Where are the best spots for mining? How does FPS mining work? Which resources bring profit? How do mining heads and mining consumables work? Our tips & tricks will definitely help you.

Note: An update of the Mining Guide to 3.10 is planned, but was unfortunately not possible so far due to lack of time.

In this article we answer the following questions:

What do I have to consider with FPS mining ?

? How do I handle the mining spaceship MISC Prospector perfectly?

perfectly? Which mining heads are worth it?

are worth it? Which mining consumables should I take with me?

should I take with me? How do I successfully operate with the Argo MOLE ?

? Which spots in the universe are particularly lucrative?

How can I distinguish good from bad resource deposits ?

? Which materials are particularly worthwhile and how do I handle Quantainium ??

?? How does asteroid mining work?

work? What will the future of the mining profession be like in Star Citizen?

Which production chains should be possible in Star Citizen?

In this guide we will introduce you to mining in detail and show you how to become a professional miner – in a spaceship and on foot. We will also explain what is planned for mining and what an extensive production chains could look like in Star Citizen in the future. If you don’t feel like details, here is a short summary for you. Attention: Star Citizen is still in its alpha phase. Changes are normal with every patch. Therefore, data in this guide may sometimes differ from practice. We try to incorporate changes immediately and keep the guide up to date at all times, but if you notice significant differences, please let us know on Discord.

General Performance and Mining

Star Citizen is still in the alpha phase. Update 3.9 can be played relatively well, but beware of many bugs this time. Our guide to performance in Star Citizen shows how you can squeeze out some more FPS, if necessary.

Short guide: How do I get rich quickly with mining?

With the new resource Quantainium you can – if you are lucky – earn quite a lot of money quite quickly, if you know how to do it. Overall, you’ll need a solid strategy to get rich from mining constantly. We tell you how it works.

How much you earn depends on what resources you find. But a considerable part also depends on skills and strategy.

Summary: How to mine profitably FPS mining is currently barely quickly feasible due to a bug (?) Note: Currently no FPS mining deposits are displayed during scanning. Therefore you have to search directly for caves. This is cumbersome and far from quick, so we are currently excluding this section until we know if this is a bug or if FPS mining only occurs in caves now. Buy a Pyro RYT Multitool, an Ore Bit Mining-Attachement and the torso equipment MacFlex Arms Orange “Rucksack” Core. Fly with a spaceship to a moon. Area18 –> Lyria, Wala

Port Olisar –> Cellin, Daymar

microTech –> Clio

You can find caves at Hurston, Aberdeen, Daymar or when you’re doing investigation missions. Scan either for degradable rocks (TAB key, works only with Argo MOLE, Cutlass RED, Prospector, Reliant Sen or Terapin), or find them in a cave. Use your multitool to mine Hadanite in particular. Fill your backpack, fly home and sell the stuff. Repeat steps 1 to 4 until you own roughly 109.000 aUEC and can rent a Prospector for 3 days. Rent a MISC Prospector (for example at Vantage Rentals in Loreville) for 3 days. Costs: 108,202 aUEC. Please note that no other mining heads, consumables or weapons can be attached to rented spaceships. Fly to a moon: Short distance, medium to high profit: microTech –> Clio Medium distance, medium to high profit: Port Olisar –> Cellin, Daymar / Area 18 –> Lyria, Wala Long distance, medium to high profit: Lorville (Hurston) –> Aberdeen, Arial Use the Prospector in Mining Mode (“M” key) to mine Quantainium*, Taranite, Laranite und Agricium. If the deposits cannot be cracked with the standard laser, go for rich deposits of less lucrative resources, such as Diamond. Take care to load only one hundred percent raw material chunks if possible, or to keep the amount of inert material as low as possible. Look for another rock rather than loading too much dirt. Continue mining until you have saved 2.061.000 aUEC and buy the Prospector, with which you can now earn a lot of money any time. *Attention: Quantainium is a new, volatile raw material that explodes after about 30 minutes. Read more about this in the section How to handle Quantainium properly.

Requirements for Mining in Star Citizen

What do I need for FPS mining?

A Greycat Pyro RYT Multitool and an Ore Bit Mining Attachment.

Small resource deposits on planet surfaces or in caves can be extracted with the Pyro RYT Multitool. For this you also need the right attachment, an Ore Bit Mining-Attachement.

A few gems will fit into your standard inventory, but not a lot. Therefore I recommend to buy the MacFlex Arms Orange “Rucksack” Core. You can buy the equipment for example at Tammany and Sons in Loreville (Hurston). This increases your inventory significantly, which means longer mining trips and more profit. A backpack completely filled with Hadanite will bring you a full 16,500 aUEC.

You should definitely invest in the following for FPS or hand mining:

Description Price in aUEC Greycat Pyro RYT Multitool 425 Ore Bit Mining-Attachement 340 MacFlex Arms Orange “Rucksack” Core 3.100

You can also take so-called QuikFlares (25 aUEC each) with you to mark your way in labyrinthine caves and find your way out more quickly.

Which spaceships can be used for mining in Star Citizen?

In Star Citizen Update 3.9 large resource deposits can be mined with the MISC Prospector and the Argo MOLE.

Mining ship for one player: MISC Prospector

The MISC Prospector is a one-seater mining ship.

The Prospector can currently be purchased for 185 $ on the official website of developer Cloud Imperium Games (CIG). But you can also earn it in the game: In Lorville and Levski the Prospector is for sale for 2.061.000 aUEC. Rental for one, three or 30 days is also possible, for example at Vantage Rentals in Lorville.

Mining ship for three players: ARGO Mole

The ARGO Mole is a multi-crew mining ship operated by three crew members with three independent mining turrets. With 96 SCU it also has three times the loading capacity of the Prospector.

The ARGO Mole is a mining ship with three mining turrets which are operated independently of each other. © CIG

Mining platform for four to seven players: Orion

The Orion mining platform comes into the game later. We have summarized all information about it later in this article.

Mining in Star Citizen: Finding the best Resources

How and where can I find mineable rocks / resources?

With the scan mechanism we find resources on moon surfaces or in asteroid belts. On foot (for example in caves) you can identify gem-rich rocks by their visual appearance or with the help of the multitool. You can also find deposits for FPS mining on asteroids.

Surface scan with a spaceship

Resources can be found in rocks on moons, in caves or on asteroids. Once we reach the surface, we switch to scanning mode with the TAB-button. Keep the left mouse button pressed to fully charge the scan (at level 1x) and release the button to trigger the ping.

