Asteroid Mining: Key to the Space Economy
The asteroids that are nearest the Sun are mostly made of carbon while the ones further away are made up of silicate rock.
The metallic asteroids are composed of up to 80% iron.
There are four major classes of asteroids: C type, D type, S type, and V type. Each has a different composition and position in the universe.
C type are found in the outer areas of the main belt and are darker and more carbonaceous the S type.
S type are found in the inner area of the main belt, closer to Mars, and are composed of mostly stone and iron.
D type are also known as the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter and are dark and carbonaceous in nature.
V type are a far out group. They hang out between the orbits of Jupiter and Uranus and are made of igneous, eruptive materials.
So why do we need these materials back here on Earth, we have billions of tons of them here. The cost of getting an asteroid and bringing it back to Earth orbit then mining it in space would be outrageously expensive making for the cost of anything mined that was so expensive no one could afford to buy anything made from that way.