Astroid Mining

<div class="thumbinner"><a id="b37e7a37-f859-465f-955c-e9a1bc8457b5" class="brain-processing" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Asteroidmining.jpg/250px-Asteroidmining.jpg">https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Asteroidmining.jpg/250px-Asteroidmining.jpg</a>

<div class="thumbcaption">Artist's concept of asteroid mining</div>

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<div class="thumbinner"><a id="4c380429-05ab-46ca-bbd5-3a04928e1d67" class="brain-processing" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/433eros.jpg/250px-433eros.jpg">https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/433eros.jpg/250px-433eros.jpg</a>

<div class="thumbcaption"><a title="433 Eros" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/433_Eros">433 Eros</a> is a <a title="S-type asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-type_asteroid">stony asteroid</a> in a near-Earth orbit</div>

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Asteroid mining is the exploitation of raw materials from <a title="Asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid">asteroids</a> and other <a title="Minor planet" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_planet">minor planets</a>, including <a title="Near-Earth object" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_object">near-Earth objects</a>.

Minerals can be <a title="Mining" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining">mined</a> from an asteroid or spent <a title="Comet" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet">comet</a> then used in space for construction materials or taken back to <a title="Earth" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a>. These include <a title="Gold" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold">gold</a>, <a title="Iridium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium">iridium</a>, <a title="Silver" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver">silver</a>, <a title="Osmium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmium">osmium</a>, <a title="Palladium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladium">palladium</a>, <a title="Platinum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum">platinum</a>, <a title="Rhenium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenium">rhenium</a>, <a title="Rhodium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodium">rhodium</a>, <a title="Ruthenium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthenium">ruthenium</a> and <a title="Tungsten" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten">tungsten</a> for transport back to Earth; <a title="Iron" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron">iron</a>, <a title="Cobalt" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt">cobalt</a>, <a title="Manganese" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese">manganese</a>, <a title="Molybdenum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum">molybdenum</a>, <a title="Nickel" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel">nickel</a>, <a title="Aluminium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium">aluminium</a>, and <a title="Titanium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium">titanium</a> for construction.

Due to the high launch and transportation costs of <a title="Spaceflight" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceflight">spaceflight</a>, inaccurate identification of asteroids suitable for mining, and in-situ ore extraction challenges, <a title="Mining" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining">terrestrial mining</a> remains the only means of raw mineral acquisition today. If space program funding, either public or private, dramatically increases, this situation is likely to change in the future as <a title="Peak minerals" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_minerals#Future_production">resources on Earth are becoming increasingly scarce</a> and the full potentials of asteroid mining—and <a title="Space exploration" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_exploration">space exploration</a> in general—are researched in greater detail.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-1">[1]</a>:47f However, it is yet uncertain whether asteroid mining will develop to attain the volume and composition needed in due time to fully compensate for dwindling terrestrial reserves.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-2">[2]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-3">[3]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-4">[4]</a>

<h2 class="collapsible-heading" tabindex="0">Contents</h2>

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<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Purpose<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Purpose" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=1" data-section="1">Edit</a></h2>

Based on known terrestrial reserves, and growing consumption in both developed and developing countries, key elements needed for modern industry and food production could be <a title="Resource depletion" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_depletion">exhausted</a> on Earth within 50–60 years.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-5">[5]</a> These include <a title="Phosphorus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus">phosphorus</a>, <a title="Antimony" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony">antimony</a>, <a title="Zinc" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc">zinc</a>, <a title="Tin" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin">tin</a>, <a title="Lead" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead">lead</a>, <a title="Indium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indium">indium</a>, <a title="Silver" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver">silver</a>, <a title="Peak gold" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_gold">gold</a> and <a title="Peak copper" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_copper">copper</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-6">[6]</a> In response, it has been suggested that <a title="Platinum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum">platinum</a>, <a title="Cobalt" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt">cobalt</a> and other valuable elements from asteroids may be mined and sent to <a title="Earth" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a> for profit, used to build <a title="Space-based solar power" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power">solar-power satellites</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Space habitats" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_habitats">space habitats</a>,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-7">[7]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Valentine-8">[8]</a> and water processed from ice to refuel orbiting <a title="Propellant depot" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propellant_depot">propellant depots</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-9">[9]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-MTS1997-10">[10]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Kiss-11">[11]</a>

Although <a class="mw-redirect" title="Asteroids" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroids">asteroids</a> and <a title="Earth" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a> accreted from the same starting materials, <a title="Earth" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a>'s relatively stronger gravity pulled all heavy <a class="mw-redirect" title="Siderophile element" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siderophile_element">siderophilic</a> (iron-loving) elements into its core during its molten youth more than four billion years ago.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-12">[12]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-13">[13]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Matt-14">[14]</a> This left the crust depleted of such valuable elements until a rain of asteroid impacts re-infused the depleted crust with metals like <a title="Gold" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold">gold</a>, <a title="Cobalt" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt">cobalt</a>, <a title="Iron" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron">iron</a>, <a title="Manganese" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese">manganese</a>, <a title="Molybdenum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum">molybdenum</a>, <a title="Nickel" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel">nickel</a>, <a title="Osmium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmium">osmium</a>, <a title="Palladium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladium">palladium</a>, <a title="Platinum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum">platinum</a>, <a title="Rhenium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenium">rhenium</a>, <a title="Rhodium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodium">rhodium</a>, <a title="Ruthenium" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthenium">ruthenium</a> and <a title="Tungsten" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten">tungsten</a> (some flow from core to surface does occur, e.g. at the <a title="Bushveld Igneous Complex" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushveld_Igneous_Complex">Bushveld Igneous Complex</a>, a famously rich source of <a title="Platinum group" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum_group">platinum-group</a> metals)[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]. Today, these metals are mined from Earth's crust, and they are essential for economic and technological progress. Hence, the geologic history of Earth may very well set the stage for a future of asteroid mining.

In 2006, the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Keck Observatory" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keck_Observatory">Keck Observatory</a> announced that the binary <a title="Jupiter trojan" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_trojan">Jupiter trojan</a> <a title="617 Patroclus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/617_Patroclus">617 Patroclus</a>,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-15">[15]</a> and possibly large numbers of other Jupiter trojans, are likely <a title="Extinct comet" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct_comet">extinct comets</a> and consist largely of water ice. Similarly, Jupiter-family comets, and possibly <a class="mw-redirect" title="Near-Earth asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_asteroid">near-Earth asteroids</a> that are extinct comets, might also provide water. The process of <a class="mw-redirect" title="In-situ resource utilization" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-situ_resource_utilization">in-situ resource utilization</a>—using materials native to space for propellant, thermal management, tankage, radiation shielding, and other high-mass components of space infrastructure—could lead to radical reductions in its cost.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-April_2012-16">[16]</a> Although whether these cost reductions could be achieved, and if achieved would offset the enormous infrastructure investment required, is unknown.

Ice would satisfy one of two necessary conditions to enable "human expansion into the Solar System" (the ultimate goal for human space flight proposed by the 2009 "Augustine Commission" <a title="Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Review_of_United_States_Human_Space_Flight_Plans_Committee">Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee</a>): physical sustainability and economic sustainability.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-17">[17]</a>

From the <a title="Astrobiology" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrobiology">astrobiological</a> perspective, asteroid prospecting could provide scientific data for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (<a class="mw-redirect" title="SETI" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SETI">SETI</a>). Some astrophysicists have suggested that if advanced extraterrestrial civilizations employed asteroid mining long ago, the hallmarks of these activities might be detectable.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-18">[18]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-19">[19]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-20">[20]</a> Why extraterrestrials would have resorted to asteroid mining in near proximity to earth, with its readily available resources, has not been explained.

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<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Asteroid selection<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Asteroid selection" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=2" data-section="2">Edit</a></h2>

<table class="wikitable" align="right"><caption>Comparison of delta-v requirements for standard <a class="mw-redirect" title="Hohmann transfer" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohmann_transfer">Hohmann transfers</a></caption>

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<tr>

<th>MissionΔvEarth</th>

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<td>surface to <a title="Low Earth orbit" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit">LEO</a></td>

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<td>LEO to near-Earth asteroid5.5</td>

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<td>LEO to <a title="Moon" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon">lunar</a> surface</td>

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<td>LEO to moons of <a title="Mars" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars">Mars</a></td>

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</tbody>

</table>

An important factor to consider in target selection is orbital economics, in particular the change in velocity (<a title="Delta-v" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-v">Δv<var></var></a>) and travel time to and from the target. More of the extracted native material must be expended as <a title="Propellant" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propellant">propellant</a> in higher Δv<var></var> trajectories, thus less returned as payload. <a title="Hohmann transfer orbit" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohmann_transfer_orbit">Direct Hohmann trajectories</a> are faster than Hohmann trajectories assisted by planetary and/or lunar flybys, which in turn are faster than those of the <a title="Interplanetary Transport Network" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_Transport_Network">Interplanetary Transport Network</a>, but the reduction in transfer time comes at the cost of increased Δvrequirements.<var></var>[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>][<a title="Wikipedia:Please clarify" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify">clarification needed</a>]

<a class="mw-redirect" title="Near-Earth asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_asteroid">Near-Earth asteroids</a> are considered likely candidates for early mining activity. Their low Δv<var></var> makes them suitable for use in extracting construction materials for near-Earth space-based facilities, greatly reducing the economic cost of transporting supplies into Earth orbit.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a>

The table above shows a comparison of Δv<var></var> requirements for various missions. In terms of propulsion energy requirements, a mission to a near-Earth asteroid compares favorably to alternative mining missions.

