I guess that PVP not for this game. Big changes, a lot of work time, thousands lines of code and as result few players participating in PVP.
As it seems to me, our players like long evolution and will like possibility of crafting ship's parts.

Mining

It's Looks finished.
Perhaps, you can add rare dropping ore or create another type of objects - deposits of ore (in addition to mines and shipwrecks).
But you can just give a new life to blue crystals (ability to remelt them).

Smelting

You can add a new building - a smelter. Here will melt crystals and (or) ore. A certain amount of ore and crystals will burn.
The output is crystal metals, crystalline glass or other building materials.

Or it could be a new type of platform "Smelter pod 9x". The higher the level, the less melting failures

Crafting

Machine-building plant - another new building. Here parts of ship will be created (except for the pilot pods)
It's possible to create parts that cannot be bought in hangar. And this parts may have increased or decreased durability (live time).
Of course, it's need to look for a balance and not destroy the economy of game. Perhaps, created parts can only be repaired using building materials from smelter.

This can also be part of the ship, not the building.

Sale

Sales interface between players. Building materials and crafted parts can be sold to each other. Perhaps with a minimum cost and tax, but there should be a possibility of market relations.