Gaining the ability to gather those materials would definitely be awesome, and the advancements in technology and space travel will have tremendous benefit. However, the thing that concerns me is the manner in which the product is acquired and distributed. If it happens through a benevolent means, ie; a group of nations joining together to fully share the technology and gains, then great. More likely this will be played out similar to petroleum products, diamonds, and other rare, in-demand commodities. That is to say, for profit. Not that I'm against profit, but I could see this becoming more about the bottom dollar than about advancing humanity.
Gaining the ability to gather those materials would definitely be awesome, and the advancements in technology and space travel will have tremendous benefit. However, the thing that concerns me is the manner in which the product is acquired and distributed. If it happens through a benevolent means, ie; a group of nations joining together to fully share the technology and gains, then great. More likely this will be played out similar to petroleum products, diamonds, and other rare, in-demand commodities. That is to say, for profit. Not that I'm against profit, but I could see this becoming more about the bottom dollar than about advancing humanity.