An example of a potential target<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-23">[22]</a> for an early asteroid mining expedition is <a title="4660 Nereus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/4660_Nereus">4660 Nereus</a>, expected to be mainly <a title="Enstatite" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enstatite">enstatite</a>. This body has a very low Δv<var></var> compared to lifting materials from the surface of the Moon. However it would require a much longer round-trip to return the material.

Multiple types of asteroids have been identified but the three main types would include the C-type, S-type, and M-type asteroids:

<ol>

<li><a title="C-type asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-type_asteroid">C-type asteroids</a> have a high abundance of water which is not currently of use for mining but could be used in an exploration effort beyond the asteroid. Mission costs could be reduced by using the available water from the asteroid. C-type asteroids also have a lot of organic <a title="Carbon" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon">carbon</a>, <a title="Phosphorus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus">phosphorus</a>, and other key ingredients for <a title="Fertilizer" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertilizer">fertilizer</a> which could be used to grow food.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

<li><a title="S-type asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-type_asteroid">S-type asteroids</a> carry little water but look more attractive because they contain numerous metals including: nickel, cobalt and more valuable metals such as gold, platinum and rhodium. A small 10-meter S-type asteroid contains about 650,000 kg (1,433,000 lb) of metal with 50 kg (110 lb) in the form of rare metals like platinum and gold.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

<li><a title="M-type asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-type_asteroid">M-type asteroids</a> are rare but contain up to 10 times more metal than S-types<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

</ol>

A class of easily recoverable objects (EROs) was identified by a group of researchers in 2013. Twelve asteroids made up the initially identified group, all of which could be potentially mined with present-day rocket technology. Of 9,000 asteroids searched in the <a title="Near-Earth object" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_object">NEO</a>database, these twelve could all be brought into an Earth-accessible orbit by changing their <a class="mw-redirect" title="Delta-V" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-V">velocity</a> by less than 500 meters per second (1,800 km/h; 1,100 mph). The dozen asteroids range in size from 2 to 20 meters (10 to 70 ft).<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ibt20120813-25">[24]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Asteroid cataloging<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Asteroid cataloging" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=3" data-section="3">Edit</a></h3>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a title="B612 Foundation" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B612_Foundation">B612 Foundation</a></div>

The <a title="B612 Foundation" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B612_Foundation">B612 Foundation</a> is a private <a title="Nonprofit organization" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonprofit_organization">nonprofit</a> <a title="Private foundation (United States)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_foundation_(United_States)">foundation</a> with headquarters in the United States, dedicated to protecting Earth from <a title="Impact event" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_event">asteroid strikes</a>. As a <a title="Non-governmental organization" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organization">non-governmental organization</a> it has conducted two lines of related research to help detect asteroids that could one day strike Earth, and find the technological means to divert their path to avoid such collisions.

The foundation's 2013 goal was to design and build a privately financed asteroid-finding <a class="mw-redirect" title="Space observatory" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_observatory">space telescope</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" title="Sentinel (space telescope)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_(space_telescope)">Sentinel</a>, hoping in 2013 to launch it in 2017–2018. The Sentinel's infrared telescope, once parked in an orbit similar to that of <a title="Venus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus">Venus</a>, is designed to help identify threatening asteroids by cataloging 90% of those with diameters larger than 140 metres (460 ft), as well as surveying smaller Solar System objects.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Discover-2013.09-26">[25]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-B612-Sentinel_Mission-27">[26]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-New_York_Times-2013.02.16-28">[27]</a>[<a title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Precise_language">needs update</a>]

Data gathered by Sentinel was intended to be provided through an existing scientific data-sharing network that includes <a title="NASA" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> and academic institutions such as the <a title="Minor Planet Center" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Planet_Center">Minor Planet Center</a> in <a title="Cambridge, Massachusetts" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge,_Massachusetts">Cambridge, Massachusetts</a>. Given the satellite's telescopic accuracy, Sentinel's data may prove valuable for other possible future missions, such as asteroid mining.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-B612-Sentinel_Mission-27">[26]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-New_York_Times-2013.02.16-28">[27]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Space.com-2012.07.10-29">[28]</a>

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<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Mining considerations<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Mining considerations" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=4" data-section="4">Edit</a></h2>

There are three options for mining:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a>

<ol>

<li>Bring raw asteroidal material to Earth for use.</li>

<li>Process it on-site to bring back only processed materials, and perhaps produce propellant for the return trip.</li>

<li>Transport the asteroid to a safe orbit around the Moon, Earth or to the ISS.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Kiss-11">[11]</a> This can hypothetically allow for most materials to be used and not wasted.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Valentine-8">[8]</a> Along these lines, <a title="NASA" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> has proposed a potential future <a title="Spaceflight" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceflight">space mission</a> known as the <a title="Asteroid Redirect Mission" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Redirect_Mission">Asteroid Redirect Mission</a>, although the primary focus of this mission is on retrieval. The House of Representatives deleted a line item for the ARP budget from NASA's FY 2017 budget request.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]</li>

</ol>

Processing in situ for the purpose of extracting high-value minerals will reduce the energy requirements for transporting the materials, although the processing facilities must first be transported to the mining site. In situ mining will involve drilling boreholes and injecting hot fluid/gas and allow the useful material to react or melt with the solvent and the extract the solute. Due to the weak gravitational fields of asteroids, any drilling will cause large disturbances and form dust clouds.

Mining operations require special equipment to handle the extraction and processing of ore in outer space.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a> The machinery will need to be anchored to the body,[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>] but once in place, the ore can be moved about more readily due to the lack of gravity. However, no techniques for refining ore in zero gravity currently exist. Docking with an asteroid might be performed using a harpoon-like process, where a projectile would penetrate the surface to serve as an anchor; then an attached cable would be used to winch the vehicle to the surface, if the asteroid is both penetrable and rigid enough for a harpoon to be effective.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Mining_Near-Earth_Asteroids-National_Space_Society-30">[29]</a>

Due to the distance from Earth to an asteroid selected for mining, the round-trip time for communications will be several minutes or more, except during occasional close approaches to Earth by near-Earth asteroids. Thus any mining equipment will either need to be highly automated, or a human presence will be needed nearby.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a> Humans would also be useful for troubleshooting problems and for maintaining the equipment. On the other hand, multi-minute communications delays have not prevented the success of robotic <a title="Exploration of Mars" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_of_Mars">exploration of Mars</a>, and automated systems would be much less expensive to build and deploy.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-31">[30]</a>

Technology being developed by <a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources</a> to locate and harvest these asteroids has resulted in the plans for three different types of satellites:

<ol>

<li>Arkyd Series 100 (the Leo Space telescope) is a less expensive instrument that will be used to find, analyze, and see what resources are available on nearby asteroids.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

<li>Arkyd Series 200 (the Interceptor) Satellite that would actually land on the asteroid to get a closer analysis of the available resources.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

<li>Arkyd Series 300 (Rendezvous Prospector) Satellite developed for research and finding resources deeper in space.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-astronomysource.com-24">[23]</a></li>

</ol>

Technology being developed by <a title="Deep Space Industries" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Space_Industries">Deep Space Industries</a> to examine, sample, and harvest asteroids is divided into three families of spacecraft:

<ol>

<li>FireFlies are triplets of nearly identical spacecraft in <a title="CubeSat" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CubeSat">CubeSat</a> form launched to different asteroids to rendezvous and examine them.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-cnbc.com-32">[31]</a></li>

<li>DragonFlies also are launched in waves of three nearly identical spacecraft to gather small samples (5–10 kg) and return them to Earth for analysis.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-cnbc.com-32">[31]</a></li>

<li>Harvestors voyage out to asteroids to gather hundreds of tons of material for return to high Earth orbit for processing.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-33">[32]</a></li>

</ol>

Asteroid mining could potentially revolutionize space exploration. The C-type asteroids's high abundance of water could be used to produce fuel by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This would make space travel a more feasible option by lowering cost of fuel. While the cost of fuel is a relatively insignificant factor in the overall cost for low earth orbit manned space missions, storing it and the size of the craft become a much bigger factor for interplanetary missions. Typically 1 kg in orbit is equivalent to more than 10 kg on the ground (for a Falcon 9 1.0 it would need 250 tons of fuel to put 5 tons in GEO orbit or 10 tons in LEO). This limitation is a major factor in the difficulty of interplanetary missions as fuel becomes payload.

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Extraction techniques<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Extraction techniques" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=5" data-section="5">Edit</a></h2>

<h3 class="in-block">Off-Earth Biomining<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Off-Earth Biomining" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=6" data-section="6">Edit</a></h3>

Asteroids containing sulfide minerals could potentially be processed in situ using natural of bio-engineered microbes. Iron and other precious metals may be enriched by Chemolithotrophic organisms which can use electrons from minerals for energy, catalyse redox reactions within minerals and survive in the anaerobic and low gravity environment of asteroids. Resource enrichment is estimated to be on the order of decades. Currently biomining is routinely used to enrich and leach precious metals on Earth, and makes up an estimated 5% of gold and 20% of copper mining operations globally. In addition, Off-Earth biomethanation methods could potentially be used to extract pure methane gas from asteroids.

<h3 class="in-block">Surface mining<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Surface mining" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=7" data-section="7">Edit</a></h3>

On some types of asteroids, material may be scraped off the surface using a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Scoop (machine part)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoop_(machine_part)">scoop</a> or <a class="mw-redirect" title="Auger conveyor" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auger_conveyor">auger</a>, or for larger pieces, an "active grab."<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a> There is strong evidence that many asteroids consist of rubble piles,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-34">[33]</a> making this approach possible.