Pro Tip: With the Argo MOLE the pilot and each player in a mining turret can independently trigger a scan ping. So you can scan all the time.

The cuboid indicator in Star Citizen shows after a scan in which area we have to search for resource deposits. © S4G / CIG

Potential mining resources are indicated by large cuboid grids as in the screenshot above.

Fly into such an area and repeat the scan to find resource deposits. Use the “C” and “V” buttons to change the scan radius to 2x or even 4x. This reduces the radius, but increases the accuracy and displays more resource deposits. You can also visually search for mineable rocks, as they have their own texture. You can see an example in the following screenshot.

Such boulders are resource deposits in Star Citizen. There are also others, for example with a turquoise / green or dark surface. © S4G / CIG

Finding gemstone deposits for FPS mining

On the surface of moons, you can find gem deposits for FPS mining just as described, as long as you have a ship that can scan for ore and gems. However, until you have a Prospector, you’ll have to work pretty hard.

Pro tip: Rent a Prospector before you consider buying it. You can do that for example at Vantage Rentals in Lorville.

It may take a while until you finally have a Procpector – if you own one, you should still take the valuable FPS Mining resources (here a Dolovine deposit) with you. © S4G / CIG

So first – and despite the current risk of player killers lurking there – you should search for caves and mine gems with the Multitool. I’ll explain how this works in the section Mining guide on foot: This is how FPS or hand mining works.

Where do I find caves?

There are a few caves that can be found via the StarMap in the mobiGlas or via the “B” key in the orbit of a planet / moon:

Daymar : Kudre Ore (Closed)

: Kudre Ore (Closed) Aberdeen : HDMO-Dobbs (in update 3.9 you can find a lot of hadanite here)

: HDMO-Dobbs (in update 3.9 you can find a lot of hadanite here) Hurston: HDMO-Calthrope

Other caves are difficult to find because they are not marked. There are currently three known ways to find caves:

Very complicated and hardly promising: Fly with a spaceship over moons and planets and find with zoom or on sight the rock formations which mark the cave entrance.

the rock formations which mark the cave entrance. Simple: In the orbit of Daymar, Aberdeen and Hurston accept the investigation missions (looking for missing persons) in your mobiGlas, they lead directly into caves.

How do I identify gemstone deposits?

Resource depots for Hadanite, Aphorite and Dolivine have a colored grain, veins run through the stone and pieces of gemstone stick out. Veins from Hadanite deposits are pink to light purple, Aphorite is purple and Dolivine is green. But Hadanite and Aphorite can hardly be distinguished in the game, so you have to scan them with your multitool (more about this below).

Hadanite deposits in Star Citizen can be identified by their light purple veins and gemstone inclusions. © S4G / CIG

What are the risks of caves?

Currently, caves are often populated by trigger-happy player killers. So it’s possible that your mining tour will be quickly terminated by sneaky criminals. Make sure to bring friends with you as escorts.

Mining Resources in Star Citizen: Mining Spots and Mineral Prices

Where can I find the best mining locations / mining spots?

Usually the best place for mining is the huge Aaron Halo asteroid belt. However, asteroid mining is currently bugged, so we can only recommend lunar surfaces at the moment. There are no perfect spots here. You will find short ways with Clio from microTech. Routes for average distances are Cellin, Daymar (from Port Olisar), Aberdeen, Arial (from Lorville, Hurston) and Lyria & Wala (from Area18, ArcCorp).

Mining in the Aaron Halo Astroid Belt – How to find it

The asteroid belt Aaron Halo is not visible on the map in mobiGlas. There are also none of the iconic gateways there that we could jump to. According to CIG, they won’t come until the rest of Stanton is built.

The Aaron Halo is a massive ring of asteroids that extends between ArcCorp and Hurston, among others. This is also the easiest way to find it in the game. Fly from Hurston to ArcCorp or vice versa using quantum jump. Switch off quantum drive at the following distance markers (press the default button “B” again):

Hurston to ArcCorp : 9,500,000 km

: 9,500,000 km ArcCorp to Hurston: 13,500,000 km

Dont get confused by the obviously wrong positions: This is the way to the vast Aaron Halo asteroid belt. © S4G / CIG

When you exit quantum jump, a giant asteroid field of thousands of kilometres builds up around you. Inside it, there are massive asteroids that can be mined. However, due to a current bug, rocks that have been cracked will disappear much faster than we can process them further.

Mining on moon surfaces & chart of mining spots

Therefore, we currently recommend mining on lunar surfaces as a priority. In the past, profitable deposits could be found near mining outposts. Meanwhile, the deposits are much more widespread. We can only say with confidence that it is a matter of chance which resources occur in which quantities. You can’t avoid a proper search.

However, some resources only appear in certain areas. The following list tells you where to expect which resources and how long it will take approximately from the landing zones and stations where mining resources can be sold to the destinations.

Mining Spots Chart Note regarding the chart: The travel time indicates the average time between landing zone and destination, here the respective planet or asteroid belt. This is based on experience. The time span refers to the fact that sometimes you start from a landing zone, fly into the atmosphere and jump directly to a destination. But you may also have to fly far out or jump to orbital markers first, because the destination is hidden. Stanton-

System Landing Zone Travel Time in Min. Raw Materials Aaron Halo Asteroid Belt none 8-12 Aluminium, Aphorite, Borase, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Dolivine, Gold, Hephaestanite, Laranite, Titanium, Tungsten ArcCorp Area18 The city planet offers no mining spots Lyria Area18 Agricium, Aluminium, Bexalite, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Hadanite, Hephaestanite, Taranite, Tungsten Wala Area18 Agricium, Beryl, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Hadanite, Taranite, Titanium, Tungsten Crusader Port Olisar, GrimHEX The gas giant cannot currently be explored Cellin Port Olisar Aluminium, Beryl, Bexalite, Corundum, Gold, Titanium Daymar Port Olisar Agricium, Beryl, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Hadanite, Quantainium, Quartz, Taranite, Titanium, Tungsten Yela GrimHEX Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Quantainium, Tungsten CRU L1 – L5

Asteroid Fields Port Olisar, GrimHEX Aluminium, Borase, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Titanium, Tungsten Delamar Levski Mining is not possible on the planetoid itself Asteroid Fields Levski 2-4 Aluminium, Borase, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Titanium, Tungsten Hurston Lorville Aphorite, Hadanite, Dolivine Aberdeen Lorville 3-9 Beryl, Bexalite, Corundum, Diamond, Hephaestanite, Gold, Titanium Arial Lorville 3-9 Bexalite, Hephaestanite, Quartz Ita Lorville 4-9 Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Copper, Diamond, Gold, Quartz, Titanium, Tungsten Magda Lorville 5-12 Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Copper, Diamond, Dolivine, Gold, Hephaestanite, Taranite, Quartz, Titanium, Tungsten HUR L1 – L4

