Don't be so sure. The high ground is the best place to be militarily and you don't get any higher than the moon. A simple boulder thrown from moon hits the Earth with the energy of a nuclear bomb. If you had a Chinese base built up on the moon that had such a capability you can sure bet we'd want one too. I figure the best bet though is to get there first and use mining as the excuse to get a base started.
You could simply foam the metal in zero gravity and then land it in the Pacific for pick up. ( It would be light enough to float! ) Foamed metal can't be made here on Earth but It is nifty stuff to build lots of things with once you do have it.
Once space starts making the big bucks you will have a hard time stopping the progress!
Foamed metal is made on earth. I have samples of this stuff left over from the 80's. The problem with foamed metals was not so much in their production, but in finding applications.
This company may be out of business by now. Energy Research and Generation, Inc. Manufacturer of Duocel Aluminum Foam and Reticulated Vitreous Carbon. I considered once using these for separation technology, but found that wire mesh was more economical and easier to fabricate.