Ok played with the prospecting mission a bit, I get a message at the end asking me if i want more prospecting work, but no explination of how to accept/decline it, so the mission doesnt end right away.
Leaving the station will end it because the game apparently assumes that to be a "no thanks" answer.
After the timelimit for answering the mission ends normally, and awards +75 commerce/trade points. no faction award, no money award. (at least none listed and i didnt notice any changes in my scores/money)

Further info, if you check the status of your mission by going to the Missions tab and selecting Info on it, it wants you to find "0 rocks with ${whatever} Ore in them". Substute whatever kind of ore they wanted for ${Whateever}

Every 'roid I checked apparently had the prerequisite ore embedded within its crust.

paedric: you did better than Alex Rowe...no roids initially yielded his ore.

Pointy rocks are Ferric ore, Iceyo's are aqueous...