The Cost of Space Exploration: Asteroids are Pricier Than You Think
In a recent study, scientists have found that mining materials from asteroids could be even more expensive than previously thought. The study used a computer model to simulate the cost of using robotic spacecraft to collect resources from asteroids and bring them back to Earth. It found that some of the materials that could be extracted from asteroids, such as cobalt, gold, and platinum, would be much more expensive than the same resources obtained from terrestrial mining. The study also found that the cost of transporting the materials back to Earth would add significantly to the overall expense of asteroid mining. This means that asteroid mining is not likely to be economically viable in the near future.
source: Phys.org