<h3 class="in-block">Shaft mining<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Shaft mining" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=8" data-section="8">Edit</a></h3>

A mine can be dug into the asteroid, and the material extracted through the shaft. This requires precise knowledge to engineer accuracy of <a title="HORTA (mining)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HORTA_(mining)">astro-location</a> under the <a title="Regolith" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regolith">surface regolith</a> and a transportation system to carry the desired ore to the processing facility.

<h3 class="in-block">Magnetic rakes<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Magnetic rakes" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=9" data-section="9">Edit</a></h3>

Asteroids with a high metal content may be covered in loose grains that can be gathered by means of a magnet.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-35">[34]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Heating<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Heating" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=10" data-section="10">Edit</a></h3>

For asteroids such as carbonaceous chondrites that contain hydrated minerals, water and other volatiles can be extracted simply by heating. A water extraction test in 2016<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-36">[35]</a> by Honeybee Robotics used asteroid regolith simulant<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-37">[36]</a> developed by Deep Space Industries and the <a title="University of Central Florida" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Central_Florida">University of Central Florida</a> to match the bulk mineralogy of a particular carbonaceous meteorite. Although the simulant was physically dry (i.e., it contained no water molecules adsorbed in the matrix of the rocky material), heating to about 510 °C released <a class="mw-redirect" title="Hydroxyl" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxyl">hydroxyl</a>, which came out as substantial amounts of water vapor from the molecular structure of <a class="mw-redirect" title="Phyllosilicate" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllosilicate">phyllosilicate</a> clays and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Sulphur" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulphur">sulphur</a> compounds. The vapor was condensed into liquid water filling the collection containers, demonstrating the feasibility of mining water from certain classes of physically dry asteroids.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]

For volatile materials in extinct comets, heat can be used to melt and vaporize the matrix.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-te20130416-22">[21]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-38">[37]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Extraction using the Mond process<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Extraction using the Mond process" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=11" data-section="11">Edit</a></h3>

The nickel and iron of an iron rich asteroid could be extracted by the <a title="Mond process" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mond_process">Mond process</a>. This involves passing carbon monoxide over the asteroid at a temperature between 50 and 60 °C for nickel, higher for iron, and with high pressures and enclosed in materials that are resistant to the corrosive carbonyls. This forms the gases <a title="Nickel tetracarbonyl" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_tetracarbonyl">nickel tetracarbonyl</a> and <a title="Iron pentacarbonyl" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_pentacarbonyl">iron pentacarbonyl</a> - then nickel and iron can be removed from the gas again at higher temperatures, perhaps in an attached printer, and platinum, gold etc. left as a residue.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-JenniskensDamer2015-39">[38]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-40">[39]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-41">[40]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Self-replicating machines<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Self-replicating machines" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=12" data-section="12">Edit</a></h3>

A 1980 NASA study entitled Advanced Automation for Space Missions proposed a complex automated factory on the Moon that would work over several years to build 80% of a copy of itself, the other 20% being imported from Earth since those more complex parts (like computer chips) would require a vastly larger supply chain to produce.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-42">[41]</a> Exponential growth of factories over many years could refine large amounts of lunar (or asteroidal) <a title="Regolith" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regolith">regolith</a>. Since 1980 there has been major progress in <a title="Miniaturization" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniaturization">miniaturization</a>, <a title="Nanotechnology" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology">nanotechnology</a>, <a title="Materials science" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_science">materials science</a>, and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Additive manufacturing" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_manufacturing">additive manufacturing</a>, so it may be possible to achieve 100% "closure" with a reasonably small mass of hardware, although these technology advancements are themselves enabled on Earth by expansion of the supply chain so it needs further study. A NASA study in 2012 proposed a "bootstrapping" approach to establish an in-space supply chain with 100% closure, suggesting it could be achieved in only two to four decades with low annual cost.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-43">[42]</a> A study in 2016 again claimed it is possible to complete in just a few decades because of ongoing advances in robotics, and it argued it will provide benefits back to the Earth including economic growth, environmental protection, and provision of clean energy while also providing humanity protection against existential threats.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-44">[43]</a>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Proposed mining projects<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Proposed mining projects" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=13" data-section="13">Edit</a></h2>

On April 24, 2012 a plan was announced by billionaire entrepreneurs to mine asteroids for their resources. The company is called <a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources</a> and its founders include aerospace entrepreneurs <a title="Eric C. Anderson" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_C._Anderson">Eric Anderson</a> and <a title="Peter Diamandis" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Diamandis">Peter Diamandis</a>. Advisers include film director and explorer <a title="James Cameron" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cameron">James Cameron</a> and investors include Google's chief executive <a title="Larry Page" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Page">Larry Page</a> and its executive chairman <a title="Eric Schmidt" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Schmidt">Eric Schmidt</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-April_2012-16">[16]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-45">[44]</a> They also plan to create a fuel depot in space by 2020 by using water from asteroids, <a title="Water splitting" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_splitting">splitting it</a> to liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for <a class="mw-redirect" title="Rocket fuel" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_fuel">rocket fuel</a>. From there, it could be shipped to Earth orbit for refueling commercial satellites or spacecraft.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-April_2012-16">[16]</a> The plan has been met with skepticism by some scientists, who do not see it as cost-effective, even though platinum is worth £22 per gram and gold nearly £31 per gram (approximately £961 per troy ounce).[<a title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items">when?</a>] Platinum and gold are raw materials traded on terrestrial markets, and it is impossible to predict what prices either will command at the point in the future when resources from asteroids become available. For example, platinum traditionally is very valuable due to its use in both industrial and jewelry applications, but should future technologies make the <a title="Internal combustion engine" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_combustion_engine">internal combustion engine</a> obsolete, the demand for platinum's use as the catalyst in <a class="mw-redirect" title="Catalytic converters" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converters">catalytic converters</a> may well decline and decrease the metal's long term demand. The ongoing NASA mission <a title="OSIRIS-REx" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSIRIS-REx">OSIRIS-REx</a>, which is planned to return just a minimum amount (60 g; two ounces) of material but could get up to 2 kg from an asteroid to Earth, will cost about US$1 billion.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-April_2012-16">[16]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-46">[45]</a>

Planetary Resources says that, in order to be successful, it will need to develop technologies that bring the cost of space flight down. Planetary Resources also expects that the construction of "space infrastructure" will help to reduce long-term running costs. For example, fuel costs can be reduced by extracting water from asteroids and <a title="Water splitting" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_splitting">splitting</a> to hydrogen using solar energy. In theory, hydrogen fuel mined from asteroids costs significantly less than fuel from Earth due to high costs of escaping Earth's gravity. If successful, investment in "space infrastructure" and economies of scale could reduce operational costs to levels significantly below NASA's ongoing (<a title="OSIRIS-REx" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSIRIS-REx">OSIRIS-REx</a>) mission.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-47">[46]</a>[<a title="Wikipedia:No original research" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Primary,_secondary_and_tertiary_sources">non-primary source needed</a>]This investment would have to be amortized through the sale of commodities, delaying any return to investors. There are also some indications that Planetary Resources expects government to fund infrastructure development, as was exemplified by its recent request for $700,000 from NASA to fund the first of the telescopes described above.

Another similar venture, called <a title="Deep Space Industries" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Space_Industries">Deep Space Industries</a>, was started by David Gump, who had founded other space companies.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-soper-2013-48">[47]</a> The company hoped to begin prospecting for asteroids suitable for mining by 2015 and by 2016 return asteroid samples to Earth.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-dsi-pr-2013-49">[48]</a> By 2023 Deep Space Industries plans to begin mining asteroids.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-wall-2013-50">[49]</a>

At ISDC-San Diego 2013,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-51">[50]</a> Kepler Energy and Space Engineering (KESE,llc) also announced it was going to mine asteroids, using a simpler, more straightforward approach: KESE plans to use almost exclusively existing guidance, navigation and anchoring technologies from mostly successful missions like the Rosetta/Philae, Dawn, and Hyabusa's Muses-C and current NASA Technology Transfer tooling to build and send a 4-module Automated Mining System (AMS) to a small asteroid with a simple digging tool to collect ~40 tons of asteroid regolith and bring each of the four return modules back to <a title="Low Earth orbit" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit">low Earth orbit</a> (LEO) by the end of the decade. Small asteroids are expected to be loose piles of rubble, therefore providing for easy extraction.

