I definitely like the idea of "setting & forgetting" mining operations. Once the player has discovered a potential mining site, either through exploration or forceful acquisition, I like the thought of setting up a train. So here's a potential scenario:
You pay a fee in standard units of currency, but not a flat fee. The calculation of the fee will be based on the perceived risk of the location, by the central mining agency/authority (hereafter known as the CMA). If the CMA deems that your location is very risky, it will be a tough ask for them to send hardware out to it. But assuming you can afford it, you must then choose a physical route for the shipping lane. Locations which have been attacked often, or which are remote/unknown, or very far away, will be perceived as high risk.
It is in your best interest to deliver the goods to the port of call who will pay the most for it, so at this point you would refer to a navigation map with economy information overlaid. If your profit margins fall later, you would want to redirect your lane to a new, more profitable location, but at a cost. The CMA would have to be involved, to make sure that your new lane is not any more risky than before.
The mining ships would come in the form of fighter squadrons equipped with miniature cargo bays. They would fly out to the asteroids, or other valuable objects in space such as derelict ship hulks or even alien technology and organics/unknowns. The mining drones would use their special lasers to collect mass until full, and return to the mining carrier. This ship would have flight decks for the drones to be repaired/refitted, and a massive cargo bay for resource collection. It would also have some decent point defense and armor/shields, as it would be the crux of the mining operation at that location.
To transport the goods from the mining carrier to the current shipping lane destination, you'd need some transports. These transports would have to physically path from point to point through the systems, all the while exposed to raids and other dangers, so they would require escorts. I would say this would be a good opportunity for player choice; you could set the convoy size and escort size/configuration to whatever you like, and they would truck with their convoy back and forth as they make deliveries.
If a convoy is attacked, the player would be notified immediately, and hopefully would be able to either A) redirect other convoy escorts to assist, B) call for additional help from the CMA, who doesn't really want to lose their hardware any more than you want to lose your cargo, but their help is not free, or lastly C) go there yourself, assuming you're not too far away. Assuming you defeat the pirates, you would get back anything they stole, but if they win, the risk of your mining operation increases, and the CMA gets angry with you and charges you a fee for being a dolt.
This is rapidly turning into a space fantasy. I love shipping lanes.