I come back to this game randomly to occasionally mine. Let me be like America Pre-Pearl Harbor and allow me to supply both sides with the materials necessary to blow each other up. I won't be anywhere nearly as wealthy though because I'm notactually America Pre-Pearl Harbor in WW2.
For the "Goodies"; I mine to create the defenders for your systems.
For the "Baddies"; I mine to create war-machines for your warcrimes.