In September 2012, the <a title="NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Institute_for_Advanced_Concepts">NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts</a> (NIAC) announced the Robotic Asteroid Prospector project, which will examine and evaluate the feasibility of asteroid mining in terms of means, methods, and systems.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-52">[51]</a>

Being the largest body in the asteroid belt, Ceres could become the main base and transport hub for future asteroid mining infrastructure,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-AM101-53">[52]</a>allowing mineral resources to be transported to <a title="Mars" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars">Mars</a>, the <a title="Moon" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon">Moon</a>, and Earth. Because of its small escape velocity combined with large amounts of water ice, it also could serve as a source of water, fuel, and oxygen for ships going through and beyond the asteroid belt.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-AM101-53">[52]</a>Transportation from Mars or the Moon to Ceres would be even more energy-efficient than transportation from Earth to the Moon.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-54">[53]</a>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Companies and organizations<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Companies and organizations" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=14" data-section="14">Edit</a></h2>

Organizations which are working on asteroid mining include the following:

<tbody>

<tr>

<th>OrganisationType</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="Deep Space Industries" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Space_Industries">Deep Space Industries</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="Moon Express" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Express">Moon Express</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a class="external text" href="http://www.mining.com/luxembourg-shoots-stars-fresh-space-mining-deal/" rel="nofollow">Kleos Space</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a class="external text" href="http://www.transastracorp.com/" rel="nofollow">TransAstra</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a class="external text" href="http://www.atenengineering.com/" rel="nofollow">Aten Engineering</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a class="external text" href="http://www.offworld.ai/" rel="nofollow">OffWorld</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a class="external text" href="http://www.spacefab.us/" rel="nofollow">SpaceFab.US</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd. UK<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-55">[54]</a></td>

<td>Private company</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Potential targets<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Potential targets" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=15" data-section="15">Edit</a></h2>

According to the Asterank database[<a title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items">when?</a>], the following asteroids are considered the best targets for mining if maximum cost-effectiveness is to be achieved:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-asterank20160924-56">[55]</a>

<tbody>

<tr>

<th>AsteroidEst.</th>

<th>Value (US$)</th>

<th>Est. Profit (US$)</th>

<th>Composition</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="162173 Ryugu" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/162173_Ryugu">Ryugu</a></td>

<td>95 billion35</td>

<td>billion4.663Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt, water, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>14 billion4</td>

<td>billion4.888Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="4660 Nereus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/4660_Nereus">Nereus</a></td>

<td>5 billion1</td>

<td>billion4.986Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="65803 Didymos" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/65803_Didymos">Didymos</a></td>

<td>84 billion22</td>

<td>billion5.162Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>8 billion2</td>

<td>billion5.187Platinum</td>

<td>, nickel, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="1943 Anteros" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_Anteros">Anteros</a></td>

<td>5570 billion1250</td>

<td>billion5.439Magnesium</td>

<td>silicate, aluminum, iron silicate</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>billion30</td>

<td>billion5.636Magnesium</td>

<td>silicate, aluminum, iron silicate</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>84 billion17</td>

<td>billion5.647Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>billion0.6</td>

<td>billion5.880Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt2002</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>billion0.06</td>

<td>billion5.894Nickel</td>

<td>, iron, cobalt</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Economics<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Economics" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=16" data-section="16">Edit</a></h2>

Currently, the quality of the <a title="Ore" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore">ore</a> and the consequent cost and mass of equipment required to extract it are unknown and can only be speculated. Some economic analyses indicate that the cost of returning asteroidal materials to Earth far outweighs their market value, and that asteroid mining will not attract private investment at current commodity prices and space transportation costs.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-57">[56]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-58">[57]</a> Other studies suggest large profit by using <a title="Solar power" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power">solar power</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-59">[58]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-60">[59]</a> Potential markets for materials can be identified and profit generated if extraction cost is brought down. For example, the delivery of multiple <a title="Tonne" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonne">tonnes</a> of water to <a title="Low Earth orbit" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit">low Earth orbit</a> for rocket fuel preparation for <a title="Space tourism" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_tourism">space tourism</a> could generate a significant profit if space tourism itself proves profitable, which has not been proven.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-61">[60]</a>

In 1997 it was speculated that a relatively small metallic asteroid with a diameter of 1.6 km (1 mi) contains more than US$20 trillion worth of industrial and precious metals.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-MTS1997-10">[10]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-62">[61]</a> A comparatively small <a title="M-type asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-type_asteroid">M-type asteroid</a> with a mean diameter of 1 km (0.62 mi) could contain more than two billion metric tons of <a title="Iron" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron">iron</a>–<a title="Nickel" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel">nickel</a> ore,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-63">[62]</a> or two to three times the world production of 2004.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-64">[63]</a> The asteroid <a title="16 Psyche" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_Psyche">16 Psyche</a> is believed to contain 1.7×1019 kg of nickel–iron, which could supply the world production requirement for several million years. A small portion of the extracted material would also be precious metals.

Not all mined materials from asteroids would be cost-effective, especially for the potential return of economic amounts of material to Earth. For potential return to Earth, <a title="Platinum" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum">platinum</a> is considered very rare in terrestrial geologic formations and therefore is potentially worth bringing some quantity for terrestrial use. Nickel, on the other hand, is quite abundant and being mined in many terrestrial locations, so the high cost of asteroid mining may not make it economically viable.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ibt20150421-65">[64]</a>

Although <a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources</a> indicated in 2012 that the platinum from a 30-meter-long (98 ft) asteroid could be worth US$25–50 billion,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-reuters20120424-66">[65]</a>an economist remarked any outside source of precious metals could lower prices sufficiently to possibly doom the venture by rapidly increasing the available supply of such metals.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-redorbit201204248-67">[66]</a>

Development of an infrastructure for altering asteroid orbits could offer a large <a title="Return on investment" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_on_investment">return on investment</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Hazards-68">[67]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Scarcity<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Scarcity" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=17" data-section="17">Edit</a></h3>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a title="Natural resource" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource#Classification">Natural resource § Classification</a></div>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a title="Steady-state economy" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steady-state_economy#Pushing_some_of_the_terrestrial_limits_into_outer_space">Steady-state economy § Pushing some of the terrestrial limits into outer space</a></div>

<a title="Scarcity" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarcity">Scarcity</a> is a fundamental economic problem of humans having seemingly unlimited wants in a world of limited resources. Since Earth's resources are not infinite, the relative abundance of asteroidal ore gives asteroid mining the potential to provide nearly unlimited resources, which would essentially <a title="Post-scarcity economy" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-scarcity_economy">eliminate scarcity</a> for those materials.

The idea of exhausting resources is not new. In 1798, <a class="mw-redirect" title="Thomas Malthus" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Malthus">Thomas Malthus</a> wrote, because resources are ultimately limited, the exponential growth in a population would result in falls in income per capita until poverty and starvation would result as a constricting factor on population.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Lee,R.J.2012-69">[68]</a> It should be noted that Malthus posited this 220 years ago, and no sign has yet emerged of the Malthus effect regarding raw materials.

<ul>

<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Proven reserve" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proven_reserve">Proven reserves</a> are deposits of mineral resources that are already discovered and known to be economically extractable under present or similar demand, price and other economic and technological conditions.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Lee,R.J.2012-69">[68]</a></li>

<li>Conditional reserves are discovered deposits that are not yet economically viable.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]</li>

<li>Indicated reserves are less intensively measured deposits whose data is derived from surveys and geological projections. Hypothetical reserves and speculative resources make up this group of reserves. Inferred reserves are deposits that have been located but not yet exploited.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Lee,R.J.2012-69">[68]</a></li>

</ul>

Continued development in asteroid mining techniques and technology will help to increase mineral discoveries.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-70">[69]</a> As the cost of extracting mineral resources, especially platinum group metals, on Earth rises, the cost of extracting the same resources from celestial bodies declines due to technological innovations around space exploration.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Lee,R.J.2012-69">[68]</a> However, it should be noted that the "substitution effect", i.e. the use of other materials for the functions now performed by platinum, would increase in strength as the cost of platinum increased. New supplies would also come to market in the form of jewelry and recycled electronic equipment from itinerant "we buy platinum" businesses like the "we buy gold" businesses that exist now.

As of September 2016, there are 711 known asteroids with a value exceeding <a title="United States dollar" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar">US$</a>100 trillion.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-asterank20160924-56">[55]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Financial feasibility<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Financial feasibility" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=18" data-section="18">Edit</a></h3>

Space ventures are high-risk, with long lead times and heavy capital investment, and that is no different for asteroid-mining projects. These types of ventures could be funded through private investment or through government investment. For a commercial venture it can be profitable as long as the revenue earned is greater than total costs (costs for extraction and costs for marketing).<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ReferenceA-71">[70]</a> The costs involving an asteroid-mining venture have been estimated to be around US$100 billion in 1996.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ReferenceA-71">[70]</a>

There are six categories of cost considered for an asteroid mining venture:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ReferenceA-71">[70]</a>

<ol>

<li>Research and development costs</li>

<li>Exploration and prospecting costs</li>

<li>Construction and infrastructure development costs</li>

<li>Operational and engineering costs</li>

<li>Environmental costs</li>

</ol>

Determining financial feasibility is best represented through <a title="Net present value" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_present_value">net present value</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ReferenceA-71">[70]</a> One requirement needed for financial feasibility is a high <a title="Return on investment" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_on_investment">return on investments</a> estimating around 30%.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ReferenceA-71">[70]</a> Example calculation assumes for simplicity that the only valuable material on asteroids is platinum. On September 5, 2008 platinum was valued at US$1,340 per <a title="Ounce" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ounce">ounce</a>, or US$43,000 per kilogram. On August 16, 2016 the value had decreased to $1157 per <a title="Ounce" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ounce">ounce</a> or $37,000 per kilogram. At the $1,340. price, for a 10% return on investment, 173,400 kg (5,575,000 ozt) of platinum would have to be extracted for every 1,155,000 tons of asteroid ore. For a 50% return on investment 1,703,000 kg (54,750,000 ozt) of platinum would have to be extracted for every 11,350,000 tons of asteroid ore. This analysis assumes that doubling the supply of platinum to the market (5.13 million ounces in 2014) would have no effect on the price of platinum. A more realistic assumption is that increasing the supply by this amount would reduce the price 30–50%.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]

Decreases in the price of space access matter. The start of operational use of the low-cost-per-kilogram-in-orbit <a title="Falcon Heavy" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Heavy">Falcon Heavy</a> launch vehicle in 2018 is projected by astronomer Martin Elvis to have increased the extent of economically-minable near-Earth asteroids from hundreds to thousands. With the increased availability of several kilometers per second of <a title="Delta-v" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-v">delta-v</a> that Falcon Heavy provides, it increases the number of NEAs accessible from 3 percent to around 45 percent.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-gizmodo20180218-72">[71]</a>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Regulation and safety<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Regulation and safety" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=19" data-section="19">Edit</a></h2>

Space law involves a specific set of <a title="International law" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law">international treaties</a>, along with national <a title="Statutory law" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_law">statutory laws</a>. The system and framework for international and domestic laws have emerged in part through the <a title="United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Office_for_Outer_Space_Affairs">United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-73">[72]</a> The rules, terms and agreements that space law authorities consider to be part of the active body of international space law are the five international space treaties and five UN declarations. Approximately 100 nations and institutions were involved in negotiations. The space treaties cover many major issues such as arms control, non-appropriation of space, freedom of exploration, liability for damages, safety and rescue of astronauts and spacecraft, prevention of harmful interference with space activities and the environment, notification and registration of space activities, and the settlement of disputes. In exchange for assurances from the space power, the nonspacefaring nations acquiesced to U.S. and Soviet proposals to treat outer space as a commons (res communis) territory which belonged to no one state.