Asteroid Fields Lorville Aluminium, Borase, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Titanium, Tungsten microTech New Babbage Aluminium, Beryl, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Dolivine, Gold, Hadanite, Laranite, Quartz, Taranite, Titanium, Tungsten Calliope New Babbage 3-5 Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Diamond, Gold, Hephaestanite, Quantainium, Quartz, Titanium, Tungsten Clio New Babbage 2-3 Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Quantainium, Quartz, Taranite, Titanium, Tungsten Euterpe New Babbage 3-5 Agricium, Aluminium, Beryl, Bexalite, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Hephaestanite, Laranite, Quantainium, Quartz, Tungsten MIC L1

Asteroid Field New Babbage Aluminium, Borase, Copper, Corundum, Diamond, Gold, Laranite, Titanium, Tungsten

Which raw materials are particularly valuable and which prices can be achieved?

When mining with a spaceship Quantainium, Bexalite, Taranite, Borase, Laranite and Agricium earn you most money. In FPS mining first choice is Hadanite.

Last updated: May 2020 (data is up to date for 3.9)

Note: Prices may vary slightly depending on where you sell. The data is the average of the last five yields in units (1 SCU = 100 units) we have been able to obtain. The percentage recommendations are indicative.

Resources that require a spaceship

Last Update:

12.05.2020 aUEC pro Unit

(100 Units = 1 SCU) Quantainium* 88,09 Bexalite 40,48 Taranite 32,45 Borase 32,44 Laranite 30,25 Agricium 26,88 Hephaestanite 14,64 Titanium 8,67 Diamond 7,17 Gold 6,42 Copper 5,69 Beryl 4,30 Tungsten 3,99 Corundum 2,65 Quartz 1,51 Aluminium 1,27 Inert Material 0,02 Key:

At what percentage should I mine? From 2.5% onwards always mine, but only pick up chunks with very low share of inert materials From 20 percent

(Exception: Hephaestanite from 10%) At least 35 percent Ignore *Attention: Quantainium is a new, volatile raw material that explodes after about 30 minutes. Read more about this in the section How to handle Quantainium properly.

Resources for which the multitool (FPS mining) is needed

Ressource Deposit % aUEC Hadanite n.a. 1 275 Aphorite n.a. 1 150 Dolivine n.a. 1 130

What should I pay attention to when it comes to resources?

The higher the percentage of the resources in relation to the total mass of the depot, the better. Also: Pick up as little inert material as possible.

If you take a closer look at a deposit, pay particular attention to the percentages. The higher the percentage, the more profit! For example, an 18% Copper deposit is more lucrative than a 0.4% Taranite deposit. However, two percent Taranite is most likely worth more than 18 percent Copper.

After scanning a rock, you should calculate how much mass of the rock is really valuable raw material and then compare it with the table above. Good is low mass and high percentages, e.g. 2,500 mass and a total of 60% of valuable raw material.

Take your time to find a lucrative resource depot. You will ultimately save time and earn more money.

Pro tip: Inert material, i.e. dirt, massively reduces your profit. If possible, extract preferably 100% chunks or at least make sure that the amount of dirt is as low as possible. Rather fly on and look for a new, good deposit than waste your time with containers full of dirt.

How to handle Quantainium properly

Quantainium is a new volatile and lucrative raw material that came into the game with update 3.9 and will later be required for the production of Quantum fuel, among other things. You can mine the substance as normal, but this raw material will start working in your containers: Quantainium will become more and more volatile and eventually disintegrate in a fat explosion. It’s only logical and consistent that your ship will also “disintegrate” partially or completely. How much damage the ship takes depends on the amount of Quantainium loaded.

Still the panel for volatile cargo in the Prpspector is flashing slowly and yellow. If it’s flashing red and fast, things are getting critical and we need to jettison cargo. © S4G / CIG

The state of the Quantainium is shown in the Prospector (top right) and in the MOLE via the new panel. At some point it starts to glow and flash, then glows and flashes faster and faster – you know where this leads to. But to make sure that you can still get your ( huge financial ) benefit out of the explosive raw material, the following chart shows the times we measured until your ship turns into fireworks.

Drop the Quantainium in time via the “Jettison” button on the panel before it explodes. Only the Quantainium should be jettisoned, your other collected resources should remain in the container. Also, be sure to take into account the time it takes you to get from the spaceport to the trading console. This often includes a trip to the appropriate district by train. If the Quantainium reaches its critical mass while the ship is waiting on a landing pad, it will still blow up.

Degradation times of Quantainium

Attention: The times given in the following table are empirical values and may vary within the stated limits. Dependencies of the available time on loading quantity or bumps could not be determined with certainty up to now.

Quantainium Status Display Duration of the Stage in min. Note Stage 1 Yellow flashing 8 ﻿ Stage 2 Fast orange flashing 6 ﻿ Stage 3 Fast red flashing 2 By now you should get rid of the Quantainium (“Jettison”) Stage 4 Very fast red flashing 0,25 This stage sometimes doesn’t even occur, the cargo can explode already after stage 3. Total ﻿ approx. 15 Min.

Pro Tip: Always mine Quantainium at last before flying back to the landing zone, unless you’re heading out only for Quantainium. Don’t lose time on your way home.

Quantainium depots can sometimes be highly resistant. Torpid Consumables can be helpful here, alternatively you can push the Rock Energy Level with Surge. Read more about this in the section Mining Consumables Overview.

Where can I sell raw materials?

In Port Olisar, GrimHEX, Levski, Lorville, New Babbage and Area18 you can sell mined resources.

When you have reached the maximum SCU of your ship (see the Cargo Capacity display on the right in the middle of the screen in Mining Mode) and your backpack is eventually filled with gems, it is time to sell.

You can do this at the following locations on special trading consoles, near the respective administration:

ArcCorp – Area18

The trading consoles in Area18 can be found in the IO North Tower just on the opposite side of the ArcCorp Plaza, once you arrive.

The trading consoles in Area18 can be found in the IO North Tower just on the opposite side of the ArcCorp Plaza, once you arrive. Crusader – Port Olisar

Directly in the room with the ship terminals, right around the corner of the admin counter.

Directly in the room with the ship terminals, right around the corner of the admin counter. Delamar – Levski

When you arrive in Levski you will find the trading consoles next to the admin counter, to the left of the large elevators.

