Space-Mining Venture Signs-On Billionaire Investors

Ross Perot, Jr. and Larry Page among those interested in tapping mineral resources on asteroids

Planetary Resources Inc., an asteroid-mining venture backed by Google Inc. (GOOG) executives, said it added more billionaire investors and is nearing a partnership agreement with a "top-10" mining company.

Planetary Resources has "new billionaires to add to the list we've announced," co-founder Eric Anderson said in an Aug. 3 telephone interview, declining to identify them. "There are a number of other people you know who've decided to come on board as investors. We've got a lot of people who are committed to the long-term cause."