Guide / Tutorial The popular guide to mining.

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.

That’s good news, m8. Thank you for telling [up].
 
I noticed that EDDB is totally bugged at the moment. It lists only 5 pristine metallic ring systems in the entire galaxy, and a quick check on two of them in the Galaxy map shows that they don't have any rings...

Until it's fixed, is there any other way to quickly find rings?
 
I noticed that EDDB is totally bugged at the moment. It lists only 5 pristine metallic ring systems in the entire galaxy, and a quick check on two of them in the Galaxy map shows that they don't have any rings...

Until it's fixed, is there any other way to quickly find rings?

EDDB.io now only searches a maximum of 50 ly around the reference system, it's normal you're not finding many in a 'bubble' that small.
You can move your reference point around, or try http://edtools.ddns.net/ instead - though that one is only for pristine metallics, a little limited to my tastes.
 
EDDB.io now only searches a maximum of 50 ly around the reference system, it's normal you're not finding many in a 'bubble' that small.
You can move your reference point around, or try http://edtools.ddns.net/ instead - though that one is only for pristine metallics, a little limited to my tastes.

Inara.cz is a good source but it helps to have an account and let it update with your current location using other 3rd party tools, I use EDDiscovery. Then you can get a list of the best sell locations and sort by distance. At my current location the nearest "best sell" is just under 63 LY.
 
Excellent guide - thank you. Been playing since launch and never really had a proper go at mining but am having a good look at it now.

I have a major issue though - I just cannot seem to mine the surface deposits?!?!

I pulse scan, find asteroid, send in prospector, locate surface material, target surface material and fire abrasion blaster and.... nothing. It appears the sweet spot of hitting the surface deposit is tiny and I just cannot hit it. Cow's ars* and banjo springs to mind! Even bought turreted blasters in an effort to help. No difference.

A couple of times it worked but I can't see how I targetted or aimed any differently. What am I doing wrong because it's driving me crazy?
 
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Excellent guide - thank you. Been playing since launch and never really had a proper go at mining but am having a good look at it now.

I have a major issue though - I just cannot seem to mine the surface deposits?!?!

I pulse scan, find asteroid, send in prospector, locate surface material, target surface material and fire abrasion blaster and.... nothing. It appears the sweet spot of hitting the surface deposit is tiny and I just cannot hit it. Cow's ars* and banjo springs to mind! Even bought turreted blasters in an effort to help. No difference.

A couple of times it worked but I can't see how I targetted or aimed any differently. What am I doing wrong because it's driving me crazy?

I'm afraid that one can't be answered easily without someone winging with you and watching what you're doing. Could be a number of things, from newbie mistakes to misunderstandings. Here's a list of... what I think your issue might be?

1-Be certain you're targeting a 'surface deposit' and not a 'subsurface deposit' or anything else (It rather looks like a rock pimple). The abrasion blaster only deals with surface deposits.
2-Be sure it's not on the other side of the asteroid, observe one that rotates for a while, so you know the difference in targeting brackets.
3-Lead appropriately so the bolt of the blaster hits the 'pimple', observe where the bolt hits. This is easier on ships with well centered hardpoints compared to off-center ones.


If all else fails, wing with someone so they can see what's going on that troubles you.
 
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I'm afraid that one can't be answered easily without someone winging with you and watching what you're doing. Could be a number of things, from newbie mistakes to misunderstandings. Here's a list of... what I think your issue might be?

1-Be certain you're targeting a 'surface deposit' and not a 'subsurface deposit' or anything else (It rather looks like a rock pimple). The abrasion blaster only deals with surface deposits.
2-Be sure it's not on the other side of the asteroid, observe one that rotates for a while, so you know the difference in targeting brackets.
3-Lead appropriately so the bolt of the blaster hits the 'pimple', observe where the bolt hits. This is easier on ships with well centered hardpoints compared to off-center ones.


If all else fails, wing with someone so they can see what's going on that troubles you.

Thanks. I *think* the issue was a combination of:
  • Asteroid spinning too fast
  • Target on other side of asteroid
  • Shooting from too far. I found <> 300m or less far easier

Once I lucked into a static asteroid it was extremely straightforward because I could easily work my way around and take my time. Now I've done that I can see I a lot of the issues I had.

Many thanks
 
Thanks for this excellent contribution to Elite Dangerous game play. As you say, mining is clearly complex enough to warrant such a guide.

