DC Mining Painite not worthwhile?

[Stealthie]

Bit of an interesting observation...

After refitting my T10 it's been parked-up at Ohm City and I figured it was time to re-deploy it.
I found a very nice system for Painite mining so I took it there for a blast.

My T10 was set up with 2 x medium mining lasers for doing laser-mining and also all the other toys as well.
The idea being, I'd laser-mine with it most of the time but if I stumbled across a DC Painite 'roid I'd be able to mine that too.

Thing is, after a couple of sessions, I've realised that it's just not worth DC mining Painite... in a T10, at least.
With 2x medium lasers, I can actually laser-mine 16t of Painite faster than I can position seizmic charges, detonate them and blast loose the lumps of Painite ore.

I then swapped-out the Seizmic launcher for a 3rd mining laser, had another go and (as you'd expect) that's even faster.

Also, FWIW, I did have a small SS Missile launcher on my T10 and (obviously) a small Abrasion Blaster to use with the Seizmic launcher.
Now I've binned the SS Launcher, replaced it with a 2nd Abrasion blaster, I laser-mine a roid and then switch to the Abrasion Blasters and blast off any spendy chunks while my collectors finish gathering fragments.


Course, the main reason this happens is 'cos the T10 is slooooooowwww at manoeuvring around 'roids.
If you were Painite mining in a Python/Krait it'd still be well worth fitting the Seizmic launcher.
In a T9/T10, it's literally not worth worrying about DC roids, from a financial POV, 'cos it takes too long to crack the 'roids and you can, instead, laser-mine more Painite in the same period of time.

 

[Lightspeed]

Interesting, and well worth noting, thanks.

Even with the void opals, or LTDs, you can crack the 'roids (once you've found them), but unless you get the charges to optimum blast, you've wasted a lot of product in the yield.

I might kit out my T10 and try your method once I've completed my void opal mining session with my Krait.

 

[Stealthie]

Interesting, and well worth noting, thanks.

Even with the void opals, or LTDs, you can crack the 'roids (once you've found them), but unless you get the charges to optimum blast, you've wasted a lot of product in the yield.

I might kit out my T10 and try your method once I've completed my void opal mining session with my Krait.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that mining Painite is more rewarding than mining VO's.

For maximum profit, VO mining is still the way to go.
Equally, if you're mining Painite in a more agile ship it's still worth mining the DC roids.

I guess the main point is that if you're in a big ship it's worth considering whether the time it takes to crack a DC'roid and collect the chunks could be better spent just laser-mining.
Also, I wonder if the same thing might apply with LTD mining too?

 

[Bigmaec]

I guess it's like with everything in ED.
Specialize in one mission (core, laser mining, PvE, PvP, etc...) and you get the most effective results...

 

[Scoob]

I often encounter "Core" asteroids while mining Painite and wonder if I should be going to any extra effort...I think the answer is no then as I mine in a Cutter. I'm generally managing just over 400 million credits in a little over two hours including travel time - I thought that was pretty good!

As well as Core Asteroids, there are some with additional external nuggets right? Perhaps I should pack an Abrasion Blaster just for those? I planned to go Core Mining - I even made a topic about it here - but as I read more about it, and the massive price boost Painite has, I just went "normal" mining.

Scoob.

 

[Stealthie]

As well as Core Asteroids, there are some with additional external nuggets right? Perhaps I should pack an Abrasion Blaster just for those? I planned to go Core Mining - I even made a topic about it here - but as I read more about it, and the massive price boost Painite has, I just went "normal" mining.

I guess it depends on the PDist, to some extent.

Honestly, I haven't tried fitting more than 3x mining lasers recently so I can't recall, for certain, but I seem to recall that more than 3x mining lasers will drain the T10's PDist... although, thinking about it, I might be remembering my mining T9 there, instead.

Point is, it's probably best to fit as many mining lasers as your PDist can support and then fill up any remaining hardpoints with Abrasion Blasters.
That way, you can deplete a 'roid with the lasers and then spend the "dead time", while your collectors are hoovering up fragments, taking potshots at the surface deposits with the Abrasion Blasters.

