Nothing makes it cheaper, in fact the new rockets while newer are exactly like the apollo rocketsAt first...It would still cost at least a million dollars a pound to bring anything back to Earth, ...Production, supply lines, economy of scale.What good would rare Earth metals be if found on Mars as they would cost a million dollars a pound to bring back to EarthIf they colonize it and find rare metals and materials it won't be a waste. Hell the CCP could just control the planet with a few thousands of them and then nuke the earth to hell. They think well into the future and the technology will eventually get there.
Who were the genuises so much smart than everyone else who thought "hey, let's arm and reward communists and the 1.4B people they control. That would be so good for us!"