Mining is a chain of decisions: find a suitable deposit, determine whether it can be fractured safely, extract worthwhile material, refine it when appropriate and choose where to sell or use the result.

Mining links

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What changed in Alpha 4.9

The Alpha 4.9 release notes increased ship mining laser power by about 20 percent and introduced experimental scanning changes intended to make materials easier to find. That makes old power assumptions and signature advice worth checking again before copying a pre-4.9 loadout.

A mining run from start to finish

1. Prepare: choose the ship, mining head, modules and gadgets for the mass and resistance you expect.
2. Search: scan at useful ranges and compare the signature with current deposit information.
3. Assess: check mass, instability, resistance, composition and the space needed to retreat safely.
4. Fracture: keep the charge in the safe zone and avoid chasing speed when the rock becomes unstable.
5. Extract: take valuable material first and leave inert mass when capacity or travel time matters.
6. Refine or sell: compare the raw sale with refinery yield, cost, duration and the eventual delivery route.

Ship, head, module and gadget choices

There is no single best mining fit. A forgiving setup is useful while learning the charge window, while a high-output setup can be better for an experienced crew tackling difficult deposits. Compare the entire fit rather than one headline figure: power, resistance reduction, instability, optimal range, module charges and crew coordination all affect the result.

Prospector and MOLE preparation

A Prospector is easier to operate alone and can leave quickly with a partial load. A MOLE becomes stronger when the pilot and turret operators share scan results, assign rocks and agree who controls the final charge. A disorganised crew can waste more time than the extra lasers save.

Refinery decisions

The highest yield process is not automatically the best choice. Consider processing time, fee, terminal location, the cargo ship needed at collection and where the refined material will be sold. A lower-yield process can be sensible when it frees the refinery job sooner or avoids holding credits and cargo for too long.

Mining now feeds crafting as well as trade

Blueprints and fabrication make some resources useful before they reach a commodity terminal. Check current blueprint requirements before automatically selling every load. A material with a modest cash price may still be the missing ingredient for equipment you intend to make.

Keep old charts in perspective

Older charts can still explain rock types or the shape of a mining workflow, but exact locations, signatures and values are patch-sensitive. Prefer tools that identify the live build, and confirm an expensive loadout or long trip against current game data.

Related Star Citizen resources

Crafting & Engineering · Hauling & Trade · Ships & Fleet · Exploration & Maps.