Dhaka, Jan. 5 -- Asteroid mining, long popular in science fiction, is increasingly being examined by scientists as a potential source of valuable space-based resources, though major technical, economic and legal challenges remain.

A recent study assessed the feasibility, opportunities and obstacles associated with mining asteroids, noting that many of these space rocks contain significant quantities of metals such as platinum, gold and iron, as well as water that could be used as rocket fuel. Some asteroids are believed to hold minerals worth trillions of dollars.

The research focused on C-type, or carbon-rich, asteroids, which make up about 75 percent of known asteroids. The study, led by scientists from the Institute of Space Sciences...