Mining questions / Laser mining asteroid identification.

[Terekhov]

OK - I finally gave up and went over to (what is for me / my character) the dark side.. A couple of weeks mining in sunny Borann!.

Over the past four months and a few hundred hours of game play I felt that I was ready to move into some medium game ships. I don't particularly need to money (I'm certainly not in the market for a FC), and I don't feel the sudden urge for stuffing some unsuspecting station with a fleet of massive ships that my stage of the game is not ready for yet. However I might as well build up some funds whist I can easily do so, and anyway up until now I'd done practically no laser mining. Time to give that a go..

I bought a Krait Mk II but soon realised the error of my ways and swapped the hull for a Python with 128T cargo capacity. I preferred flying the Krait whilst I had it, but the Python's internal layout won the day for this task. Obviously with the lower number of limpets out and about with the mid class ships, and choosing to run a smaller Prospector limper controller for weight/jump capacity (worse in the Python), mining takes longer, and I have to be a bit more carful about what I prospect and mine...

For avoidance of doubt, I AM mining in the correct spot where the three hotspots coincide..

So onto my questions....

Last night after using all my 128 Limpets, I ended up with 107 LTDs. Is that about right for a run using 128 limpets?

Should I be able to identify certain types of asteroid by sight (to help me be choosy about which ones I prospect)?. There were some useful asteroid identification reference charts for Core mining but I've not seen any for Laser mining - does such a reference diagram exist? I sort of get the feeling that a correlation does exist between shape/texture and the minerals contained, but I'm far from sure, or from mastering it. I'm not talking about mapping - I don't want to do that, but about acquiring skill to recognise good rocks by sight.

I've got capacity to have six collectors out at a time, but have only been running six when I've found a really good rock.. Other times, I probably let that run down to four. I'm thinking somewhere there must be a balance between the amount of time it takes to collect all the fragments from a rock and letting six limpets (from a limited supply) run down whilst searching for the next worthwhile rock... Thoughts?

 

[Capt Bellinger]

Might be a silly question, but you are using a Prospector Controller aren't you?

 

[Kzak]

What Cpt Bellinger said. A prospector will triple the yield of any asteroid you fire a prospector limpet at, and give you a readout of the contents. AFAIK, there's no way to recognize good rocks by sight when it comes to laser mining.

 

[Ganogati]

Agreed on Prospector.

I will also say that I've found some instances have better yields than others. When I was doing double painite mining, I used to enter the instance, prospect a couple to see what the numbers looked like, and if I didn't get good enough yields I'd turn right around and leave, loop back and head in again. Once or twice and I'd hit an instance that had some killer mining yields. Once I found one, I'd hunker down like a boulder for a while.

Just don't mine anything before doing that or you'll have some less than friendly NPC pirates happy to blow you up for the 1T of junk you forgot you picked up =D

 

[Crank Larson]

Should I be able to identify certain types of asteroid by sight (to help me be choosy about which ones I prospect)?.

Using the pulse wave analyser, yes. You want to prospect the glowing asteroids.

I usually end up with more cargo than I had limpets after a mining session. With the Python, I'd only take 3/4 of a hold of limpets to fill it up. But that improves over time anyway.

 

[Dommarraa]

I take 100 limpets in my 128t Python. Normally throw 20 away when I get full, but if I take less, I have an unlucky run.

No need to honk, that's for core mining.

I don't bother with roids less than 20% unless I am having a bad run

 

[Ganogati]

I take 100 limpets in my 128t Python. Normally throw 20 away when I get full, but if I take less, I have an unlucky run.

Yep, after mining for a bit I realized that limpets are so stinking cheap that it was just a waste to not load all but 10T of space with em. I can throw em away and only lose a few hundred to a few thousand credits (on runs that make me hundreds of millions), but running out of limpets too soon is the most miserable thing.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

To add to what has already been said: Your prospector should be A-rated for best results.
I do not mine anything below 20% LTD content.

If you link your build we can always have a look and come with suggestions, but it is your ship in the end.

Edit: My first LTD run ever in a T9 some time ago was also a disappointment. I think I got like half the tonnage of LTDs relative to what I brought in limpets. A lot of it is learning the ropes. As it is now, I could probably reliably fill my 192+6 cargo Python with around 120-130 limpets. I typically bring around 160 just in case and throw 30-40 away per run.

