This sounds awesome, but I couldn't help but think that once they've built a fleet of robots capable of moving entire asteroids around, there's another viable backup business model to which they could easily 'pivot':
1. Assemble several dozen (hundred?) of the non-platinum-bearing asteroids with your robots and aim them on a slingshot-accelerated path towards Earth.
2. Threaten the entire world (or at least rich countries) with massive kinetic orbital bombardment.
3. ... profit!
Brought to you by the guy who coined "Nuke them from orbit - it's the only way to be sure."
1. Assemble several dozen (hundred?) of the non-platinum-bearing asteroids with your robots and aim them on a slingshot-accelerated path towards Earth.
2. Threaten the entire world (or at least rich countries) with massive kinetic orbital bombardment.
3. ... profit!
Brought to you by the guy who coined "Nuke them from orbit - it's the only way to be sure."