Ships Preparing to start laser mining.

[Burned_Follower]

I'm currently doing delivery missions to practice navigating, launching/landing, etc. But my next goal, when I have enough in game credits, is to get a ship for the purpose of laser mining.

After googling it out, so far this is the shopping list of stuff that I think I need to save up for while doing delivery missions. Is this correct? I just want to do basic laser mining. (Find asteroids to mine, shoot them with lasers, and scoop up the chunks, and then sell what I've collected.)

-A ship with a lot of cargo space(welcome any recommendations and where/how to find the specific ship you are recommending)
-Detailed surface scanner
-refinery
-cargo racks
-Two mining lasers(non turret)
-scoop(maybe? I did the mining training simulation, but do I need to purchase a scoop or do ships naturally have this?)
-shield generator
-heatsink
-fuel scoop

Also, I read mentions when reading things in google searches that there is some kind of 3rd party website I can use to search for things I want to purchase, so that I don't have to randomly dock with bases, hoping they have the ships and other things I'm looking to purchase. What is that? If that's not a thing, what's the best way to go shopping for in game items? Same question for selling. I did dabble a bit with EvE online several years ago and learned how to be picky when it comes to where I sell ore to maximize profit. Is it like that in Elite Dangerous as well?

 

[CMDR Jago Kain]

There are many sources, but EDDB is what I use for locating the modules I want to buy. https://eddb.io/station Tip: select "Li Yong-Rui" in the 'Powers' box. He's the CEO of Sirius Corporation and all stations under his control sell ships and modules at a 20% discount. If you put your current location in 'Reference system' the search results will be ordered with the closest to you shown first.

There is no 'cargo scoop' module to buy. All ships have one as standard.

A collector limpet controller will enable you to send drones (limpets) out to pick up the chunks for you. Highly recommended. A prospector limpet controller will fire (you guessed it) prospector limpets that attach to an asteroid and give an indication of its mineral content. They also improve the yield from laser mining that 'roid.

I'm sure somebody with a lot more mining experience than me will be along soon with a recommended ship and loadout.

 

[Vedmo]

Something along the lines of this would be an example of good, non-engineered mining ship (not complete, but everything you need to efficiently mine).

You could sacrifice some cargo and use a size 6 for shields, and you could probably run 3 mining laser to speed things up without Power Distributor issues (with engineering you can run 4 medium mining lasers no problem). Detailed surface scanner is only needed if you want to see hotspots, and that is worthwhile for increasing the chances of getting higher value rocks more often. Fuel scoop is not really needed unless you are leaving civilization to mine, or have a short jump range and don't want to stop to refuel on the way to high paying distant station (you can use EDDB or Inara to find high paying stations, and they can change fast).

As CMDR Jago Kain said, you definitely want collection and prospector limpets. The number of collectors depends on how many lasers you are running, ideally you want enough to have everything gathered up shortly after you deplete a rock. The prospector greatly increases the yield you get, as well as letting you know in advance what you will be getting.

 

[CptArcher]

Nah, two lasers are perfect. Not even 15 collector limpets can keep up with two lasers plus it's easier on the distributor. Nice build vedmo, that's perfect for a beginner

 

[LifesAJourney]

I'd switch prospector limpet controller to class 1 and add another class 3 collector controller. The time efficiency will be higher, I think.

 

[Ceekay]

Agreed the Python is the best option for a medium pad miner but it's not cheap, here's an entry level build based on a T6 https://s.orbis.zone/aa-m, as for locations try http://edtools.ddns.net/miner or a set of tools like http://elitedangerous.hozbase.co.uk/ or https://cmdrs-toolbox.com/.

A detailed surface scanner is primarily for finding hotspots in the rings so you can core mine, here's my favourite build https://s.orbis.zone/aa-x it is heavily engineered and fairly expensive (I scoop the frags from the core manually so no collector fitted)

 

[WhoCares]

Solid advice you received so far.

Let me add a word of warning:
As long as you are in or close to the bubble, there will usually spawn ships as soon as you drop from supercruise into the ring, in most cases it will be pirates. If you have any valuable cargo (basically anything else but limpets), you will need to be prepared to either fight or outrun them. Some solid shields will help you with either.
There is also a difference regarding in which spots you intent to mine, in an asteroid belt, a "random" ring location, material hotspots (discovered by DSS), or "Resource Extraction Sites" (only in populated systems, and always have other ships of various kinds, depending on the rating of the site - hazardous being the most dangerous).

 

[Bravo17]

If you can't afford the Python yet then I find that a Dolphin makes a good cheap laser miner, and with 32T of cargo space will quickly get you enough cash for a Python. It has enough optional slots to fit everything that you need and the Docking Computer for when you feel lazy! It's more expensive than the Type-6 above and has less cargo space, but includes the fuel scoop for longer range and scanner to enable you to mine double painite hotspots. It will also charge the FSD while scooping to get you away from those pesky interdicting pirates quickly.

I fly with a shield and have been glad of it recently since I have been jumped by pirates a couple of times after having been in the ring for a while and started mining. If you leave it out you can get more cargo space.

Here's one I just used to get a Python for a new alt:

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