I'm just delivering a load of Painite to market then I am going to try fitting more mining lasers to see exactly how many my T10 can support.

Thing is, I've got 2x large beams and 2x medium MC's on it so it's fairly fighty and I don't really want to change that.
That means I've only got 2x C1 hardpoints that I can fit extra mining lasers to.
If I want to fit more than 3x C2 mining lasers I'll have to have a major rethink of the other weapons.

I'm kind of hoping that fitting another 2x C1 lasers will be enough to start draining the PDist so I don't have to think about making bigger changes.


If I was mining with a Cutter, though, I'd probably go for 4x mining lasers on the C2 hardpoints, a C4 beam laser and 2x C3 MCs for defence.
That's just a wild stab, though.

 

[Scoob]

I find that, on my Cutter at least, it's somewhat pointless going above two C2 Mining lasers. The main reason being that I don't see the point in mining faster if I still have to wait for my collectors to do their thing. I only have two Collector Controllers for six Limpets active at one time. I could fit more, but then I'd have to reduce how much Cargo I can carry. I think I've found an ok balance for my play style.

Bonus chunks using an Abrasion Blaster seems like free money, if I'm just sat there waiting anyway.

Note: PDist-wise I just go 3-0-3 PiP's when pottering around an asteroid field, so that pair of C2 Mining lasers can fire continuously if need be. I did originally have four C2 mining lasers, but the hard point placement meant I had to get very close for the ones on the pylons to connect with the asteroid. Sure, I mined faster but I still had to wait so time spent per asteroid was no faster.

Scoob.

 

[fu9ar]

Core mining is best done in a smaller ship. I was having a really great time in a Keelback. The big ships aren't agile enough and are too big to get in between the chunks once you crack a rock.

 

[Stealthie]

I find that, on my Cutter at least, it's somewhat pointless going above two C2 Mining lasers. The main reason being that I don't see the point in mining faster if I still have to wait for my collectors to do their thing. I only have two Collector Controllers for six Limpets active at one time. I could fit more, but then I'd have to reduce how much Cargo I can carry. I think I've found an ok balance for my play style.

Bonus chunks using an Abrasion Blaster seems like free money, if I'm just sat there waiting anyway.

Note: PDist-wise I just go 3-0-3 PiP's when pottering around an asteroid field, so that pair of C2 Mining lasers can fire continuously if need be. I did originally have four C2 mining lasers, but the hard point placement meant I had to get very close for the ones on the pylons to connect with the asteroid. Sure, I mined faster but I still had to wait so time spent per asteroid was no faster.

Scoob.

Funny thing is, most of my combat ships have a charge-enhanced PDist and the only time I routinely use a weapon-focused PDist is on mining ships.
That gives you quite a bit of extra juice for the mining lasers.

Regarding limpets, to laser-mine efficiently the trick is to increase the amount of lasers and collectors together, to a point that you're comfortable with.
I currently have 3x C2 mining lasers and 8 collectors (fuel scoop and FSD booster fitted) and that's not really fast enough for me.
Along with the extra C1 lasers, I'll be increasing the number of collectors to 13 'cos I can leave the fuel scoop and FSD booster at a nearby station if I ever need to travel in the T10.

 

[Stealthie]

Core mining is best done in a smaller ship. I was having a really great time in a Keelback. The big ships aren't agile enough and are too big to get in between the chunks once you crack a rock.

Definitely.

Thing is, when it comes to DC mining, even if you factor in the time it takes to deliver cargo to market, I reckon it's faster in a smaller ship.
If you wanted to DC mine, say, 1000t of VO's, I bet it'd be quicker, overall, to do 7 runs in a Python than 2 runs in a T9/T10.

And that's before you consider the subjective stuff, like the fact that you'd need to be mainlining pro-plus in order to stay awake while mining for long periods in a T10.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

It's still worth checking out cores, since many will be not Painite but something more valuable.

But if surrounded by 25-50% Painite Asteroids - cracking a Painite Core is indeed optional in terms of tons/hr intake of ore.
If anything, an oddball Painite core in such places won't accelerate things by any means - but rather provides a nice change of pacing and more variation.

