▶ Metallic asteroids are primarily iron and nickel but can contain rare metals like platinum , gold , iridium , palladium , osmium , ruthenium and rhodium at a concentration several times higher than what is found on Earth

By some calculations , Ryugu and Bennu are in the top five most economically viable asteroids for mining efforts

The world demand for rare and precious metals is growing , and a mix of political turmoil and natural scarcity are contributing to fears that the global supply will be unable to keep up . As supplies dwindle , demand grows , and prices rise , the new private company-based space race might offer a solution to the shortage .

The asteroid mining would require major investments in new technologies , but there has been enough interest that companies have been formed to prospect for asteroids to harvest .

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