mining the moon

Thoughts on mining the Moon vary from: it will happen in the near future, a high financial cost, and concerns about the probable pollution of the Moon.

Private companies are planning to mine the moon for minerals, and its resources including rare earth minerals and helium-3 are also drawing the attention of China and Russia. Nation-states cannot mine the moon under a 1967 treaty, yet lack of clear definition leaves openings that could be exploited.