I'm not sure how this is supposed to scale up to multiple ports, so this suggestion is incomplete.

Instead of having beams have mining mines, which explode after a timeout of n seconds (which is either variable or depends on the mine). Mines exploding near roids fragment bits of the roids off, which form ore clouds, making ore extraction possible with ore scoops.

OK, not a great suggestion, given how it does not integrate well with current mining.

As far as I'm aware, there are no mechanics in place to destroy asteroids. I'm also sure that someone has already posted suggestions on different mining systems involving breaking apart asteroids (a la EVN).

If you have your doubts, don't post. Commence the trolling, everyone.

I wasn't suggesting actually destroying the roids... chunks can come off them without the roids themselves getting smaller, the "completely break up and then regenerate" system would indeed be too big a change.

-1 to mines destroying roids.

I wouldn't mind having some sort of scoop or ore filter for fog sectors... though that belongs in another thread.