When you arrive in Levski you will find the trading consoles next to the admin counter, to the left of the large elevators. Hurston – Lorville

Travel from Teasa Spaceport by train to Metro Center. There you will find the admin office with the trading consoles.

Travel from Teasa Spaceport by train to Metro Center. There you will find the admin office with the trading consoles. microTech – New Babbage

From the spaceport take the tram to Commons. Go to the Plaza and look for “Planetary Services”. There you will find the trading consoles.

From the spaceport take the tram to Commons. Go to the Plaza and look for “Planetary Services”. There you will find the trading consoles. Asteroidbelt around Yela – GrimHEX

Mining Guide for the spaceships MISC Prospector & Argo MOLE

The general mining mechanics for the Prospector and the MOLE are the same. Therefore the following explanations are relevant for both ships. I will explain some differences at this point, special features of the MOLE will follow in the section Guide to solo and multicrew mining with the Argo MOLE.

Once you’ve found a suitable resource deposit, fly nearby and point the ship and target cursor at the rock for a depth scan.

Depth scan via spaceship

A resource node can be examined both by scan and in mining mode (“M” key). The depth scan displays the following data:

Mass

On the top right of the mining interface of the Prospector you will find the mass of the rock. The higher the mass, the more energy you need to crack the rock.

With the depth scan we get information about mass, composition, instability and resistance of the rock. © S4G / CIG

Composition

For the most part, the rocks consist of so-called “inert materials”, i.e. worthless components of the stone (rock, dust, etc.). We also find more valuable materials such as Bexalite, Agricium or Gold. The composition is presented to us below the mass display of the rock. The material quantity is given as a percentage.

Instability

The instability of the rock is displayed to the left below the energy transfer graph. The higher the instability, the higher the fluctuations in the energy feed. This can lead quickly to energy spikes and thus to overloading of the stone.

Resistance

The resistance of a rock indicates how hard it is for our mining laser to crack it. The closer the value aproaches 1, the more resistant the stone is and the more difficult will the injection of energy be. For example, at a value of 0.8, the energy level theoretically remains constant at 80% energy input. Here, however, instability has its part to play.

Alignment of the spaceship before mining

If you are too far away from the rock, you may not be able to inject enough energy into rocks with a high resistance level. You can fly relatively close to rocks.

But beware: The closer you are to a rock, the more damage the stone causes when you blow it up by overloading. This could lead to the destruction of the ship.

The pilot of the MOLE has to communicate constantly with the players in the mining turrets, so that everyone can use their Mining Lasers in the best possible way. If the miners notice that the energy injection is stagnating, they have to give the pilot instructions to fly the MOLE closer to the target, for example. While doing so, the pilot needs to take into account the limited radius of movement of the mining towers (they cannot be directed downwards at a 90-degree angle, for example).

With the introduction of the weather system in update 3.9 it may make sense to land the spaceship to break a rock without any trouble. In some areas, such as Calliope, a storm can be so strong that the ship is constantly being pushed away if we don’t keep steering against it. With the MOLE this is not necessarily a problem because the pilot can focus solely on keeping the ship roughly in position.

But if you have to constantly strafe with the Prospector besides controlling the mining laser, this can be a bit too much, especially with challenging rocks. In this case simply land the Prospector at a suitable distance.

Especially in stormy environments it can be quite reasonable to simply land the Prospector – although not necessarily as close as in the picture. © S4G / CIG

When mining asteroids, the pilot has to be careful whether the laser is moved away from the stone by any movement of the spaceship. Adjust carefully using the strafing keys.

How to mine a resource deposit

Injecting energy with a mining laser

When you are in Mining Mode (“M), activate the mining laser with the left mouse button. The goal is to completely fill the fracturing sensor on the right side. To do this, the energy level of the stone (Rock Energy Level, the indicator to the left below the laser strength indicator, Laser Throttle) must be kept inside the green zone. This area can be quite small and it takes some practice to keep the laser energy there long enough until the fracturing sensor is completely filled.

The arrow on the left points to the green area that triggers the fracturing sensor (right arrow). © S4G / CIG

Tips for using the Mining Throttle

You can change the strength of the mining laser by turning the mouse wheel. Alternatively (and this is also our recommendation) you can put the mining laser in the key configurations for HOTAS under Mining –> Mining Throttle on a throttle axis. In the picture you can see two solutions, which I like very much.

On my HOTAS Saitek X52 Pro I have put mining throttle on this wheel. © S4G Mining Laser on the Thrustmaster Warthog. The professional version. © S4G

Keeping an eye on the Energy Transfer Graph

As a beginner you should first get a feel for the laser. Slowly increase the energy input until the Energy Transfer Graph on the left in the user interface begins to rise. The higher the energy level of the rock rises, the faster the energy rises. This means that at a certain point little additional energy is sufficient to significantly increase the energy level.

You can imagine it a bit like one of these model cars with swing drive: As soon as you have pushed the car, its swing drive will accelerate it forward by itself.

Adjusting the energy feed

Especially with a very small green area this can lead to difficulties, because when we get into the red area, the overcharge sensor (displayed on the right below the fracturing sensor) rises. At the same time, the fracturing sensor sinks rapidly. When the overcharge sensor is completely filled, the rock explodes immediately and can seriously damage or even destroy the ship.

Attention: How often you enter the overload area also determines how powerful the boulder will explode and how far the boulders will fly if you manage to successfully break the rock. Especially when mining asteroids, it can be annoying to have to fly after the boulders, not to mention possible damage to the ship.

This means that we have to readjust the energy supply constantly – there is rarely a perfect setting. The energy in the rock either rises or sinks. The trick is to develop a feeling for how much energy you need to supply or take away when energy is in the green zone.

Use the percentages of the Laser Throttle to guide you as you try to hit the green zone of the Rock Energy level. © S4G / CIG

Pay attention to the percentage display on the left above the Rock Energy Level and regulate the energy accordingly, for example from 12 percent with a single turn of the mouse wheel to 4-5 percent and vice versa. Watch the behavior of the energy closely and try to spot regularities. Very helpful here is the sound, which tells a lot about the condition of the stone. So listen carefully.

Also watch the ratio of the rock mass against the energy level increase. The instability and resistance of the rock also play a role here. This ratio quickly shows you, that there are certain percentages or ranges of percentages that you can follow. This is helpful for future mining on rocks of similar or equal mass.

In the case of the Argo MOLE, you’ll have to communicate a lot with your fellow miners. I will explain how to do this later in the section What do I have to pay attention to when mining with the MOLE?.