IMHO in Painite Mining, the whole new Mining System works the best, as even Surface and SubSurface Deposits can be mined or the oddball core cracked open.
That's what I call "working as intended" and I've learned to prefer it over perma-honking over 100+km when hunting i.e. Void Opals.

 

[Captain Willard]

Well done.
With a fleet the size of yours. You don't need hobble it with a lesser ship for every task.
I tried doing VO's with my T-10. Worthless, went right back to my clipper.

 

[Stealthie]

IMHO in Painite Mining, the whole new Mining System works the best, as even Surface and SubSurface Deposits can be mined or the oddball core cracked open.
That's what I call "working as intended" and I've learned to prefer it over perma-honking over 100+km when hunting i.e. Void Opals.

Agreed.

I was starting to feel like Painite mining was something you only do 'cos you "want to" rather than because it has a legitimate place in the gameplay but now, with the new system, it gives you a chance to use completely different ships and different tactics to achieve similar things in different ways.

 

[fu9ar]

It is easy to do and if you load out your ship right it gives a lot of hands free downtime. It would be nice if there was a way to toggle the mining lasers until the asteroid is depleted rather than holding down the button the whole time.

 

[photomankc]

That’s been my observation as well. In ice rings it’s the only kind of mining to do. Everything else is garbage there. In metal rings DC roids are just for giggles because I can deplete a good roid in well under a minute. And collect the bits faster.

I do love the animation and process so I always check out any nearby.

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

How do you mine with a Docking Computer?

 

[photomankc]

It is easy to do and if you load out your ship right it gives a lot of hands free downtime. It would be nice if there was a way to toggle the mining lasers until the asteroid is depleted rather than holding down the button the whole time.

Bind the fire button to a slider axis if you have one. Slide it up till depleted, then slide it down.

But yes, a toggle on/off for fire would be very nice.

 

[SpaceScania]

I have been doing laser mining at overlapping Painite Hotspots in my Cutter recently. It is very very lucrative and is a perfect way to mine in a larger ship (the larger the better). I don't bother looking for cores at all.

Cutter outfit:
512 tons of cargo
4 x class 2 mining lasers
12 collector limpets
2 prospector limpets

The one thing I might do is to switch to mining lances (once unlocked) on the 2 wider hard points that are further back as they will have better range that more closely matches the range of the 2 medium mining lasers that I have up front.

I am able to mine 512t of Painite in about 2-2.5 hours. 400MCr profit. Made 1.2BCr this weekend, the start of my Fleet Carrier fund.

 

[Stealthie]

The one thing I might do is to switch to mining lances (once unlocked) on the 2 wider hard points that are further back as they will have better range that more closely matches the range of the 2 medium mining lasers that I have up front.

That might cause you some problems.

Just been testing out 3x C2 mining lasers and 2x C1 mining lasers on my T10 and it almost drains the PDist and starts to cause overheating just as I deplete a 'roid.
That's exactly the equivalent of using 4x C2 mining lasers and the T10 has the same C7 PDist as a Cutter.

Thing is, the mining lance uses a bit more juice than a mining laser and it generates 3x the heat.
The T10 runs cooler than a Cutter, IIRC, so I'd expect running 2x mining lances to drain the PDist and cause a bit of overheating.
Not the end of the world, mind you. Just means you'll probably have to stop half way through killing a rock, wait for things to cool down a bit and then carry on to finish it off.

 

[Monkey Pants]

My experience with the T10 FWIW:

• PD needs to be Charge Enhanced/Super Conduits: the regeneration will give a longer blast with the mining lasers.
• 7A PD with the above will support 4no Medium lasers which will strip 90% of most 'Roids completely.
• T10 can also mount 5no Lances which will fire indefinitely
• Clean Drive Tuning/Thermal Spread and Low Emissions/Thermal Spread PP allows you to never overheat & fire on the move.
• 9no mining lasers on 2no fire groups: 2Ds for close up & Lances for distance work.
• As many collectors as you can spare the cargo space for.

Welcome to Meta-Mining.

MP