 

[Terekhov]

Prospector? Absolutely! After a lot of thought, I went with a 1D rather than a size 3 longer range module.
Build: https://edsy.org/#/L=F500000H4C0S00,HgBG0BG_W0EkhG08m_W0EkhG08m_W0JrO00JrO00,DBwG08m_W0Cjw00CzY00DBwG08m_W0,9ow00ABkG06G_W0APoG03I_W0AdsG05J_W0AsO00BAEG03H_W0BOm00Bcg00,,7UeG07K_W00AA000AA005Vk005Vk004_w00mpT0a6005uk002jw00

The other controversial thing in that build is probably the Clean tuning on the thrusters. Figured having confidence to jump a few seconds earlier on the run home would be worth it... I'll probably also put the thermal spead mod on my power plant next time I go near a suitable engineer.

Re PWA: I thought they were only of very limited use laser mining.

Re Pirates: Absolutely!!! Not sure how long to dawdle around for before getting to work - Out of five runs so far, I've only been scanned once. The others, I've waited around maybe 5 mins, then started work.... I'm fairly sure that's too long but it's worth it. Sometimes whilst mining, I've seen weak emissions at the extreme of sensor range but nothing ever come of that. Been challenged by pirates on the route back three times.. One, I got the precursor message and jumped out before interdiction started, Twice, I'd started charging for the next jump but had to fight an interdiction partway though (won them), and once in the destination system, got the precursor message, Hi waked out, back in and had a clean run to station....

I'm of the opinion that visual recognition is sort of possible, but the differences are very small.

RE latest post re A rated... Is that to multiply yield? on paper, I thought the differences were more range and module mass.... Are you sure?

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Prospector? Absolutely! After a lot of thought, I went with a 1D rather than a size 3 longer range module.
Build: https://edsy.org/#/L=F500000H4C0S00,HgBG0BG_W0EkhG08m_W0EkhG08m_W0JrO00JrO00,DBwG08m_W0Cjw00CzY00DBwG08m_W0,9ow00ABkG06G_W0APoG03I_W0AdsG05J_W0AsO00BAEG03H_W0BOm00Bcg00,,7UeG07K_W00AA000AA005Vk005Vk004_w00mpT0a6005uk002jw00

The point of a size 3 prospector is not mainly the range, it is the fact that you can have 2 active limpets. This means you can prospect much faster and therefore find good rocks to mine faster. I am even running a size 5 to have four active prospectors, but that is more of a personal choice that works well for me and not consensus.

RE latest post re A rated... Is that to multiply yield? on paper, I thought the differences were more range and module mass.... Are you sure?

Yes. You get more fragments with an A-rated prospector.

A 2A refinery works fine so I would replace your current prospector with a 2A refinery and put a 3A prospector in.

Unless you actively want to shoot down NPC pirates, I would get rid of all of the standard weaponry, it will only weigh you down and decrease your jump range. You are not going to be shooting back at pirate players or gankers - you are going to run or die.

What is the purpose behind the size 6 shield?

 

[Requiem Mortis]

PWA - is used to identify asteroids with surface (+abrasion blaster) ; subsurface(+displacement missile) and deepcore resources (+abrasion +seismic charges). It has no benefit for laser mining.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Re Pirates: Absolutely!!! Not sure how long to dawdle around for before getting to work - Out of five runs so far, I've only been scanned once. The others, I've waited around maybe 5 mins, then started work.... I'm fairly sure that's too long but it's worth it. Sometimes whilst mining, I've seen weak emissions at the extreme of sensor range but nothing ever come of that. Been challenged by pirates on the route back three times.. One, I got the precursor message and jumped out before interdiction started, Twice, I'd started charging for the next jump but had to fight an interdiction partway though (won them), and once in the destination system, got the precursor message, Hi waked out, back in and had a clean run to station....

NPCs interdictions are generally easily avoidable. I would not worry too much about them, especially not if you have supercruised a significant way towards the sell station already.

 

[Crank Larson]

I mine exclusively using the pulse wave scanner whether laser mining or not. I find far more asteroids with high yield for lasers than I do cores or subsurface, and I'm not equipped to mine the cores anyway.

 

[Terekhov]

Yes, the build is a bit of a hybrid.. I'd like the opportunity to fight weaker npc pirates in limited cases if I do get successfully interdicted. That said running is much more likely and the big shield is to give me time to do that. On a couple of past interdictions, I've not submitted nor lost the interdiction game (by the right gauge filling up), but the interdiction has succeeded anyway (npc pirate - playing in solo mode) so I like to be prepared to lose the interdiction anyway. I have very occasionally on cargo runs in other ships, been known to submit, blow the pirate to bits or chase him out of the field.... Depends if I get the chance to scan him and assess the situation. With 100LTDs on board, I can't imagine not running aganst anything other than the very weakest pirates...

