I also know a guy looking for funding to set up a mill for his gold claims with proven lab results.
For example, in the context of the U.S. mining history, the 1872 Mining Law was originally designed to encourage individual prospectors to explore the West. Although the mining industry has evolved significantly, the law and its legacy still affect land management and resource extraction policies today. While most of us probably aren't mining industry veterans, discussing these policies can lead to a broader understanding that benefits everyone.
While it's hard to say how many small ball operations benefit from these regulations, a lack of opportunist prospectors does not imply there’s a lack of opportunity. It could be argued that it's crucial to preserve this opportunity for future participants even if presently there may be few.
It's worth mentioning that limiting discussions to experts could stifle diversity of thought. Take the legal system: many landmark decisions, from Brown v. Board of Education to Roe v. Wade, were influenced not just by legal experts but also by public opinion and social movements. If discussions were closed off to 'experts,' we might miss out on valuable perspectives that can drive change.
In short, while it's good to acknowledge the limits of our own knowledge and authority to enjoin discussions, it's equally important to remember that these limitations likely apply to everyone, including those attempting to determine who is permitted to participate in conversations.
This is the kind of thing we can reason about a priori all we want, but the, I suppose, posteriori is very straightforward and knowable: either a population of independent miners benefiting from this rule as you describe exists, or it does not.
I don’t know the answer, and don’t really expect much anyone else here to know. But I’d expect that for those connected to the industry it’s very plain. Without facts though, everything else is hot air.
Anyway, the only way I’ve really heard of startup mining concerns is as private equity scams targeting rich-but-not-wealthy dentist and chamber of commerce types.