Sky tethers could not just open opportunities to space exploration but we would also have the resources and materials at our mercy. Planet mining would be slightly more problematic as an easy planet to get to such as Mars is not so very rich in minerals but on the other hand, some of the large asteroids in the asteroid belt would be extremely helpful for mining. When we mine the asteroids closer to mars, we can transport the materials to mars to be made into more sky tethers there and then rather than be transported back to earth.

Currently our earth is suffering terribly from excessive mining over it's surface. The earth is not very rich in minerals and so much land has to be mined destroying habitats and ecosystems for not a lot of material. This would also potentially cut down the risk of nuclear waste and poisoning due to the cut down in the use of it for mining. It would have many benefits including the safety and health of our planet.