Reference values for energy input according to mass

In the following table we have compiled a few empirical values in this regard. Please consider them only as rough guidelines, for practice you must absolutely also make your own experiences. These values can also vary depending on how far away the ship is located from the rock. The values refer to the standard lasers.

Mass / kg Charging % Green Zone: Max. % Green Zone: Min. % 5.000 — 8.000 90-100 60 30 2.000 — 5.000 70-80 40 20 250 — 800 15-20 12 3

So in order to keep the energy supply in the green range, we have to switch between high and low values at the right moments. As soon as you feel that the energy is about to jump into the red area, switch to the low value. Before the energy drops out of the green area, switch up again.

Pro tip: Using the HOTAS controllers mentioned above, the energy can also be injected perfectly in bursts. Use the throttle or the wheel to briefly release full or at least high energy and immediately set the laser back to zero. Repeat this regularly to stay within the green range.

Below the green area the fracturing sensor sinks again, which can make the whole thing a bit hectic. Keep calm and start all over again (remove the laser from the rock and wait until the rock has cooled down) before destroying your spaceship.

When mining with a MOLE, the Mining Leader must promptly tell the other players when to increase or decrease energy output. More about it later in this guide in the section What do I have to pay attention to when mining with the MOLE?.

Exit Strategy

If you can’t control the energy and are about to overload the rock completely, switch off the laser with left click or move it away from the rock. If you do this in time, the energy level will drop slowly and you can try again after a few minutes.

The pilot should also always always be able to move the ship quickly backwards. If the overcharge sensor is above zero when the rock breaks, the overcharge energy is released in a more or less powerful explosion. Getting a little distance in time can prevent the worst.

Cracking particularly tough stones

Is your mining laser already at 100 percent, but you still can’t get into the green area? Then you have to fly closer to the stone.

Still not working? Another possibility is the overclocking of the mining laser. Go to the “Items” menu item on one of the multi function displays (MFD). Search for the Mining Laser you currently have installed (for example “Hofstede S1 Mining Laser”) and click on “Overclock”. Now more power is fed into the Mining Laser, but this also increases the heat development and thus the risk of possible subsequent damage to the mining head.

At the top left of the MFD, the mining laser of the Prospector can be overclocked. © S4G / CIG

The new Mining Consumables (read also the section All about Mining Consumables in Star Citizen) can also help you, for example by using Surge. This will immediately raise the energy level of the stone by 30 percent. If you did it right, this was the necessary push to get the energy level up.

Still not working? Then it’s time for a new Mining Head. You can find all information about Mining Heads and their advantages and disadvantages in our guide to Mining Heads / Mining Lasers.

Another possibility is to get a buddy with a second Prospector and crack the stone together. However, this requires good communication in order to successfully coordinate the double energy supply.

The MOLE should be able to crack just about any rock using all three mining lasers. If you can’t crack certain stones, you will need better mining lasers / mining heads.

How do I extract resources / raw materials from the boulders?

In extraction mode we collect minerals from the boulders. Pay attention to the mass-content ratio of the individual boulders and ignore resource chunks with too high inert material percentage.

The Prospector has four mining containers, each of which can hold eight standard cargo units (SCU, the unit of measure for cargo in Star Citizen; 1 m³, plus a 125 mm border on each side) of material. The MOLE carries eight such containers with a volume of 12 SCUs. To transport resources into the containers, right-click to switch from mining mode to extraction mode and start the tractor beam.

Rock fragments that can be placed in the containers are shown with a purple border. Align the tractor beam until the chunk has been fully picked up.

Very good mass-resource ratio: Always take care to carry as little inert material as possible. © CIG

Important: In order to achieve the highest possible profit, you should watch the ratio between mass and resources. The smaller the mass and the higher the percentage of the contained resource, the better. Example: A 70 kg boulder with 60 percent resources is preferable to a 210 kg boulder with 30 percent resources. Always try to take as little dirt with you as possible, because that will reduce your profit enormously.

However, you also have to consider the rarity of the material. The most valuable resources from our list above should be picked up most of the time, as long as the resource level is not below the minimum value we have specified or your personal minimum value.

How can I safely pause my mining tour?

You can log out of your Prospector or MOLE by going to bed.

In the past, a mining tour had to end with selling the resources. Now you can simply land, go to the back of the Prospector or the MOLE and select the bunk with “F” (default setting). Lie down and then press “F” again. Lie down and then press “F” again. The “Log Out” option appears.

The next time you log in you will wake up in your bunk again, press “F”, look to the left and select “Get Up”. You can now continue your mining tour.

Guide to solo and multicrew mining with the Argo MOLE

Currently the time-cost-benefit ratio for MOLE mining is best with two people.

Compared to the Prospector, the MOLE is a rather massive ship with a crew of up to five people and a total of three mining turrets. There is one centrally under the cockpit and one each on the right and left side of the ship.

Impressive industrial ship: The Argo MOLE is the second mining ship in Star Citizen. © S4G / CIG

Can I do solo mining with the Argo MOLE?

This is absolutely possible, although not without problems. If you want to fly the MOLE alone, you’ ll need at least a lot of patience.

Requirements

The requirements for a reasonably frustration-free mining run with the MOLE is a Helix II mining laser or – if the appropriate funds aren’t yet available – at least a Klein-S2. See also our guide to Mining Heads.

Only the Helix II has enough power to crack massive resource depots – and even here you’ll occasionally come across rocks that can only be cracked with the aid of mining consumables or two or more Lasers. Most rocks don’t require a second laser though, you only need to set the optimal distance of the Helix II towards the rock to about 37 meters (can only be estimated at the moment). As an alternative, the Klein-S2 offers a little less power and higher risk, but is not nearly as expensive as the Helix.

I advise not to go alone with the MOLE with the standard Mining Laser.

Advantage Solo The advantage over the Prospector is of course the increased cargo space: With about 96 SCU you can extract three times as much material and of course you will make much more profit if you choose your targets carefully. If you fly the MOLE solo in Star Citizen, you have to switch constantly between pilot seat and mining station. © S4G / Cloud Imperium Games

Downside Solo Each time you have to adjust the position of the spaceship perfectly so that you can use the central mining station under the cockpit. To change the position of the MOLE, you need to switch back to the cockpit. Running back and forth can be annoying and it takes some practice to position the MOLE correctly. Also, you won’t be able to retreat in time with the ship if a rock is about to explode.

Mining with the Argo MOLE: It’s best to go with two people

We currently recommend mining with the Argo MOLE with two players. You can already do a lot with the standard lasers and you can mine many resource depots.

