Not sure I'm doing mining right...

[Gavin786]

Ok, so I've recently started playing on a regular basis after a long break (during which I played only once a couple of months). Clearly quite a few things have changed, as I was able to earn enough CR A-B Loop trading to finally buy a Python, at which point I started mining. The game mechanic of this is designed to be quite addictive with Skinner box qualities to it. What I'm not sure about is if I'm doing it correctly? All the tutorials I've seen explain that the prospector drone shows the mineral content of the Asteroid. However, every time, without fail that I have successfully blown up any fissured Asteroid, it either contains fragments of low-temperature diamonds, void opals or some other valuable resource. It's like the explosion creates them. However, these aren't free-floating fragments, they need to be abrasion blasted off of the remaining parts of the asteroid. There are normally about 10 or 12 of these to collect. This is where it gets ugly. The Python is really hard to navigate around the asteroid fragments. So I end up crunching into the asteroid, grinding it against my shields as I scrape the ship into position to blast a hard to get fragment. There must be a better way than this? Also, visibility drops to zero and my windscreen frosts up the moment I start refining low-temperature diamonds, which make my terrible piloting skills even worse.

Is there a more elegant way to mine?

You should have absolutely no trouble mining VO or LTD in a Python it is an almost perfect ship for the task.

One thing you didnt do is post your build so we can see it, and if there is something that really stands out as being a problem. If you dont know there are 2 really great sites for making builds in Elite, https://coriolis.io I recommend. Post up your build.

One thing you didnt mention is about collecting the chunks. You are using collector limpets, right, not just flying around with open cargo scoop?

By far the hardest part of VO or core mining in general is placing the charges of the right strength in time. You definitely need good use of lateral thrusters to be able to do this, and moreso than is needed lining up your abrasion blaster.

Something sounds wrong.

Maybe make a video also of what you are doing and what exact problem is?

Signing off,

CMDR Gavin786

 

[Northpin]

I was thinking about trading up from the Asp,

Krait mk2

Edit: added a non engineered core miner build.
Use a laser equipped SLF to help dropping their shields faster
Or use 2 burst lasers and a single MC and use a multicannon condor - but since those are fixed, you kinda need to use at least an expert crew, luckily they're quite fast to train

 

[Genie]

This has probably already been mentioned but I cant see it off the bat - so just in case, I recommend you try collector limpets. If you use them don't target anything you want to collect, as the limpet will likely collect it, return it but then expire so its not usually the most efficient way. Your best bet (Ive found) is to blast off the pieces you want with the abrasion blaster and let out collector limpets to just do their own thing as they will keep picking up and returning until they expire / or just get stuck. The more you send out concurrently the better, however that obviously depends on the capacity of your limpet controller. Dont forget to load up on limpets before you leave the station too (found hidden in Advanced maintenance - of course!)

 

[Seizewell Warrior]

Krait mk2

Edit: added a non engineered core miner build.
Use a laser equipped SLF to help dropping their shields faster
Or use 2 burst lasers and a single MC and use a multicannon condor - but since those are fixed, you kinda need to use at least an expert crew, luckily they're quite fast to train

Nice build, though it will take a few more trips in the AspX to afford it and a few rebuys.

 

[Masta Squidge]

In case anyone's interested, here's my shameless plug at painite making well over 300 million an hour. My best run like this was 344/hr.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQ2QI3t3Yo&t=

 

[BirdWisdom]

Ok, so I've recently started playing on a regular basis after a long break (during which I played only once a couple of months). Clearly quite a few things have changed, as I was able to earn enough CR A-B Loop trading to finally buy a Python, at which point I started mining. The game mechanic of this is designed to be quite addictive with Skinner box qualities to it. What I'm not sure about is if I'm doing it correctly? All the tutorials I've seen explain that the prospector drone shows the mineral content of the Asteroid. However, every time, without fail that I have successfully blown up any fissured Asteroid, it either contains fragments of low-temperature diamonds, void opals or some other valuable resource. It's like the explosion creates them. However, these aren't free-floating fragments, they need to be abrasion blasted off of the remaining parts of the asteroid. There are normally about 10 or 12 of these to collect. This is where it gets ugly. The Python is really hard to navigate around the asteroid fragments. So I end up crunching into the asteroid, grinding it against my shields as I scrape the ship into position to blast a hard to get fragment. There must be a better way than this? Also, visibility drops to zero and my windscreen frosts up the moment I start refining low-temperature diamonds, which make my terrible piloting skills even worse.

Is there a more elegant way to mine?

Or you can do as me mining some painite in solo mode without any sheild

 

[Hank]

You need to check the prices on Inara daily because they change. I'm very new to mining but yesterday painite at Wong Sher was 770k but today it was ~389k (per inara). They were somewhat accurate in showing LHS 3006 was paying ~789, but I got 770k (which is just fine by me ) I was unaware of that this weekend but now I'm glad I know to check.