Asteroid mining in particular is covered by both international treaties—for example, the <a title="Outer Space Treaty" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty">Outer Space Treaty</a>—and national statutory laws—for example, specific legislative acts in the <a title="SPACE Act of 2015" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPACE_Act_of_2015">United States</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-74">[73]</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Luxembourg space act" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg_space_act">Luxembourg</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-sn20160206-75">[74]</a>

Varying degrees of criticism exist regarding international space law. Some critics accept the Outer Space Treaty, but reject the Moon Agreement. Therefore, it is important to note that even the Moon Agreement with its common heritage of mankind clause, allows space mining, extraction, private property rights and exclusive ownership rights over natural outer space resources, if removed from their natural place. The Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement allow private property rights for outer space natural resources once removed from the surface, subsurface or subsoil of the moon and other celestial bodies in outer space. Thus, international space law is capable of managing newly emerging space mining activities, private space transportation, commercial spaceports and commercial space stations/habitats/settlements. Space mining involving the extraction and removal of natural resources from their natural location is without question allowable under the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement. Once removed, those natural resources can be reduced to possession, sold, traded and explored or used for scientific purposes. International space law allows space mining, specifically the extraction of natural resources. It is generally understood within the space law authorities that extracting space resources is allowable, even by private companies for profit. However, international space law prohibits property rights over territories and outer space land.

Astrophysicists <a title="Carl Sagan" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan">Carl Sagan</a> and <a title="Steven J. Ostro" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_J._Ostro">Steven J. Ostro</a> raised the concern <a title="Asteroid impact avoidance" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_impact_avoidance#Deflection_technology_concerns">altering the trajectories of asteroids</a> near Earth might pose a collision hazard threat. They concluded that orbit engineering has both opportunities and dangers: if controls instituted on orbit-manipulation technology were too tight, future spacefaring could be hampered, but if they were too loose, human civilization would be at risk.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-Hazards-68">[67]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-ostro1998-76">[75]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-sagan1994-77">[76]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">The Outer Space Treaty<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: The Outer Space Treaty" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=20" data-section="20">Edit</a></h3>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a title="Outer Space Treaty" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty">Outer Space Treaty</a></div>

After ten years of negotiations between nearly 100 nations, the Outer Space Treaty opened for signature on January 27, 1966. It entered into force as the constitution for outer space on October 10, 1967. The Outer Space Treaty was well received; it was ratified by ninety-six nations and signed by an additional twenty-seven states. The outcome has been that the basic foundation of international space law consists of five (arguably four) international space treaties, along with various written resolutions and declarations. The main international treaty is the Outer Space Treaty of 1967; it is generally viewed as the "Constitution" for outer space. By ratifying the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, ninety-eight nations agreed that outer space would belong to the "province of mankind", that all nations would have the freedom to "use" and "explore" outer space, and that both these provisions must be done in a way to "benefit all mankind". The province of mankind principle and the other key terms have not yet been specifically defined (Jasentuliyana, 1992). Critics have complained that the Outer Space Treaty is vague. Yet, international space law has worked well and has served space commercial industries and interests for many decades. The taking away and extraction of Moon rocks, for example, has been treated as being legally permissible.

The framers of Outer Space Treaty initially focused on solidifying broad terms first, with the intent to create more specific legal provisions later (Griffin, 1981: 733–734). This is why the members of the COPUOS later expanded the Outer Space Treaty norms by articulating more specific understandings which are found in the "three supplemental agreements" – the Rescue and Return Agreement of 1968, the Liability Convention of 1973, and the Registration Convention of 1976 (734).

Hobe (2006) explains that the Outer Space Treaty "explicitly and implicitly prohibits only the acquisition of territorial property rights" – public or private, but extracting space resources is allowable.

<h3 class="in-block">The Moon Agreement<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: The Moon Agreement" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=21" data-section="21">Edit</a></h3>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a class="mw-redirect" title="Moon Agreement" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Agreement">Moon Agreement</a></div>

The Moon Agreement (1979–1984) is often treated[<a title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions">by whom?</a>] as though it is not a part of the body of international space law, and there has been extensive debate on whether or not the Moon Agreement is a valid part of international law. It entered into force in 1984, because of a five state ratification consensus procedure, agreed upon by the members of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Still today very few nations have signed and/or ratified the Moon Agreement. In recent years this figure has crept up to a few more than a dozen nations who have signed and ratified the treaty. The other three outer space treaties experienced a high level of international cooperation in terms of signage and ratification, but the Moon Treaty went further than them, by defining the Common Heritage concept in more detail and by imposing specific obligations on the parties engaged in the exploration and/or exploitation of outer space. The Moon Treaty explicitly designates the Moon and its natural resources as part of the Common Heritage of Mankind.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]

The Moon Agreement allows space mining, specifically the extraction of natural resources. The treaty specifically provides in Article 11, paragraph 3 that:[<a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a>]

Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the Moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place [emphasis added], shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person. The placement of personnel, space vehicles, equipment, facilities, stations and installations on or below the surface of the Moon, including structures connected with its surface or subsurface, shall not create a right of ownership over the surface or the subsurface of the Moon or any areas thereof.

</blockquote>

The objection to the treaty by the spacefaring nations is held to be the requirement that extracted resources (and the technology used to that end) must be shared with other nations. The similar regime in the <a title="United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea">United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea</a> is believed to impede the development of such industries on the seabed.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-78">[77]</a>

<h3 class="in-block">Legal regimes of some countries<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Legal regimes of some countries" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=22" data-section="22">Edit</a></h3>

Some nations are beginning to promulgate legal regimes for extraterrestrial resource extraction. For example, the United States "<a title="SPACE Act of 2015" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPACE_Act_of_2015">SPACE Act of 2015</a>"—facilitating private development of space resources consistent with US international treaty obligations—passed the <a class="mw-redirect" title="US House of Representatives" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_House_of_Representatives">US House of Representatives</a> in July 2015.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-79">[78]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-wp20150522-80">[79]</a> In November 2015 it passed the <a title="United States Senate" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate">United States Senate</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-81">[80]</a> On 25 November US-President Barack Obama signed the H.R.2262 – U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act into law.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-82">[81]</a> The law recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own space resources they obtain and encourages the commercial exploration and utilization of resources from asteroids. According to the article § 51303 of the law:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-83">[82]</a>

A United States citizen engaged in commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space resource under this chapter shall be entitled to any asteroid resource or space resource obtained, including to possess, own, transport, use, and sell the asteroid resource or space resource obtained in accordance with applicable law, including the international obligations of the United States

</blockquote>

In February 2016, the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Government of Luxembourg" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Luxembourg">Government of Luxembourg</a> announced that it would attempt to "jump-start an industrial sector to mine asteroid resources in space" by, among other things, creating a "legal framework" and regulatory incentives for companies involved in the industry.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-sn20160206-75">[74]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-abc201602-84">[83]</a> By June 2016, announced that it would "invest more than US$200 million in research, technology demonstration, and in the direct purchase of equity in companies relocating to Luxembourg."<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-sn2060603-85">[84]</a> In 2017, it became the "first European country to pass a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Statuatory law" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statuatory_law">law</a> conferring to companies the ownership of any resources they extract from space", and remained active in advancing space resource <a title="Public policy" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_policy">public policy</a> in 2018.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-86">[85]</a>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Missions<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Missions" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=23" data-section="23">Edit</a></h2>

<h3 class="in-block">Ongoing and planned<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Ongoing and planned" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=24" data-section="24">Edit</a></h3>

<ul>

<li><a title="OSIRIS-REx" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSIRIS-REx">OSIRIS-REx</a> – planned NASA asteroid sample return mission (launched in September 2016)</li>

<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Hayabusa 2" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa_2">Hayabusa 2</a> – ongoing JAXA asteroid sample return mission (arriving at the target in 2018)</li>

<li><a title="Asteroid Redirect Mission" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Redirect_Mission">Asteroid Redirect Mission</a> – potential future space mission proposed by NASA (if funded, the mission would be launched in December 2020)</li>

<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Fobos-Grunt 2" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fobos-Grunt_2">Fobos-Grunt 2</a> – planned Roskosmos sample return mission to <a title="Phobos (moon)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobos_(moon)">Phobos</a> (launch in 2024)</li>

