From Scratchpad

The asteroid belt in the universe of Alternate Earth and the Local Solar System is the home of a politically independent population engaged in asteroid mining. The belt is governed by the Asteroid Mining Guild, which sells the minerals and metals found on asteroids to virtually all other governments in the local solar system, including the Senate of Mercury (see Mercury in AELSS), Ishtar and Aphrodite on Venus (see Venus in AELSS), the Eurasian Dominate and Pan-American Collective on Earth, the Earth-orbit space cities (see orbital colonies in AELSS), the Free Lunar Republic, Moon Federation, and Selenite Union on Luna (see Luna in AELSS); and the city-states on Mars (see Mars in AELSS). See also Ceres.