Water
Water is a chemical compound consisting of a single oxygen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms (chemical symbols: H2O). Clean water is essential almost all known forms of life, and its unique properties make it invaluable for most industrial processes. Although water in the liquid phase is abundant on Earth, its scarcity on Mars make it into a critical resource to be treasured.
UO2jN7 sd89f984q34slf
Industrial processes
Many industrial processes considered for a Mars settlement, in particular the production of methanol and methane, require hydrogen gas. This can be obtained by electrolysis, with oxygen gas as a byproduct.
Most other processes require the use of significant quantities of water as a solvent for reagents such as acids or ammonia.
