NASA is accepting applications from companies that want to mine the moon (phys.org). Moon mining consists of extracting minerals, helium 3 (rare on Earth but great for the production of cleaner energy), and other rare earth elements, especially those used for electronics. Similarly, there is general interest in space mining–extracting minerals from asteroids and space rocks.
I came across this information very recently while doing research for a series of books I’ve been inspired to start writing this summer. The story I’m working on takes place about fifty years in the future, so I had a spine-tingling reaction when I learned of the realities of moon mining in the very near future.
My newest novel is more adult-oriented than THREADS and will be released as a series of novelettes. The first release will be THE JADEITE CAT (currently the working title). The Series of four novelettes (about 50 pages/10,000 words apiece) will pick up where the last left off. THE JADEITE CAT is scheduled for a September/October release date, with remaining installments every few weeks after that.
Belleyre Books 