Designate a Leader (Miner #1) for the mining operation who will fly and position the ship and occupy the mining turret below the cockpit. This station should be equipped with the most powerful laser you have.

Miner #2 always goes first with full power of his laser on the stone. If the energy is already increasing rapidly now, he should reduce the energy until the rock energy level is more or less constant. The communication of the values and the energy changes to Miner #1 is mandatory. Miner #1 is then responsible for the fine adjustment of the energy injection with his laser, while Miner #2 ideally does not need to change anything on his energy output anymore.

The leader has to give clear instructions if Miner #2 shall reduce the energy supply. It helps here to specify the exact percentage, for example: “Down to 50”. Miner #2 of course has to react fast and focused.

Search the sweet spots of the rocks with the lasers of the MOLE. © S4G / CIG

Pro Tip: If you work with standard lasers, some rocks often appear too hard to crack. The rock energy level just doesn’t want to rise, sometimes it even sinks sharply after a promising rise before. In this case, make sure

that the MOLE is close enough (optimal distance of the standard Mining Heads is 30 meters).

(optimal distance of the standard Mining Heads is 30 meters). that you slowly scan the stone with your lasers: There are often spots on the rock that facilitate the injection of energy.

that you have sufficient patience : As soon as the energy increases, let the lasers rest on the respective spots. Sometimes the energy increases very slowly until the green zone is reached.

: As soon as the energy increases, let the lasers rest on the respective spots. Sometimes the energy increases very slowly until the green zone is reached. Inject a Surge Mining Consumable if you believe that the energy injection only needs a push to rise. Also read the section Mining Consumables Overview.

A good and inexpensive interim solution until the optional purchase of a Helix II laser is the Klein-S2 or Hofstede S2. Two Mining Heads of this type should handle most resource depots well.

What do I have to pay attention to with MOLE-Mining?

A mining leader is needed and the mining process requires focus.

Communication is key in MOLE-Mining. A clear leader is needed to set the tone. This should be Miner #1 in the central mining turret below the cockpit. This station should also always have the strongest Mining Head available to you.

Miner #1 instructs the pilot how to position the spaceship. He also determines how the other two miners adjust the energy output of their lasers. Clear and easy to understand commands, which have already been explained in advance, are as important as focus.

Pro tip: If all three mining stations are manned, every miner can use a Mining Consumable to break up difficult rocks. Coordinate who puts which consumable into his mining laser. Miner #1 gives the command, who is firing his consumable and when.

After all, if a fellow miner is asleep and removes the energy from the rock too late, the pilot – assuming he hasn’t fallen asleep too – can still quickly engage reverse gear before the rock explodes.

Currently, there is no consistent and reasonable display of the scan results to all parties involved, for example when trying to decide what to extract and what to leave out. For example, if Miner #2 is targeting a piece of rock, this may overwrite the display of Miner #1, even though he is targeting another chunk.

Therefore, when extracting, let the player with the best view on all the stones figure out the percentage of resources. Either Miner #1 or all of you together decide which materials to extract. Follow my guide on the most valuable resources.

In the meantime, the others point their mining lasers somewhere where they do not generate data.

What about MOLE-Mining with four or even five people?

If you enjoy multi-crew, definitely try to do so, even if the co-pilot’s seat is largely useless at the moment. But if you want to make money, it’s pretty pointless, because the earnings are currently not balanced for four or even five players.

For the mining process itself you should proceed as described above. Miner #1 gives the commands and works on the fine tuning as soon as Miner #2 constantly supplies energy. Miner #3 is only added at direct command of Miner #1 and injects exactly as much energy as Miner #1 specifies.

View from a Mining Turret of the Argo MOLE in Star Citizen. © S4G / CIG

If every mining station has equipped a Helix II, every turret can try to crack its own resource deposit. Otherwise, a Helix II in the central mining turret and a Klein-S2 or Hofstede S2 on each of the other two stations is a good Mining Head configuration for three miners.

How do I transfer money from a joint mining run to fellow players?

Currently this is only possible by creating a beacon that is accepted by the respective player. Soon, however, a trading app will come into the game that makes money transfers possible.

Unfortunately, there is currently no proper method of sharing out the earned aUECs. As a workaround, we recommend creating a transport beacon to a specified destination (not the place where you are!). Only accept the colleague who is supposed to receive the money as a contractor. Should another player squeeze in between, cancel the job.

To be on the safe side, fly to a somewhat more distant location in the ship of the recipient of the wage, create a transport beacon back to the starting point and let yourself be transported there.

Guide to Mining Heads & Mining Consumables

The best mining laser in general is the Helix. The best value for money is Klein or Hofstede. Make sure to take always some Surge Mining Consumables with you especially when you’re mining solo.

The parameters of Mining Lasers / Mining Heads explained

The Mining Lasers or Mining Heads come with different values that affect different aspects of the mining process positively or negatively.

Mining Heads: Parameters explained Size

Determines for which mining ship the laser is suitable (as listed below).

Determines for which mining ship the laser is suitable (as listed below). Range

Shows the optimum and maximum range of the laser. Less important.

Shows the optimum and maximum range of the laser. Less important. Ectract SCU/s.

Indicates how many material per second in SCU can be transferred into the ship via the Mining Head. The higher, the better, but is generally negligible.

Indicates how many material per second in SCU can be transferred into the ship via the Mining Head. The higher, the better, but is generally negligible. Power

The amount of energy the mining laser can inject into a rock. The higher this value is, the easier it is to crack even large and resistant resource deposits. Very important value .

The amount of energy the mining laser can inject into a rock. The higher this value is, the easier it is to crack even large and resistant resource deposits. . Instability Dampening

Heißt übersetzt soviel wie “Instabilitätsdämpfung”. The higher this value is, the lower will the instability of the respective rock be and the less frequent will sudden changes in energy level of the rock occur. Important value.

Heißt übersetzt soviel wie “Instabilitätsdämpfung”. The higher this value is, the lower will the instability of the respective rock be and the less frequent will sudden changes in energy level of the rock occur. Resistance

The lower this value is, the less resistant a rock is and the easier it is to inject energy. Important value .

The lower this value is, the less resistant a rock is and the easier it is to inject energy. . All Charge Rates

Increases or decreases the charging speed of the Fracturing Sensor and Overcharge Sensor. For example, a high value has a positive effect when you are in the green area of the Rock Energy Level Bar and is quite bad when you get into the red area. A low value means that you have to keep the energy level in the green area for longer, but if you get into the overcharge area, the corresponding sensor will increase more slowly.

