This video actually provides a great insight into that question: https://youtu.be/4Ugebzq3juE

The floating rocks contain Obtainium… totally different kind of material

Damn, there goes the carefully crafted realism of the blue space cat Ferngully series.

You mean the relatively small deposits that are significantly more difficult to mine?

Richard Dean Anderson? I think he’s more of a C4 kind of guy.

Strip mining is always easier for the mining company. Also it sets up conflict between the humans and Navi.

Because there’s more resources to extract on the ground. Use your head buddy…