How would conventional mining techniques change in microgravity?

Question

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How would we go about mining an asteroid? How would we keep
things from flying around and escaping, or, becoming dangerous
space junk?

Answer 1

I had visualized that for small moons, somehow it seemed odd for larger moons. Space Elevators was also a pretty good option in my mind. Cost seems to be a non-issue if you can get those robot armies to work. Big if, but hey, IF, then its really just a matter of getting the bots there and getting them started.

* Mining asteroids is a royal pain in the tail. If at all possible, mining will be done where there's gravity and an atmosphere. Planets are great big balls of metals and useful minerals, so I just don't see the advantage. The only exception is that you might break off a tiny chunk of an icy body and tow it to an established colony on the moon, to give you carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It might be cheaper just to haul up refined chemicals from a colony elsewhere and ship them, though.

Yes, mining in microgravity would be highly problematic. There are a number of different groups working on the theories of the problem, and a lot of interesting answers out there. If we are going to make large Colonies or ships, materials will proove to be cheaper to mine from Asteroids than lift from Earth or the Moon.

Answer 2

I'll answer your second question first. Most asteroids reside in a vicinity of space that is not a threat to the earth so don't worry about space junk..the term space junk has the implied meaning that it has the potential to cause damage as you yourself said 'dangerous'.

Your first question is beyond today's technologies so there is really nothing that I can say to answer it. What is needed is much more experience living on other worlds, like a Mars colony, for example. By the time we are ready to mine asteroids I am sure mining technology will have gone through many generations of changes( if the need still exists to mine asteroids. Remember this is a very expensive proposition we better find some asteroids made of platinum, gold, or diamonds).

Just throw us a good gravity shield around the astroid.

Answer 3

NASA has already accomplished this. They slammed a hunk of metal into a asteroid and and collected small pieces of debris.

But, this would only work for scientific purposes. Until space travel suddenly becomes very affordable, it would be a waste of energy to try to mine an asteroid for other purposes.

Answer 4

In no way possible

Answer 5

dunna