Increases or decreases the charging speed of the Fracturing Sensor and Overcharge Sensor. For example, a high value has a positive effect when you are in the green area of the Rock Energy Level Bar and is quite bad when you get into the red area. A low value means that you have to keep the energy level in the green area for longer, but if you get into the overcharge area, the corresponding sensor will increase more slowly. Optimal Charge Rate

A high value will cause the Fracturing Sensor to rise faster if you keep the energy in the green area of the Rock Energy Level Bar. Very important value , because you can crack very unstable rocks faster.

A high value will cause the Fracturing Sensor to rise faster if you keep the energy in the green area of the Rock Energy Level Bar. , because you can crack very unstable rocks faster. Catastrophic Charge Rate

The higher the value, the faster the Overcharge Sensor Meter will increase if you overload the rock. Not so important if you stay away from the red area.

The higher the value, the faster the Overcharge Sensor Meter will increase if you overload the rock. Not so important if you stay away from the red area. Optimal Charge Window Size

The higher the value, the larger is the green zone in the Rock Energy Level Bar. Important value .

The higher the value, the larger is the green zone in the Rock Energy Level Bar. . Throttle Responsiveness Delay

High values mean that your changes in Energy injection are delayed, and the Mining Laser reacts slower to your input. Very important value , especially when mining very unstable rocks.

High values mean that your changes in Energy injection are delayed, and the Mining Laser reacts slower to your input. , especially when mining very unstable rocks. Consumable Slots

Mining consumables can be placed in slots of your mining laser if available. When activated, they will affect the rock or various laser stats. You can find all the information about this in the Mining Consumables Overview.

Mining consumables can be placed in slots of your mining laser if available. When activated, they will affect the rock or various laser stats. You can find all the information about this in the Mining Consumables Overview. Shatter Damage

The higher the value, the higher the damage when a rock is overcharged and explodes.

The higher the value, the higher the damage when a rock is overcharged and explodes. Price

Do I really have to explain this?

Mining laser / Mining heads overview

Below is my chart of currently available Mining Heads in Star Citizen. You can get them for example in Lorville by using the trading console at Tammany and Sons. In New Babbage you get mining lasers at the console in front of Shubin Interstellar (Plaza). Please note which Mining Heads fit on which ship.

Ship Mining Head Size MISC Prospector S1 Argo MOLE S1, S2

Mining Laser / Mining Heads Chart excellent can be both positive and negative purely negative For the complete chart please scroll to the side. Special thanks for support with the mining consumables data goes to: RapidDarkVenom (Discord)

Mining Consumables Overview

The mining heads already presented above have different numbers of slots for consumables. Mining Consumables fit in these slots which have a certain influence on the mining process for a short time. For example, the currently most expensive Mining Consumable “Optimum” provides up to five times a doubling of the “Green Zone”, but also increases heat generation.

Note that some of the Mining Consumables have charges, so they can be used multiple times. You can also swap consumables at any time in mobiGlas in the space ship manager, even on site.

Mining Consumables: Parameters explained Size

Determines for which mining ship the laser is suitable. Size 1 fits in Prospector and MOLE, Size 2 is not yet available.

Determines for which mining ship the laser is suitable. Size 1 fits in Prospector and MOLE, Size 2 is not yet available. Grade

Probably there will be quality grades at some point. Currently irrelevant.

Probably there will be quality grades at some point. Currently irrelevant. Resistance

Indicates the percentage by which the resistance of a rock is increased or decreased.

Indicates the percentage by which the resistance of a rock is increased or decreased. Instability

Indicates the percentage by which the instability of a rock is increased or decreased.

Indicates the percentage by which the instability of a rock is increased or decreased. Charge Window Rate

This is probably the speed at which the Rock Energy level can rise. (Needs verification)

This is probably the speed at which the Rock Energy level can rise. Charge Window Level

Probably means the reached Rock Energy Level. For example, the Rime Consumable can immediately reduce this level by 50 percent if we have gone too far into the red.

Probably means the reached Rock Energy Level. For example, the Rime Consumable can immediately reduce this level by 50 percent if we have gone too far into the red. Optimal Charge Window Size

Indicates the size of the Green Zone, i.e. the green colored area that positively influences the Fracture Sensor.

Indicates the size of the Green Zone, i.e. the green colored area that positively influences the Fracture Sensor. Heat Generation

This probably refers to the heat development which leads to higher wear of the mining head. (Needs verification)

This probably refers to the heat development which leads to higher wear of the mining head. Signature Size

The larger the ships signature, the easier it is to detect a Miner. (Needs Verification)

The larger the ships signature, the easier it is to detect a Miner. Catastrophical Charge Rate

Indicates the speed at which the Overcharge Sensor fills up when we start playing in the red area again.

Indicates the speed at which the Overcharge Sensor fills up when we start playing in the red area again. Shatter Damage

Indicates the increase or decrease in damage caused by an exploding rock when we overload it.

Indicates the increase or decrease in damage caused by an exploding rock when we overload it. Duration

Duration of effect of the consumable.

Duration of effect of the consumable. Charges

Quantity of charges that determines how often we can use the consumable. The total price has to be divided by the amount of charges to determine the cost-effectiveness. Or just look at our chart below.

Mining Consumables Chart excellent can be both positive and negative purely negative For the complete chart please scroll to the side.

Mining guide on foot: This is how FPS or hand mining works

You have equipped your Pyro RYT Multitool with the Ore Bit Mining-Attachement via the MobiGlas (Equipment)? You bought MacFlex Arms Orange “Backpack” Core? You are on a moon or asteroid and want to loot a Hadanite deposit? Read here how the mining works on foot (in First Person Sight).

FPS mining in Star Citizen not only looks damn good, it’s fun too! © S4G / CIG

Depth scan via multitool

If you pull your multitool with the “4” key (default setting) and then right-click to switch to mining mode and aim for a resource depot, a depth scan will start which will bring you the following information (see green box in the picture below, from bottom to top):

Composition

Identifies the gemstone or ore you are trying to mine.

Mass

Specifies the quantity of raw materials to be extracted. For example, the value 0.10 indicates that 10 gems can be expected from this stone.

Instability

How much the energy feed into the stone is fluctuating is indicated here. The higher the value, the higher fluctuations can occur and the quicker you have to react by changing the energy input.

Resistance

Indicates how much energy is needed to crack the stone. If about 0.5 is displayed, the energy level of the rock remains constant at about 50%. However, this also depends on the instability of the rock.

