Guide / Tutorial The popular guide to mining.

[Caliber_az]

I think you missed the Best Big ship miner. The Fed Corvette. It has enuff hard points to do whatever kind of mining you want and still have some room for a couple BIG laser weapons for self defense. It is more maneuverable than the other Big ships and enough cargo space to last the day.

Just My opinion and YMMV
Caliber

 

[C64Fan]

I have now tried deep core mining in my T10 - and I have to say that I am surprised how easy it was to spin around the asteroids and place the explosives in time. No problem at all. I didn’t know that my trusty T10 could do that lol (top G5 engineered 7A dirty thrusters).

I always start by placing a full power seismic charge on a low strength fissure. That means that I sometimes only have to place one more charge to reach the optimal level, often two more but rarely three more charges.

 

[KCElstun38]

Hey all... so, I haven't done much mining until now. The mining features of 3.3 were too interesting to pass up but I am kind of stuck. After having viewed several tutorials I got myself set up with all the tools I need, but I am having a problem using the sub-surface missiles. I target what I want, fire in range, make sure the target is acquired, but the ' things just ricochet off the asteroid. I swear I have shot a hundred sub-surface missiles and only had one pair bore into the asteroid. I held the trigger until the blue zone and it blew out the material I was looking for... but once out of about a hundred shots! All the rest just bounce off. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

Hey all... so, I haven't done much mining until now. The mining features of 3.3 were too interesting to pass up but I am kind of stuck. After having viewed several tutorials I got myself set up with all the tools I need, but I am having a problem using the sub-surface missiles. I target what I want, fire in range, make sure the target is acquired, but the ' things just ricochet off the asteroid. I swear I have shot a hundred sub-surface missiles and only had one pair bore into the asteroid. I held the trigger until the blue zone and it blew out the material I was looking for... but once out of about a hundred shots! All the rest just bounce off. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Are you targeting a specific subsurface deposit when you fire? These things are a trick, your missile has to hit the deposit, not just the asteroid, so on a spinner it's quite a trick...

And given the time it takes to get a half ton of mineral compared to mining lasers, I feel the sub-surface launchers aren't really worth it, IMHO.

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

Happy new year!

Small update done: Coriolis has the abrasion blasters now, so I updated the small and medium ship designs... And discovered a guardian module snuck onto my mining clipper, silly thing. Back to all-human gutamaya goodness now.

 

[Jakester13]

Thanks for the mining guide!

Spent some time getting to grips with the new tools and can confirm the Clipper is a pretty good mining ship - although the hardpoint placements can make it tricky close-up.

Now to find some pristine reserves and join in the "mining rush"

o7

 

[Cmdr Beteran]

Am I doing something wrong?

Ive been doing some mining lately and am finding the puls scanner to be less than reliable.

Example being the mission I just did.

Took off in a krait with all the necessary tools as well as 70 limpets.

Go to icy ring
map icy ring
drop into center of a Mote hot spot

Start using pulse wave scanner and firing prospecting limpets at the brightest asteroids.

I found 3 that actually had Mote in a Mote hot spot in about 45 min and using about 50 limpets.

the really odd part is that some of the "brightest" asteroids on the pulse scanner were not only not what I was looking for, they were worthless.. like water, low density..



is it supposed to be this inaccurate or am I missing something?



EDIT: for some reason the forum keeps changing M.o.n.a.z.i.t.e to "Mote" no matter how many times I change it.,

I'm concerned about the exact same thing. My efficiency in finding good asteroids for core mining is going south fast. I wonder if something changed. I lurked around for 2 hours yesterday in a Void Opal Hotspot and surrounding area within a 100km radius, only came across couple 'roids, scavenging only 15 opals. It was a similar experience the other day as well.

 

[Ozram]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but for small ship core mining it’s still worth getting the largest refinery you can as that too stores minerals once the cargo fills up and unless I’m mistaken, for no added weight. This can come in handy for jump range. https://s.orbis.zone/1jdv That’s my CM4. I use it for fast, single runs. Can make close to 40 million off a single Void Opal Core and does it fast.

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but for small ship core mining it’s still worth getting the largest refinery you can as that too stores minerals once the cargo fills up and unless I’m mistaken, for no added weight. This can come in handy for jump range. https://s.orbis.zone/1jdv That’s my CM4. I use it for fast, single runs. Can make close to 40 million off a single Void Opal Core and does it fast.

Yeah, I hadn't mentioned that detail since I prefer sticking to basics, and not clutter the 'popular guides' with too many advanced tricks...

But what the hell, I added a lil' line on page 7 about this.

 

[Ozram]

Yeah, I hadn't mentioned that detail since I prefer sticking to basics, and not clutter the 'popular guides' with too many advanced tricks...

But what the hell, I added a lil' line on page 7 about this.

It’s a really nice guide. It’s clear, well written and polished. I’ve added a link in the mining channel of our discord. Thanks for that!

 

[Factabulous]

One really small comment, haven't read all the thread so apologies if already mentioned: You don't appear to say where to get Limpets - many beginners can't find them as they're under Advanced Maintenance / Restock. Might also be worth mentioning you can un-stock on the same screen as some CMDRs were found to be dumping excess limpets rather than just sell them.