</ul>

<h3 class="in-block">Completed<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Completed" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=25" data-section="25">Edit</a></h3>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a title="List of minor planets and comets visited by spacecraft" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_planets_and_comets_visited_by_spacecraft">List of minor planets and comets visited by spacecraft</a></div>

First successful missions by country:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-87">[86]</a>

<tbody>

<tr>

<th>NationFlybyOrbitLandingSample</th>

<th>return</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><a title="Stardust (spacecraft)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stardust_(spacecraft)">Stardust</a> (2006)</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/23px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="23" data-height="15" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/35px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/45px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png 2x" data-class="thumbborder">  <a title="Japan" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan">Japan</a></td>

<td><a title="Suisei (spacecraft)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suisei_(spacecraft)">Suisei</a> (1986)</td>

<td><a title="Hayabusa" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa">Hayabusa</a> (2005)</td>

<td><a title="Hayabusa" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa">Hayabusa</a> (2010)</td>

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<td><a title="Rosetta (spacecraft)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_(spacecraft)">Rosetta</a> (2014)</td>

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<td><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="23" data-height="12" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 2x" data-class="thumbborder">  <a title="Soviet Union" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union">Soviet Union</a></td>

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<tr>

<td><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="23" data-height="15" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png 2x" data-class="thumbborder">  <a title="China" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/China">China</a></td>

<td><a title="Chang'e 2" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_2">Chang'e 2</a> (2012)</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

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<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">In fiction<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: In fiction" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=26" data-section="26">Edit</a></h2>

<div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a title="Asteroids in fiction" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroids_in_fiction#Mineral_extraction">Asteroids in fiction § Mineral extraction</a>, and <a title="Category:Asteroid mining in fiction" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Asteroid_mining_in_fiction">Category:Asteroid mining in fiction</a></div>

The first mention of asteroid mining in science fiction is apparently Garrett P. Serviss' story <a title="Edison's Conquest of Mars" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison%27s_Conquest_of_Mars">Edison's Conquest of Mars</a>, New York Evening Journal, 1898.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-88">[87]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-89">[88]</a>

The 1979 film <a title="Alien (film)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)">Alien</a>, directed by <a title="Ridley Scott" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_Scott">Ridley Scott</a>, is about the crew of the Nostromo, a commercially operated spaceship on a return trip to Earth hauling a refinery and 20 million tons of mineral ore mined from an asteroid.

<a title="C. J. Cherryh" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.J.Cherryh">C. J. Cherryh</a>'s novel, <a title="Devil to the Belt" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_to_the_Belt">Heavy Time</a> focuses on the plight of asteroid miners in the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Alliance-Union universe" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance-Union_universe">Alliance-Union universe</a>, while <a title="Moon (film)" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_(film)">Moon</a> is a 2009 British science fiction drama film depicting a lunar facility that mines the alternative fuel <a title="Helium-3" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3">helium-3</a> needed to provide energy on Earth. It was notable for its realism and drama, winning several awards internationally.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-90">[89]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-91">[90]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-92">[91]</a>

In several science fiction <a class="mw-redirect" title="Video games" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games">video games</a>, asteroid mining is a possibility. For example, in the space-<a title="Massively multiplayer online game" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game">MMO</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" title="EVE Online" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EVE_Online">EVE Online</a>, asteroid mining is a very popular career, owing to its simplicity.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-93">[92]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-94">[93]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-youtube-eve-95">[94]</a>

In the computer game <a title="Star Citizen" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Citizen">Star Citizen</a>, the mining occupation supports a variety of dedicated specialists, each of which has a critical role to play in the effort.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_note-96">[95]</a>

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<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Gallery<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Gallery" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=27" data-section="27">Edit</a></h2>

<div>

</div>

Artist's concept from the 1970s of asteroid mining

</div>

</li>

<div>

</div>

Artist's concept of an asteroid mining vehicle as seen in 1984

</div>

</li>

<div>

</div>

Artist's concept of an asteroid moved by a <a title="Space tether" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_tether">space tether</a>

</div>

</li>

<div>

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A future space telescope designed by <a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources</a> company to find asteroids

</div>

</li>

</ul>

</div>

<ul>

<li><a title="Asteroid capture" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_capture">Asteroid capture</a></li>

<li><a title="Asteroid Redirect Mission" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Redirect_Mission">Asteroid Redirect Mission</a></li>

<li><a title="In situ resource utilization" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_situ_resource_utilization">In situ resource utilization</a></li>

<li><a title="Human mission to an asteroid" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_mission_to_an_asteroid">Human mission to an asteroid</a></li>

<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_the_Sky:Untold_Riches_from_the_Asteroids,Comets,_and_Planets">Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets</a></li>

<li><a title="Near Earth Asteroid Prospector" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Earth_Asteroid_Prospector">Near Earth Asteroid Prospector</a></li>

<li><a title="Planetary Resources" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Resources">Planetary Resources Inc.</a></li>

<li><a title="Sample-return mission" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample-return_mission">Sample-return mission</a></li>

<li><a title="Space manufacturing" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_manufacturing">Space manufacturing</a></li>

<li><a title="Space-based economy" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_economy">Space-based economy</a></li>

<li><a title="SpaceDev" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceDev">SpaceDev</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">Notes<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Notes" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=29" data-section="29">Edit</a></h2>

<li id="cite_note-21"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-21">^{</a> }This is the average amount; asteroids with much lower delta-v exist.</li>

</ol>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">References<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: References" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=30" data-section="30">Edit</a></h2>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-1">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">Alotaibi, Ghanim; et al. (2010). <a class="external text" href="https://isulibrary.isunet.edu/opac/doc_num.php?explnum_id=73" rel="nofollow">"ASteroid mining, Technologies Roadmap, and Applications"</a>. Strasbourg: International Space University. Retrieved 9 December 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-2">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Esty, Thomas (2013). <a class="external text" href="https://zenodo.org/record/31520/files/Thomas_Esty.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Asteroid Mining and Prospecting"</a> (PDF). H.C.O. Astronomy 98. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University. Retrieved 9 December 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-3">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">Steigerwald, William (2013). <a class="external text" href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-mission-to-help-us-learn-how-to-mine-asteroids" rel="nofollow">"New NASA Mission to Help Us Learn How to Mine Asteroids"</a>. NASA. Greenbelt, Maryland: Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 9 December 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-4">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Zacny, Kris; et al. (2013). <a class="external text" href="http://www.friendsofbest.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AIAA-2013-5304_Asteroid_Mining.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Asteroid Mining"</a> (PDF). Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.2514%2F6.2013-5304" rel="nofollow">10.2514/6.2013-5304</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-5">^{</a> }D. Cohen, <a class="external text" href="http://www.science.org.au/nova/newscientist/027ns_005.htm" rel="nofollow">"Earth's natural wealth: an audit"</a> <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110607073757/http://www.science.org.au/nova/newscientist/027ns_005.htm" rel="nofollow">Archived</a> June 7, 2011, at the <a title="Wayback Machine" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine">Wayback Machine</a>., NewScientist, 23 May 2007.</li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-6">^{</a> }American Chemical Society, <a class="external text" href="http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/greenchemistry/research-innovation/research-topics/endangered-elements.html" rel="nofollow">"Endangered Elements"</a>, ACS website.</li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-7">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">BRIAN O'LEARY; MICHAEL J. GAFFEY; DAVID J. ROSS & ROBERT SALKELD (1979). <a class="external text" href="http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/spaceres/IV-2.html" rel="nofollow">"Retrieval of Asteroidal Materials"</a>. SPACE RESOURCES and SPACE SETTLEMENTS,1977 Summer Study at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. NASA.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-Valentine-8">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Valentine_8-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Valentine_8-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web">Lee Valentine (2002). <a class="external text" href="http://ssi.org/reading/papers/space-studies-institute-roadmap/" rel="nofollow">"A Space Roadmap: Mine the Sky, Defend the Earth, Settle the Universe"</a>. <a title="Space Studies Institute" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Studies_Institute">Space Studies Institute</a>. Retrieved September 19, 2011.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-9">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Didier Massonnet; Benoît Meyssignac (2006). <a class="external text" href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576506001147" rel="nofollow">"A captured asteroid : Our David's stone for shielding earth and providing the cheapest extraterrestrial material"</a>. Acta Astronautica. Acta Astronautica. 59: 77–83. <a title="Bibcode" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcode">Bibcode</a>:<a class="external text" href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006AcAau..59...77M" rel="nofollow">2006AcAau..59...77M</a>. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.actaastro.2006.02.030" rel="nofollow">10.1016/j.actaastro.2006.02.030</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-MTS1997-10">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-MTS1997_10-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-MTS1997_10-1">b</a> <cite class="citation book">Lewis, John S. (1997). <a class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=k9hwi3ktye8C&dq=isbn=0201328194" rel="nofollow">Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets</a>. Perseus. <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/0-201-32819-4" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-201-32819-4">0-201-32819-4</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-Kiss-11">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Kiss_11-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Kiss_11-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web">John Brophy; Fred Culick; Louis Friedman; et al. (12 April 2012). <a class="external text" href="http://kiss.caltech.edu/study/asteroid/asteroid_final_report.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study"</a> (PDF). Keck Institute for Space Studies, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-12"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-12">^{</a> }University of Toronto (2009, October 19).<a class="external text" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141608.htm" rel="nofollow">Geologists Point To Outer Space As Source Of The Earth's Mineral Riches</a>. ScienceDaily</li>