The box on the right contains all information about the stone and its composition. The arrow at the bottom points to the area with your energy input, the arrow at the left points to the “Green Zone” which the energy level has to reach. © S4G / CIG

Mining resource deposits with the Multitool

Energy injection via multitool laser

When Mining Mode of the Multitool is activated (right click), energy is injected into the stone by clicking left. The right bar in the middle of the display shows you how much energy you are currently pumping into the rock. You increase the energy output using the mouse wheel. “Mouse wheel up” increases the energy output, “Mouse wheel down” reduces it. Unfortunately, you can’t put the energy supply on the HOTAS-Throttle, like with spaceship mining.

The left middle bar, the battery indicator, is currently always filled. Later you will have to recharge the tool, probably with batteries.

The increase or decrease of energy input via Multitool is done moving the mouse wheel. © S4G / CIG

Your goal is to move and keep the white arrow, the energy level, within the sweet spot or the so-called “green zone” on the left side. The green zone is marked by the two lines in the middle. If the energy level is in between, a green bar grows. If it is filled, the rock breaks and reveals its treasures.

Sensitivity at the Multitool: Adjustment of the energy feed

You can’t really fine-tune the energy input right now, but have to work with forceful turns on the mouse wheel. Note that the higher the Energy Marker rises, the faster it rises. Nevertheless, depending on the instability level, it can be difficult to keep the energy marker in the green zone, as sudden jumps can often occur.

You can only counter these with some anticipation by turning the mouse wheel back quickly and strongly just before you expect a new jump in the energy level. If the energy level drops too quickly, you’ll have to turn the mouse wheel back up just as vigorously so that the green bar doesn’t sink too much.

Pro tip: If you rapidly and clearly exceed the Green Zone and the rock begins to overload, move the laser away from the rock, lower the energy output a little and wait a moment. Then place the laser back on the rock. You should now be able to control the energy level again. Always remember that patience is a virtue — if you want too much too fast, you run the risk of everything blowing up.

Collecting the Resources / Gems

If the rock breaks as planned, it releases a number of gems that you can target. Press “F” (default setting) and select “Stow” to store the loot in your inventory.

We are currently inspecting this Hadanite gemstone. We can also store the fat gem in our inventory. © S4G / CIG

The future of mining in Star Citizen

At some point in the future, the Prospector and the MOLE should be able to drop their containers. Transport ships such as the Caterpillar can load the containers into their cargo holds using a tractor beam and transport the extracted resources away, while the Mining Ships continue to mine.

This concept shows that the Prospector should be able to uncouple its containers later. © Cloud Imperium Games

Mining-Plattform Orion: From miner to industrial magnate

According to CIG, the current implementation of the mining profession is only the first and basic version. Back in February 2015, the developers published a detailed design concept for extensive mining gameplay. We will now introduce the concept briefly. Please remember, however, that the gameplay presented here may differ from the final implementation. We will update new information as soon as we receive it.

This concept includes, for example, large-scale scanning of asteroid fields in which the Orion mining platform can poach. The huge industrial ship will be about 170 meters long and capable of carrying over 16,000 SCU. It requires a crew of four to seven men to function properly. The most important roles for players (or NPCs, which will cost a lot of money) are planned as follows:

Pilot The Orion pilot of course ensures that the platform reaches a place where resources can be mined. Within asteroid fields he is responsible for navigating and positioning the ship without accidents. He will probably be able to somehow stabilize the Orion for the mining process to enable the beam operator to precisely control the mining laser. If necessary, the pilot can adjust the position of the platform so that the crew can find the best angle for the scan or mining process.

The concept of the mining platform RSI Orion. This spaceship takes mining to a whole new level. © CIG

Scan Operator In this role, a player tries to find lucrative asteroids. For this purpose, he injects so-called RMAPs (Remote Material Analysis Packages) into the asteroids. The injection process is carried out by special rockets. To find a suitable injection point, the operator has to scan the surface of the asteroid. Once he has found a suitable point and calculated the correct angle, a rocket is launched, which the scan operator must steer manually to the injection point. The material the asteroid is made of, the angle at which the missile strikes and the speed of impact determine whether or not an injection was successful. Successfully injected RMAPs then provide information about the composition of the asteroid. Beam Operator The beam operator is responsible for controlling the mining lasers. There are several of them, which are attached to robot arms at the front of the Orion and can disassemble asteroids into handy pieces. Similar to what we know from the Prospector, the beam operator can manipulate the power of the mining lasers and control the energy supply. The player must pay extra attention to the composition of the asteroid: In addition to solid materials such as gold, copper, etc., gas inclusions or liquid resources are also supposed to be hidden in asteroids. If the beam operator pushes massive amounts of energy into a gas pocket, the consequences can be quite explosive and therefore catastrophic. In addition to monitoring the energy supply, the beam operator also needs to be aware of seismic waves that may be triggered during the mining process and which can also lead to undesired chain reactions.

With several mining lasers on robot arms, the Orion will be able to process several asteroids at the same time. © CIG

Cargo Operator The cargo operator monitors the so-called entry port via a console on the ship’s bridge. There is a heavy crusher that shreds the fragments extracted from the asteroids and transfers them to the inside of the Orion. The fragments of rock entering the crusher are selected by the cargo operator himself using a special tractor beam system. He can identify the exact composition of the fragment and thus prioritize particularly lucrative fragments. A certain degree of skill is supposed to be necessary for the successful operation of the console and the tractor beam system. Refinery Operator This player serves the ship’s refinery. Raw ore is converted into refined material, which is then stored in Orion’s freight containers. Unwanted elements such as dust or worthless rock, on the other hand, can be blown out into space, which, in contrast to the current mining mechanics with the Prospector, saves considerable space and time. The refinery operator has to guide the raw ore through a number of different processing plants. Operating errors in the finishing process can lead to equipment failures and the need for maintenance or ultimately to lower yields.

Production chains in Star Citizen: The road ahead

Mining in its small (for example with the Prospector) and large form (as planned with the Orion) should only be part of the economic cycle in Star Citizen in the future. Mining represents the beginning of a (possible!) production chain: This is where the raw material is extracted.

The mining ship itself or a transport ship takes over the first part of the logistics and delivers the material either to a refinery or (if the ship is equipped with a refinery) takes the refined materials directly to a factory that produces intermediate products (spaceship parts, weapon parts, attachments). Materials from refineries would of course also have to be delivered by transport ships to factories.

The intermediate products could then in turn be delivered to factories for end products, these end products in turn to stations or landing zones. This would create a very complex economic system in which demand and supply in each section of the production chain would enable a (at least partially) player-driven economy.