As a new player how could you possibly attest to how the mining population was 2-3 years ago?
What year it was exactly?
http://i47.tinypic.com/abnq5h.gifChart made by JovankaB
How can I know, I gather and evaluate data, it is what I like to do.
I've talked with some very experienced players and long time ago there were just a lot of players and there was something to do, just because there were a lot of players. So, put more players in the same space and you will see players more frequently in mines, in cities etc. etc. and that brings possible activity to it, then players are motivated to camp and control mines or whatever even if it is not entirely doable, just because there is sufficient amount of players to interact with, even if it means killing them. Lots and lots of new players to kill, that is just a good reason for many players to camp those mines, but currently it is not, because there are not that many players visiting them, there is a lot less players playing in general so less chance for something like that to even happen.
I get back to square one, players never had and never will control mines in a sense you might think. To be crystal clear, not in a sense of controlling resources in it, the mining system has nothing to do with it.
I highly doubt you realize how highly populated mines were in comparison to now.
I do realize, much more players in the server and mines much more populated, how could I not imagine that?
As a new player
New player. Bi*ch please, it is irrelevant, logic beats time.

Where was I?
Oh yeah, current system is just better.