<li id="cite_note-13"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-13">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Brenan, James M.; McDonough, William F. (2009). <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110706211417/http://www.geology.utoronto.ca/Members/brenan/Brenan%20and%20McDonough%2C%202009.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Core formation and metal–silicate fractionation of osmium and iridium from gold"</a>(PDF). Nature Geoscience. 2: 798–801. <a title="Bibcode" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcode">Bibcode</a>:<a class="external text" href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009NatGe...2..798B" rel="nofollow">2009NatGe...2..798B</a>. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fngeo658" rel="nofollow">10.1038/ngeo658</a>. Archived from <a class="external text" href="http://www.geology.utoronto.ca/Members/brenan/Brenan%20and%20McDonough,%202009.pdf" rel="nofollow">the original</a> (PDF) on 2011-07-06.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-Matt-14"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Matt_14-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Willbold, Matthias; Elliott, Tim; Moorbath, Stephen (2011). <a class="external text" href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v477/n7363/full/nature10399.html" rel="nofollow">"The tungsten isotopic composition of the Earth's mantle before the terminal bombardment"</a>. Nature. 477: 195–198. <a title="Bibcode" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcode">Bibcode</a>:<a class="external text" href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011Natur.477..195W" rel="nofollow">2011Natur.477..195W</a>. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature10399" rel="nofollow">10.1038/nature10399</a>. <a class="mw-redirect" title="PubMed Identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PubMed_Identifier">PMID</a> <a class="external text" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21901010" rel="nofollow">21901010</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-15"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-15">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal">Marchis, F.; et al. (February 2006). <a class="external text" href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v439/n7076/abs/nature04350.html" rel="nofollow">"A low density of 0.8 g/cm−3 for the Trojan binary asteroid 617 Patroclus"</a>. Nature. 439: 565–567. <a title="ArXiv" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArXiv">arXiv</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0602033" rel="nofollow">astro-ph/0602033</a> <span class="lazy-image-placeholder" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png" data-alt="Freely accessible" data-width="9" data-height="14" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/14px-Lock-green.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/18px-Lock-green.svg.png 2x"> . <a title="Bibcode" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcode">Bibcode</a>:<a class="external text" href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006Natur.439..565M" rel="nofollow">2006Natur.439..565M</a>. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature04350" rel="nofollow">10.1038/nature04350</a>. <a class="mw-redirect" title="PubMed Identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PubMed_Identifier">PMID</a> <a class="external text" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16452974" rel="nofollow">16452974</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-April_2012-16">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-April_2012_16-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-April_2012_16-1">b</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-April_2012_16-2">c</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-April_2012_16-3">d</a> <cite class="citation news"><a class="external text" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17827347" rel="nofollow">"Plans for asteroid mining emerge"</a>. BBC News. 24 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-24.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-17"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-17">^{</a> }C. Gardner, <a class="external text" href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1827/1" rel="nofollow">"Tobacco and beaver pelts: the sustainable path"</a>, The Space Review, 18 April 2011.</li>

<li id="cite_note-18"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-18">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="http://smithsonianscience.org/2011/04/evidence-of-asteroid-mining-in-our-galaxy-may-lead-to-the-discovery-of-extraterrestrial-civilizations/" rel="nofollow">Evidence of asteroid mining in our galaxy may lead to the discovery of extraterrestrial civilizations</a> smithsonianscience.org</li>

<li id="cite_note-19"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-19">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=17357" rel="nofollow">Asteroid Mining: A Marker for SETI?</a> centauri-dreams.org</li>

<li id="cite_note-20"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-20">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1103.5369" rel="nofollow">Duncan Forgan, Martin Elvis:Extrasolar Asteroid Mining as Forensic Evidence for Extraterrestrial Intelligence</a>@ arxiv.org, (Retrieved 2011-04-07)</li>

<li id="cite_note-te20130416-22">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-1">b</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-2">c</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-3">d</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-4">e</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-5">f</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-te20130416_22-6">g</a> <cite class="citation news">Harris, Stephen (2013-04-16). <a class="external text" href="http://www.theengineer.co.uk/aerospace/in-depth/your-questions-answered-asteroid-mining/1015966.article" rel="nofollow">"Your questions answered: asteroid mining"</a>. The Engineer. Retrieved 2013-04-16.</cite></li>

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<li id="cite_note-63"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-63">^{</a> }<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#CITEREFLewis1993">Lewis 1993</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-64"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-64">^{</a> }"<a class="external text" href="http://www.newmaterials.com/news/833.asp" rel="nofollow">World Produces 1.05 Billion Tonnes of Steel in 2004</a> <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060331081029/http://www.newmaterials.com/news/833.asp" rel="nofollow">Archived</a> March 31, 2006, at the <a title="Wayback Machine" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine">Wayback Machine</a>.", International Iron and Steel Institute, 2005</li>

<li id="cite_note-ibt20150421-65"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ibt20150421_65-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news">Lu, Anne (2015-04-21). <a class="external text" href="http://au.ibtimes.com/asteroid-mining-could-be-next-frontier-resource-mining-1441087" rel="nofollow">"Asteroid Mining Could Be The Next Frontier For Resource Mining"</a>. International Business Times. Retrieved 23 April 2015.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-reuters20120424-66"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-reuters20120424_66-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news"><a class="external text" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/24/us-space-asteroid-mining-idUSBRE83N06U20120424" rel="nofollow">"Tech billionaires bankroll gold rush to mine asteroids"</a>. Reuters. 2012-04-24.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-redorbit201204248-67"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-redorbit201204248_67-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news"><a class="external text" href="http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112523850/asteroid-mining-venture-could-change-supplydemand-ratio-on-earth/" rel="nofollow">"Asteroid Mining Venture Could Change Supply/Demand Ratio On Earth"</a>. redorbit.com. 2012-04-24.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-Hazards-68">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Hazards_68-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Hazards_68-1">b</a> <cite id="CITEREFOstroSagan1998" class="citation">Ostro, Steven J.; Sagan, Carl (1998), <a class="external text" href="https://trs.jpl.nasa.gov/bitstream/handle/2014/19498/98-0908.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Cosmic Collisions and the Longevity of Non-Spacefaring Galactic Civilizations"</a> (PDF), Interplanetary Collision Hazards, Pasadena, California, USA: Jet Propulsion Laboratory – NASA</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-Lee,R.J.2012-69">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Lee,R.J.2012_69-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Lee,R.J.2012_69-1">b</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Lee,R.J.2012_69-2">c</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-Lee,R.J._2012_69-3">d</a> Lee, R. J. (2012). Law and Regulation of Commercial Mining of Minerals in Outer Space. (Vol. 7). New York: Springer.</li>

<li id="cite_note-70"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-70">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="http://www.space.com/29323-nasa-manned-mars-exploration-plans.html" rel="nofollow">Roadmap for Manned Missions to Mars Reaching 'Consensus.' NASA Chief Says</a>, Elizabeth Howell. Space.com |quote="We really are trying to demonstrate we can develop the technologies and the techniques to help commercial companies, entrepreneurs and others get to asteroids and mine them."</li>

<li id="cite_note-ReferenceA-71">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ReferenceA_71-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ReferenceA_71-1">b</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ReferenceA_71-2">c</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ReferenceA_71-3">d</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ReferenceA_71-4">e</a> Lee, R. J. (2012). Law and Regulation of Commercial Mining of Minerals in Outer Space. (Vol. 7). New York: Springer</li>

<li id="cite_note-gizmodo20180218-72"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-gizmodo20180218_72-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news">Mandelbaum, Ryan F. (2018-02-18). <a class="external text" href="https://gizmodo.com/falcon-heavy-may-have-drastically-increased-the-number-1823116009" rel="nofollow">"Falcon Heavy May Have Drastically Increased the Number of Asteroids We Can Mine"</a>. <a title="Gizmodo" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmodo">Gizmodo</a>. Retrieved 2018-02-19.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-73"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-73">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">sinead.harvey. <a class="external text" href="http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/index.html" rel="nofollow">"Space Law"</a>. unoosa.org. Retrieved 24 September 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-74"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-74">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12019740/Who-owns-space-Asteroid-mining-made-legal-in-US-after-passing-of-2015-space-bill.html" rel="nofollow">Asteroid mining made legal after passing of ‘historic’ space bill in US</a>, telegraph.co.uk, accessed 19 Feb 2018.</li>

<li id="cite_note-sn20160206-75">^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-sn20160206_75-0">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-sn20160206_75-1">b</a> <cite class="citation news">de Selding, Peter B. (2016-02-03). <a class="external text" href="http://spacenews.com/luxembourg-to-invest-in-space-based-asteroid-mining/" rel="nofollow">"Luxembourg to invest in space-based asteroid mining"</a>. <a title="SpaceNews" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceNews">SpaceNews</a>. Retrieved 2018-02-19. <q>The Luxembourg government on Feb. 3 announced it would seek to jump-start an industrial sector to mine asteroid resources in space by creating regulatory and financial incentives.</q></cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-ostro1998-76"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-ostro1998_76-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">Steven Ostro and Carl Sagan (1998-08-04). <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193730/http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/ccc/cc080498.html" rel="nofollow">"Cambridge Conference Correspondence"</a>. uga.edu. Archived from <a class="external text" href="http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/ccc/cc080498.html" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-sagan1994-77"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-sagan1994_77-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation journal"><a class="external text" href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v368/n6471/abs/368501a0.html" rel="nofollow">"Dangers of asteroid deflection"</a>. nature.com. 1994-04-07. <a title="Bibcode" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcode">Bibcode</a>:<a class="external text" href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994Natur.368Q.501S" rel="nofollow">1994Natur.368Q.501S</a>. <a title="Digital object identifier" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier">doi</a>:<a class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2F368501a0" rel="nofollow">10.1038/368501a0</a>.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-78"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-78">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">Listner, Michael (24 October 2011). <a class="external text" href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1954/1" rel="nofollow">"The Moon Treaty: failed international law or waiting in the shadows?"</a>. The Space Review. Retrieved 14 October 2017.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-79"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-79">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2262" rel="nofollow">H.R.2262 – SPACE Act of 2015</a>, accessed 14 September 2015.</li>

