IMHO, there is a fine line that FDEV need to run along. For those of us that have spent hundreds or thousands of hours of hours in the game, we see these issues as "balance" issues.
However, FDEV are looking at a broader audience and need to take into account that new players, i would even say most players, don't spend that amount of time or put that amount of effort into the game.
FDEV already has us Elite addicts, that isn't likely to change, we are not their active concern, what they need to be able to do is pull in more of the casual players and turn them into heavy players.
To do that they need to have a reasonable progression curve that people can follow and not make it a ridiculous grind to make the game fun.
They already have the addict grinds in the form of the Fed and Imp end game ships, and the high level engineering, and FC's.
Mining is unbalanced, no question, HOWEVER, most new players aren't jumping in and immediately mining most players want some pew pew and some fun missions and want to progress quickly enough that it's challenging but fun.
So by all means, pull the mission and combat rewards up, but nobody is sitting for hours a week laser mining because its really compelling gameplay, we do it to be able to afford specific things...FC's, Imp and Fed end game ships, and hording equipment and ships.
They have already nerf'd mining to a point where it's high enough paying to satisfy the needs of end-game players without the insanity of the 1.8m/tonne of LTD era, they need to concentrate on pulling up the rewards on the other game loops.
I would suggest that what they need to do is actually add to the end-game content and squad content more compelling. e.g. does your squad want to build their own station... o.k. you can, but the squad needs to invest in that with billions of credits in upkeep each week, and also by bringing in supplies like food, clothing and equipment; do you want to run a FC, sure no problem, but FC's can be attacked by pirates or players, and you need to pay for repairs, and if it's a really bad attack it might be destroyed and everything onboard is destroyed along with it; do you want to control a series of systems, all good, however, you need to make sure each station is kept topped up with the materials and equipment they need to function or they fall into disrepair and might decide that you aren't the best faction to be aligned to...... these are all things that would add gameplay loops, add make late game play far more intense and meaningful
Basically, bring the other gameplay loop rewards up a little but, leave mining alone as imho its late game content anyway (by the time you're cutter/anaconda/T9 mining you're in late game content) and then give players and especially player factions/squadrons something to actually spend the credits on that is meaningful and adds to the game/universe.
I'd say that a faction should be able to build in any non-claimed/empty system anywhere in the universe. It would quickly create a series of stop off points between the various regions and create a super compelling and vibrant player driven in-game content.
Kind of like the Silk and Spice Roads of the golden age of exploration where trade ports popped up and created the basis for countries, expansion and trade regions. It would make the growth of the in-game universe super player driven and really exciting; if you want to build a station in an inhabited system, well, the other factions might not like that and then you need to deal with sabotage, attacks, and blockades.
Admittedly these would require a massive investment in time and money on FDEV's part, but it would radically improve the overall gameplay for end-game players and would help to make boring but profitable gameplay loops like mining way more meaningful,and also mean that mining might be profitable, but damn it needs to be because the squads mining corps is paying the bills and keeping everything running.
Mining is a boring gameplay loop and if you make as much per hour mining as fighting, nobody will mine, there would be no point. Mining needs to be more profitable to make it worth even bothering and if you build gameplay loops around mining e.g. funding squad or FC activities, and then also combine that will changes in the way you fund the other purchasing and gameplay loops e.g. you need have certain other non-credit resources to buy ships e.g. materials or minerals, or maybe you need to have a certain rep with a faction before they will sell you certain resources, then that uplifts the game as a whole
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