Gonna recommend your guide anyway to , as it's full of useful stuff - thx

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

One really small comment, haven't read all the thread so apologies if already mentioned: You don't appear to say where to get Limpets - many beginners can't find them as they're under Advanced Maintenance / Restock. Might also be worth mentioning you can un-stock on the same screen as some CMDRs were found to be dumping excess limpets rather than just sell them.

Gonna recommend your guide anyway to , as it's full of useful stuff - thx

There, I adjusted a page in the checklist before liftoff...

Who was it that said we're racing to newbie-proof things, but the universe keeps coming up with better newbies? XD

 

[Jaxterix]

Just wanted to say thank you for the updated and very comprehensive guide! + rep

 

[Jmanis]

Just want to add something that's been working marvelously so far with core mining.

For some reason, I'm a total benny and can't tell the difference between bright asteroids, and *really* bright ones, nor distinguish any of the surface features.

BUT! I've just started doing core mining on the dark side of a ring where there's a hotspot, and I'm picking every asteroid out. The darkness and lack of colour backdrop to the scan makes it really obvious which are the "brightest" asteroids, and they've all been core asteroids. Have 70% success rate ID'ing them so far, compared to stuff-all the last few times I did this.

 

[Brian of Ardagh]

First, love the mining guide. I’ve read it after starting mining with little experience but I’ve found it quite useful.

I’ve been having trouble finding much of anything of value in some pristine icy ring hotspots, I seem to be finding hotspots that are already depleted of good cores or surface deposits.

I’m wondering if it’s possible to tell if a hotspot has a higher chance of good resources. Hotspots come in different sizes, is this just random or is it indicative of anything? Other than searching all pristine rings, are there any criteria that can help with finding good resources?

I ran into a few cases where rings in one system had normal colored hotspots on mapping but when I went back the colored region was gone, although the hotspot POI was still there. Maybe a bug? I logged out and back in and it still showed no hotspot region.

Lastly, the guide mentions zooming the scanner, is this the PWA or the DSS?

 

[Caliber_az]

I ran into a few cases where rings in one system had normal colored hotspots on mapping but when I went back the colored region was gone, although the hotspot POI was still there. Maybe a bug? I logged out and back in and it still showed no hotspot region.

Lastly, the guide mentions zooming the scanner, is this the PWA or the DSS?

Just an FYI you only see the colored hotspots when in analysis mode, in combat mode they look like regular rez circles but still labeled as a XXXX hotspot. Does not show size or color.

Hope that helps
Caliber

 

[Brian of Ardagh]

Just an FYI you only see the colored hotspots when in analysis mode, in combat mode they look like regular rez circles but still labeled as a XXXX hotspot. Does not show size or color.

Hope that helps
Caliber

Thanks, I am aware of the requirement to be in analysis mode, that's why I thought it was odd. It might be a bug, I suppose. If I see it again I'll get a screenshot and raise a bug report.

I was in analysis mode, mapped some rings in a system, the rings had hotspots with colored regions of various sizes. I then went to an outpost to fill up on limpets; when I got back into SC I made sure I was in analysis mode and while I could see the POIs I couldn't see the hotspot region. I then went to another body in the same system with a ring I mapped earlier and it also was missing the regions. I tried to remap the ring but got no indication that anything was happening. I logged out, restarted and the colored regions were still gone. I did drop into one but found nothing of value.

I would say that the ring POIs looked like I was still in combat mode but I wasn't, I wouldn't have been able to fire off probes in the DSS otherwise.

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

First, love the mining guide. I’ve read it after starting mining with little experience but I’ve found it quite useful.

I’ve been having trouble finding much of anything of value in some pristine icy ring hotspots, I seem to be finding hotspots that are already depleted of good cores or surface deposits.

I’m wondering if it’s possible to tell if a hotspot has a higher chance of good resources. Hotspots come in different sizes, is this just random or is it indicative of anything? Other than searching all pristine rings, are there any criteria that can help with finding good resources?

I ran into a few cases where rings in one system had normal colored hotspots on mapping but when I went back the colored region was gone, although the hotspot POI was still there. Maybe a bug? I logged out and back in and it still showed no hotspot region.

Lastly, the guide mentions zooming the scanner, is this the PWA or the DSS?

Well hotspots in the bubble are getting emptied of their cores pretty quick, so a tip would be: get away from heavily inhabited areas... Also for cores it doesn't matter quite so much to be in a pristine ring...


One question I can answer clearly: when i say to 'zoom the scanner', I mean neither the DSS or PWA (which cannot be zoomed) but instead use the zoom key to adjust your screen-bottom radar screen.

 

[DeathFish]

I'm concerned about the exact same thing. My efficiency in finding good asteroids for core mining is going south fast. I wonder if something changed. I lurked around for 2 hours yesterday in a Void Opal Hotspot and surrounding area within a 100km radius, only came across couple 'roids, scavenging only 15 opals. It was a similar experience the other day as well.

The amount of materials appears to have crashed after the recent point level patch, but that might only be chance. Frontier posted to say that the background sim would cause yields to fall in the bubble, and if that is the case, I wonder if they have adjusted the RNG as well, because I notice the number of hotspots has taken a tumble as well. But it may just be where I am!

 

[veryDead]

I haven't noticed a drop off. Once I figured out what to look for, I am getting 120 tons of void opals per run in my Krait II. I spend about 2 to 3 hours per run, but it has been consistent.

When I notice that I'm not seeing many void opal cores anymore in my current hot spot, I pick up stakes and find another hot spot or go to a different ring/system if needed.