en.Wedoany.com Reported - Natural hydrogen exploration company Mantle8 has been granted two survey permits by Spain's Directorate General for Energy Policy and Mines (Dirección General de Política Energética y Minas). The permits, Aralar I and Aralar II, cover approximately 960 square kilometers in the regions of Navarra and the Basque Country. These permits authorize non-invasive research into natural hydrogen and helium, providing Mantle8 with the option to advance to full exploration licenses.
The licensed area is located on the southern flank of the Pyrenees, with geological conditions similar to those assessed by Mantle8 through its Comminges permit on the French side. In April, France granted G&OL SAS (a wholly owned subsidiary of Mantle8) a five-year exclusive exploration license for natural hydrogen and helium. This license covers 739 square kilometers in the Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées departments of the French Pyrenees.
Mantle8 stated that, leveraging its deep understanding of Pyrenean geology, it plans to conduct non-invasive exploration within the licensed area. Collected data will be processed using Mantle8's proprietary natural hydrogen technology stack to assess the region's natural hydrogen accumulation potential.
Emmanuel Masini, Founder and CEO of Mantle8, said that Navarra and the Basque Country offer a rare combination: favorable geological conditions, well-established infrastructure, and strong industrial offtake potential. He noted that the company's geological understanding of the region and its hydrogen potential is already deep, and it looks forward to entering the field to expand its knowledge base.
Natural hydrogen is produced by ongoing geological processes, such as serpentinization, where water reacts with iron-rich rocks underground. Unlike manufactured hydrogen, it does not require electrolysis or fossil fuel inputs, offering a low-carbon hydrogen source with an energy intensity only a fraction of current production methods.
These permits reflect a broader shift across Europe, as governments seek to secure sovereign energy sources for industries where electrification is not feasible. As demand for low-carbon hydrogen in heavy industry, transportation, and power generation continues to outpace supply, natural hydrogen is seen as a domestic alternative that does not rely on imported feedstocks or large-scale renewable electricity infrastructure.
Masini stated that natural hydrogen has the potential to become a strategic, sovereign, and clean resource for Europe, but regulatory gaps are slowing development. Spanish regulators have done a good job adapting existing hydrocarbon regulations to cover hydrogen, but much work remains. Mantle8 welcomes the establishment of clearer regulatory frameworks across Europe and will prioritize regions considered the best opportunities for unlocking this valuable resource.
These Spanish permits come during a growth period for Mantle8. The company completed a €31 million Series A funding round—the largest for a natural hydrogen exploration company in 2024—secured €2.17 million in grant support from the French government for technology stack development, and obtained a five-year exploration license in the French Pyrenees. The company stated it is actively expanding its global exploration program and expects to secure additional permits in the coming months.
