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New US space mining law to spark interplanetary gold rush
Phys.org ^ | 12/8/2015 | Luc Olinga

Posted on 12/08/2015 11:11:12 AM PST by simpson96

Flashing some interplanetary gold bling and sipping "space water" might sound far-fetched, but both could soon be reality, thanks to a new US law that legalizes cosmic mining.

In a first, President Barack Obama signed legislation at the end of November that allows commercial extraction of minerals and other materials, including water, from asteroids and the moon.

That could kick off an extraterrestrial gold rush, backed by a private aeronautics industry that is growing quickly and cutting the price of commercial space flight.

The US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 says that any materials American individuals or companies find on an asteroid or the moon is theirs to keep and do with as they please.

(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: gold; nasa; platinum; rareearth; rareearthmaterials; rareearthminerals; silver; spaceexploration
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I was just thinking, if and when gold is recovered, it ought to sell for multiples of what "terrestrial" gold sells for, simply because it will be a collector's item. Then it occurred to me - gold is gold, is it not? What's to prevent unscrupulous people from marketing "space gold" that came from, say, Colorado?
1 posted on 12/08/2015 11:11:12 AM PST by simpson96
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To: simpson96

I’d still like to know what became of the artificial diamonds that are impossible to distinguish from real ones.

That news item came and went in a hurry.


2 posted on 12/08/2015 11:16:13 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: simpson96

#MARTIANMININGRIGHTSMATTER


3 posted on 12/08/2015 11:17:49 AM PST by SparkyBass
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To: simpson96

Funny. If somebody succeeds in bring in tons of space gold, the overall price per ounce will drop.

I guess that the good news would be that everybody could own lots of it.

The bad news is that you still can’t eat it.


4 posted on 12/08/2015 11:19:03 AM PST by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: simpson96
Traces of iridium...
5 posted on 12/08/2015 11:21:18 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: BenLurkin

They are still ‘conflict free’...(good question).


6 posted on 12/08/2015 11:22:28 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: simpson96
marketing "space gold" that came from, say, Colorado?""""....

ROFL........just a matter of time, watch for the commercial on Glen Beck show.

7 posted on 12/08/2015 11:25:32 AM PST by annieokie
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To: Chainmail

They would need to bring in a lot of tons for significant price impact.

The world currently produces about 2,500 metric tons a year. Another 10 tons would not make a huge price drop.


8 posted on 12/08/2015 11:29:46 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: simpson96

Impurities which distinguish terrestrial gold from extraterrestrial gold. The value of gold in space will be its utility in manufacturing electronics and other components useful in space, such as gold foils. The most important material to be used is water-ice. It is needed for breathable oxygen, carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen for rocket fuels, water-based solvents, and a vast list of other applications.


9 posted on 12/08/2015 11:33:25 AM PST by WhiskeyX
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To: simpson96

who’s gonna be the first to bring up the Jupiter Mining Company?
dave? rimmer?


10 posted on 12/08/2015 11:39:57 AM PST by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: camle

These space mining companies will have to negotiate a deal with my company which was granted all the vast minerals rights in the universe, except earth, and I got it from the Clinton Global Foundation for a $100,000 donation.

I have the documents.


11 posted on 12/08/2015 11:47:47 AM PST by urbanpovertylawcenter (the law and poverty collide in an urban setting and sparks fly)
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To: simpson96

Still don’t see how this pases the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which unambigiuosly states that whatever is found is the property of everyone.


12 posted on 12/08/2015 11:48:55 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: PIF
which unambigiuosly states that whatever is found is the property of everyone

Could you point to where that is part of the treaty?

http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html

13 posted on 12/08/2015 12:00:31 PM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: simpson96

Just like Obama. Sellin the dream.


14 posted on 12/08/2015 12:07:07 PM PST by Lurkina.n.Learnin (It's a shame enobama truly doesn't care about any of this. Our country, our future, he doesn't care)
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To: thackney

See Article II


15 posted on 12/08/2015 12:09:27 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: camle

I was thinking ‘Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids” but that would work too.

“It’s Cold outside...no kind of atmosphere”


16 posted on 12/08/2015 12:14:54 PM PST by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
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To: Conan the Librarian

“we’re all alone...more or less”


17 posted on 12/08/2015 12:16:56 PM PST by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: simpson96
Thanks to a new US law that legalizes cosmic mining.

OMG I had know idea that cosmic mining was illegal.

The only explanation is that Obama must have signed an executive order proclaiming himself Master of the Universe.

18 posted on 12/08/2015 12:21:24 PM PST by usurper (Liberals GET OFF MY LAWN)
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To: usurper

ROFL


19 posted on 12/08/2015 12:31:22 PM PST by simpson96
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To: PIF

Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial
bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by
claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation,
or by any other means.

- - - - - - -

http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202733305720/Mining-Outer-Space-Who-Owns-the-Asteroids?mcode=0&curindex=0&curpage=ALL

space cannot be subdivided into national “colonies,” in the manner of 19th century European powers. But there is a difference between appropriation of territory (in this colonial sense) and appropriation of mineral resources, as occurs in commercial mining-and OST says nothing in particular about the latter.


20 posted on 12/08/2015 12:34:20 PM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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