Is Mars worth mining for Earth purposes?

There are five things potentially worth mining on Mars. None of these would require bulk transport. The first would be rocks for collectors. Just as folks are willing to pay a lot for moon rocks, so it would be true for Mars rocks. read more

Otherwise, there is nothing on Mars that is worth bringing back to Earth's surface. Any mineral, gas, metal that is on Mars can be found on Earth, Moon or on Mars' moons. If we are transporting material to Earth orbit, any mineral or metal found on Mars would be found on the Moon or Mars' moons or a nearby asteroid. read more

The vast volcanic landscapes of Mars, for instance, are analogous to what geologists call the "Large Igneous Provinces" (LIPs) of Earth. These are areas where lots of lava poured out over the surface - as in, for example, Siberia, India and many parts of western North America. read more