I do have a spare size 3 slot so I could go size 3 prospector anyhow. I was conscious of being choosy about what I prospected and thought that I's probably not get too much benefit from having a second limpet out, or dispatching the limpet from more than a couple of km. I might give the A class module a go.... I'm parked near Borann at the moment and will go out again soon.

 

[Terekhov]

Just a follow up...

Just got back from Borann, and this time things went a lot better. I got back with full cargo racks of 128T of LTD, and 8 full refinery hoppers of LTD that completed refining when I sold the 128T of LTD. Towards the end of the run, I was discarding limpets to make space.

Prior to heading to Borann, as advised above, I upgraded my Prospector Limpet Controller to a 3A.

I left the refinery 'as is' (a 3A) as I didn't need its slot, and anyway they are made of ground up Anaconda hull and have no mass. Good job I did leave the 8 hopper refinery in, as it gave me those few extra LTDs Additionally, it seems that ground Anaconda hull has even more magical properties make ant mineral contained within (8T LTD fragments) zero mass for the way home!!!. So 136T today vs 107T yesterday, and a much more comfortable run without worrying about minimising my limpet shortfall towards the end.

When orighinally kitting out the ship, I did read the descriptions of the various Collector limpet controllers carefully, and there was no hint that the prospecting effect of the different classes varied....Mass change - yes, range - yes, number of limpets controlled - yes, even module integrity - yes, but no mention of probably the most important attribute... Arrrrgh....

Thanks to all who responded above...

 

[Rock Hunter]

Don’t be afraid to fill up completely on limpets. My laser mining Python has x3 class 6 cargo plus x1 class 3 cargo giving me 200T and I go out with 200T of limpets. With a C4A refinery needing 10T to be full theres always room for the refined ore once it’s full as I’ll have prospected at least one rock, if I’ve hit lucky immediately, and have six limpets (I use two C5 limpet controllers with three limpets a piece) out collecting. I always end up dumping quite a few but having run out on unlucky sessions before I’d rather not skimp just to save a few credits.

An A rated prospector is the one to go for, I just use a 1A for the extra cargo space as it doesn’t take long if you are in a triple hotspot, but it would be handy if the stats mentioned the prospecting benefit when you’re buying. I also use just a class 3D shield, engineered for Enhanced Low Power, to save space and power. I’m happy with that risk as npcs aren’t a worry and players will either only want to take cargo or destroy you outright - neither has actually happened to me yet but then I haven’t been in Borann as regularly as many.

I expect you’ll tinker until you’ve found the set up that works best for you, be it one, two or three (or even five as mentioned in a previous post) prospectors, less cargo and shorter sessions or a T9 and sessions lasting three or more hours

 

[efoo]

I don’t recommend filling up all your cargo space with limpets because you will fill up the cargo rack very soon and have to start discarding the limpets to make room for LTD. Through experience I only take about 130 limpets with me in my Python with 192T cargo space. If I do had a bad run and run out of limpets before I fill up the cargo space, I will just synthesise more limpets.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

An A rated prospector is the one to go for, I just use a 1A for the extra cargo space as it doesn’t take long if you are in a triple hotspot,

Do you have any data on how long it takes you to fill up? Prospecting, not shooting rocks, is probably the activity you will spend more time on if you are not doing mapped mining so there is a lot of time to be saved there if you can speed up the process.

 

[Susanna]

Thanks all for the advice re using a prospector, I've always used one but didn't know that they significantly increased your yield. Rather annoying how ED doesn't tell you what you need to know... In this case, one of the most important variables about mining! Btw, it is in the fandom wiki...

Btw, not helpful to the OP (apologies), but I keep a Python outfitted with 268 of cargo space so that once I've mined in my Cutter (256t + 10t) I can switch to my Python and still deliver to an outpost if I need to...

 

[Pristine_Bump]

Regarding running out of limpets Ive only had that twice on my first trip and 4 days ago when the % of ltd,s in roids was mostly below 20% I always fill the hold with limpets I would rather abandon 20 than have to synthasize

I ended with a Cutter for mining as I hated the T9,T7 loved the Krait but not enough cargo after the first 3 times the Cutter was paid for x 2

Re Prospectors I tried a 5A but found managing 4 to annoying my 3A works fine

One tip if you dont know every couple of mining trips visit a Raw Mats Trader and upgrade most of the lower ones Carbon Sulpher etc which will be full ,over a dozen trips ive significantly filled up on raw mats without ever needing to go planet srv,ing

I also keep a 200T Krait for the station problem