<li id="cite_note-wp20150522-80"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-wp20150522_80-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news">Fung, Brian (2015-05-22). <a class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/05/22/the-house-just-passed-a-bill-about-space-mining-the-future-is-here/" rel="nofollow">"The House just passed a bill about space mining. The future is here"</a>. Washington Post. Retrieved 14 September 2015.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-81"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-81">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/nov/13/congress-claims-space-resource-rights-for-americans-to-exploit-new-frontier" rel="nofollow">American 'space pioneers' deserve asteroid rights, Congress says</a> theguardian.com</li>

<li id="cite_note-82"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-82">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12019740/Who-owns-space-Asteroid-mining-made-legal-in-US-after-passing-of-2015-space-bill.html" rel="nofollow">Asteroid mining made legal after passing of ‘historic’ space bill in US</a> telegraph.co.uk</li>

<li id="cite_note-83"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-83">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web"><a class="external text" href="http://www.planetaryresources.com/2015/11/president-obama-signs-bill-recognizing-asteroid-resource-property-rights-into-law/" rel="nofollow">"President Obama Signs Bill Recognizing Asteroid Resource Property Rights into Law"</a>. planetaryresources.com. Retrieved 24 September 2016.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-abc201602-84"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-abc201602_84-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news"><a class="external text" href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-04/space-mining-plans-unveiled-by-luxembourg/7138380" rel="nofollow">"Luxembourg plans to pioneer asteroid mining"</a>. ABC News. 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-02-08. <q>The Government said it planned to create a legal framework for exploiting resources beyond Earth's atmosphere, and said it welcomed private investors and other nations.</q></cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-sn2060603-85"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-sn2060603_85-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news">de Selding, Peter B. (2016-06-03). <a class="external text" href="http://spacenews.com/luxembourg-invests-to-become-the-silicon-valley-of-space-resource-mining/" rel="nofollow">"Luxembourg invests to become the 'Silicon Valley of space resource mining'"</a>. <a title="SpaceNews" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceNews">SpaceNews</a>. Retrieved 2016-06-04.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-86"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-86">^{</a> }<a class="external text" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/16/luxembourg-vies-to-become-the-silicon-valley-of-asteroid-mining.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/16/luxembourg-vies-to-become-the-silicon-valley-of-asteroid-mining.html</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-87"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-87">^{</a> }both asteroid and comet missions are shown</li>

<li id="cite_note-88"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-88">^{</a> }TechNovelGy timeline, <a class="external text" href="http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1930" rel="nofollow">Asteroid Mining</a> <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120307155718/http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1930" rel="nofollow">Archived</a> March 7, 2012, at the <a title="Wayback Machine" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine">Wayback Machine</a>.</li>

<li id="cite_note-89"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-89">^{</a> }Garrett P. Serviss, 's Edison's Conquest of Mars at <a class="external text" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19141/19141-h/19141-h.htm" rel="nofollow">Project Gutenberg</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-90"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-90">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web"><a class="external text" href="http://rottentomatoes.com/m/10009075-moon/" rel="nofollow">"Moon (2009)"</a>. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 November 2013.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-91"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-91">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web"><a class="external text" href="http://www.metacritic.com/movie/moon" rel="nofollow">"Moon"</a>. Metacritic. Retrieved 11 March 2013.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-92"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-92">^{</a> }<cite class="citation news">Wise, Damon (24 January 2009). <a class="external text" href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/film/reviews/article1864390.ece" rel="nofollow">"Poignant tale of starman waiting in the sky"</a>. <a title="The Times" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times">The Times</a>. London. Retrieved 24 February 2009.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-93"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-93">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web"><a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130117185138/http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Mining_guide" rel="nofollow">"Mining guide"</a>. EVE Online Wiki. EVE Online. Archived from <a class="external text" href="https://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Mining_guide" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-94"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-94">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">Brendan Drain (23 January 2011). <a class="external text" href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/eve-evolved-mining-101-advanced-mining/" rel="nofollow">"EVE Evolved: Mining 101 – Advanced mining"</a>. EVE Evolved. Joystiq. Retrieved 12 February2013.</cite></li>

<li id="cite_note-youtube-eve-95"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-youtube-eve_95-0">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web">MMOGames (20 April 2012). <a class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw0mwJ6ngyA" rel="nofollow">"EVE Online Beginner's Guide – Episode 3 (Choosing A Focus)"</a> (Video). EVE Online Beginner's Guide. YouTube. Retrieved 12 February 2013.</cite> – Relevant content is between 1m00s and 1m50s in the video</li>

<li id="cite_note-96"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#cite_ref-96">^{</a> }<cite class="citation web"><a class="external text" href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/14522-Star-Citizen-Careers-Mining" rel="nofollow">"Star Citizen Careers: Mining – Roberts Space Industries"</a>. Roberts Space Industries.</cite></li>

</ol>

</div>

<h3 class="in-block">Publications<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Publications" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=31" data-section="31">Edit</a></h3>

<ul>

<li>Space Enterprise: Beyond NASA / David Gump (1990) <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/0-275-93314-8" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-275-93314-8">0-275-93314-8</a>.</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLewis1993">Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets / <a title="John S. Lewis" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Lewis">John S. Lewis</a> (1998) <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/0-201-47959-1" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-201-47959-1">0-201-47959-1</a></cite></li>

<li>Ricky Lee: Law and Regulation of Commercial Mining of Minerals in Outer Space. Springer, Dordrecht 2012, <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/978-94-007-2038-1" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-94-007-2038-1">978-94-007-2038-1</a></li>

<li>Viorel Badescu: Asteroids – prospective energy and material resources. Springer, Berlin 2013, <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/978-3-642-39243-6" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-642-39243-6">978-3-642-39243-6</a>.</li>

<li>Ram Jakhu,et al.: Space Mining and Its Regulation. Springer, Cham 2016, <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/978-3-319-39245-5" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-319-39245-5">978-3-319-39245-5</a>.</li>

<li>Annette Froehlich: Space Resource Utilization: A View from an Emerging Space Faring Nation. Springer, Cham 2018, <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/978-3-319-66968-7" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-319-66968-7">978-3-319-66968-7</a>.</li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 class="in-block section-heading collapsible-heading open-block" tabindex="0">External links<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: External links" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=32" data-section="32">Edit</a></h2>

<ul>

<li><a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050205082301/http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/aug01/aster.html" rel="nofollow">The Technical and Economic Feasibility of Mining the Near-Earth Asteroids</a>, M. J. Sonter.</li>

<li><a class="external text" href="http://www.american.edu/TED/spacemin.htm" rel="nofollow">The Future of Space Mining</a></li>

<li><a class="external text" href="https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/10/asteroid-moving/" rel="nofollow">The Plan to Bring an Asteroid to Earth</a></li>

<li><a class="external text" href="http://www.911metallurgist.com/keep-mining/" rel="nofollow">How Asteroids can save mankind</a></li>

<li><a class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/feb/03/luxembourg-aims-to-be-big-player-in-possible-asteroid-mining" rel="nofollow">Luxembourg aims to be big player in possible asteroid mining</a>, The Guardian, February 2016.</li>

<li><cite class="citation journal">Blair, Brad R. (2000). <a class="external text" href="http://www.nss.org/settlement/asteroids/RoleOfNearEarthAsteroidsInLongTermPlatinumSupply.pdf" rel="nofollow">"The Role of Near-Earth Asteroids in Long-Term Platinum Supply"</a> (PDF). Space Resources Roundtable II. 1.</cite></li>

</ul>

<h3 class="in-block">Video<a class="mw-ui-icon mw-ui-icon-element mw-ui-icon-minerva-edit-enabled edit-page" title="Edit section: Video" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteroid_mining&action=edit&section=34" data-section="34">Edit</a></h3>

<ul>

<li>Video <a class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaqbhjoaIXU" rel="nofollow">Beyond Earth – NEO Destinations</a> NewSpace Conference of the <a title="Space Frontier Foundation" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Frontier_Foundation">Space Frontier Foundation</a>, Aug 7, 2011</li>

<li>Video <a class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA8OkfxBC4g" rel="nofollow">Moon, Mars, Asteroids – Where to Go First for Resources?</a> Space manufacturing Conference of the <a title="Space Studies Institute" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Studies_Institute">Space Studies Institute</a>, October 2010</li>

<li>Video <a class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140903181824/http://kiss.caltech.edu/workshops/asteroid2011/video/public-lecture/9_public_lecture.html" rel="nofollow">Moving An Asteroid</a> California Institute of Technology, Workshop Public Lecture Panel, September 2011</li>

<li>Video <a class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLouRKHknOU" rel="nofollow">Asteroid Mining – The Market Problem and Radical Solution</a>, November 2013</li>

</ul>

</div>

Astroid Mining

Attachments