I do have one question. I've fitted my ship, an Asp Explorer, with all the core mining goodies, including prospecting and collection controllers. But when I go to Advanced Maintenance to buy limpets, I'm told that I have 0/32 on hand, but I can't seem to buy any. When I click on the limpets line, I don't get a purchase option. Instead, the Confirm button is 'grayed' out and not active. What am I doing wrong?

CMDR SiouxArrow
 
Thanks for this excellent contribution to Elite Dangerous game play. As you say, mining is clearly complex enough to warrant such a guide.

I do have one question. I've fitted my ship, an Asp Explorer, with all the core mining goodies, including prospecting and collection controllers. But when I go to Advanced Maintenance to buy limpets, I'm told that I have 0/32 on hand, but I can't seem to buy any. When I click on the limpets line, I don't get a purchase option. Instead, the Confirm button is 'grayed' out and not active. What am I doing wrong?

CMDR SiouxArrow

Probably because it's not obvious to click this button to increase the limpet count. Poor UI not your fault as everyone struggles with this first time - I did! See screnshot.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4g06yng51keelvk/limpet.jpg?dl=0
p.jpeg
 
Well, you are a wonder! Thanks so very much for this. It was indeed the problem, and certainly not exactly clear. Thanks again.

CMDR SiouxArrow
 
OhOPsZ2.jpg


Check out issue #18 of Sagittarius Eye magazine (out now) for our beginners guide to mining (written by yours truly).

OUT-NOW-Sagittarius-Eye-Issue-18-(Get-your-copy-today!]

I wouldn't call myself an expert but at the very least I hope I've covered all the basics and that nothing I've written is fundamentally wrong.

I'd like to thank Lance and other commentators in this thread for providing much of the education which informed the writing of this article.

[heart]
 
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Hi, mining guide! I've just started mining for pretty much the first time (I've done a little bit of laser mining, for CGs and the odd bit of raw mats hunting, but scarcely any). I have a couple of questions, if anyone has an answer.

Firstly: as I'm doing mining (and am in Colonia), I thought I'd get some osmium to unlock Marsha Hicks. Reading around, it seems that it's a common thing in pristine metallic rings. So I've been in pristine metallic rings, for hours over the past couple of days, and all I've found is one asteroid with tiny amounts of osmium. I've found far more monafilterite, it's making me unintended fortunes, and that's surely rarer. Am I doing something wrong or just unlucky? The only searching I'm doing is pulse wave-fly towards the highlighed asteroids-prospector drone. Is there something I'm missing?

Secondly: what dictates whether or not an asteroid explodes? If the charge is released at full power (assuming that's what holding down the fire button is doing, setting it to full power), is it just a matter of accuracy?
 
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Hello Rollo,

Firstly: Osmium is found in Metallic Pristines, yes, but it's not a -common- metal, it's uncommon (not as rare as painite, but almost-rare) So probably you had a touch of bad luck. If I was in your shoes, I'd abuse the detailed surface scanner and try to find an osmium hotspot to improve the odds.

For your second question: Please have a second read at page 22, the key is the 'detonation yield' graph, you want to have enough charge to be in the blue bar, and try to not go above it...
Remember:
-If you fire a full charge seismic missile in a low-strength fissure, it has a lot of impact on the yield.
-If you fire a low charge seismic in a high-strength fissure, it has virtually no impact on the yield.
 
The only searching I'm doing is pulse wave-fly towards the highlighed asteroids-prospector drone. Is there something I'm missing?
Don't do that if you're looking for Osmium - it's a laser-mined mineral (and a reasonably common one in pristine metallic), not a core one. Forget the pulse wave and fire prospectors at all the nearby rocks and you should find it pretty quick.
 
Don't do that if you're looking for Osmium - it's a laser-mined mineral (and a reasonably common one in pristine metallic), not a core one. Forget the pulse wave and fire prospectors at all the nearby rocks and you should find it pretty quick.
Oh? I thought only the rocks showing up shiny with the pulse wave had any resources at all?

(In the same way that, in surface mining, only the rocks which appear on the radar contain mats.)
 
Oh? I thought only the rocks showing up shiny with the pulse wave had any resources at all?

(In the same way that, in surface mining, only the rocks which appear on the radar contain mats.)
The shiny ones are the only ones the abrasion blaster, displacement missile and seismic charge will do anything with.

But Osmium is definitely best mined with the traditional mining lasers.
 
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