> It is odd to mention expense for terrestrial mining in this context. Only to point out that it's not "worth a lot more", nor that it's "ready to be dug up".

> It is odd to mention expense for terrestrial mining in this context. Only to point out that it's not "worth a lot more", nor that it's "ready to be dug up". > Asteroid material will become important once orbital construction has seriously taken off, after Musk is long dead. Possibly, but Mars exploration is an even longer-term bet, which has little to no financial benefits. Considering Musk has experience in boring, space, and starting outlandish ventures, asteroid mining seems like a good fit. It could be a lucrative shorter-term project, that could fund his Mars and beyond exploration goals. It might even be achievable within his lifetime, by focusing on near-Earth objects. Granted, this is all speculation from a layperson, but I'm curious if this has ever been considered.