmental, sectoral and local approvals. Mantle8 said no such application has been made.
Natural hydrogen, sometimes referred to as white hydrogen or geological hydrogen, has attracted growing interest as researchers and energy companies investigate naturally occurring hydrogen deposits underground. Unlike hydrogen produced through industrial processes, natural hydrogen can form through geological processes within the Earth’s crust.
For communities around Aralar, the immediate impact of the Mantle8 programme is expected to be limited to scientific teams conducting surface-level surveys. The company said residents should expect to see small numbers of geologists and geophysicists carrying equipment through the terrain, rather than drilling rigs, new roads or extraction infrastructure.
