Prospector mining is a crucial activity for those looking to extract valuable minerals from the surfaces of moons. Pilots need to understand which minerals are worth mining and how to efficiently gather them.

Focusing on the moon’s surface, certain ores like quantanium, beelite, gold, and tanite stand out for their high value.

Mining quantanium, while profitable, comes with risks due to its volatility.

Among the best locations for mining are Sellon in Crusader and Cleo in Microtech, each offering a different set of advantages.

Equipped with the right knowledge and gear, miners can maximize their profits by strategically selecting when and where to mine.

Key Takeaways

• Quantanium offers high value but is volatile and time-sensitive.
• Sellon in Crusader and Cleo in Microtech are top mining locations.
• Proper equipment selection is crucial for efficient mining.

Prospector Overview

Apite Paint Scheme

The Prospector comes with the unique Apite Paint Scheme, featuring a sleek blend of colors. This design includes a striking purple tint to the windshield, which adds a touch of style.

The exterior sports a refined gray gunmetal finish, giving it a robust and industrial look. This distinctive appearance not only stands out visually but also sets the tone for serious mining operations.

Mining Theory

Understanding Reference Guides

In the video by Thunderballs, reference guides play a crucial role in preparing for prospector mining. Though the guides are somewhat outdated, they still offer valuable insights.

They help miners identify which ores are worth investing time in. Quantanium, beelite, gold, and tanite are highlighted as the best ores to mine.

These guides also talk about the properties of the ores, such as density and instability, which affect mining efficiency.

Acknowledging Red Monster Gaming

Red Monster Gaming is appreciated for creating these helpful guides. While the guides may not be the latest version, they remain a great resource for understanding mining techniques and ore values.

Following these guides can significantly improve a miner’s efficiency and profitability. By focusing on the information provided, miners can make more informed decisions, leading to better mining outcomes.

Determining Ore Value

To identify which ores are worth mining, it is crucial to focus on their potential value and characteristics.

The primary ores to consider are Quantanium, Beelite, Gold, and Tanite. These are known as Tier One ores and offer the highest return per unit when sold. Here’s a breakdown of important points:

• Quantanium: Volatile and valuable. Once mined, a 25-minute timer starts. If it expires, the Quantanium will detonate, requiring either immediate refining or jettisoning.
• Beelite, Gold, Tanite: These ores have high market value and are less volatile than Quantanium.

Ore	Value	Volatility	Density	Optimal Window Thinness	Instability	Resistance
Quantanium	High	Very High (25 min)	Medium	Low	High	Medium
Beelite	High	Low	High	Medium	Medium	Low
Gold	High	Low	Low	High	Low	Medium
Tanite	High	Low	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium

Mining Quantanium requires quick transport to a refinery due to its volatility.

For efficient mining, prioritize ores based on their composition within rocks, focusing on those with 30% or more of the desired minerals.

For locating the best mining spots:

• Sellin in Crusader: Highest Quantanium concentration.
• Yellow in Crusader: Higher chances for Beelite, Gold, and Tanite.

When refining, consider the travel distance and yield benefits:

• ML2 Refinery: Offers the best yield bonuses (9% for Gold and Beelite, 1% for Quantanium).
• CrewL1 Refinery: Closer but with a yield loss (6%) which might be offset by the efficiency gained in travel time.

Using the Prospector mining ship, make sure the mass index of the rocks is manageable.

Rocks with a mass index in the low to mid-twos are ideal.

The process involves selecting the right mining laser based on optimal range, power, and module slots to maximize efficiency and safety.

Valuable Materials to Mine

Top-Grade Minerals

When prospecting on a moon’s surface, certain minerals stand out due to their value. Quantanium tops the list with its high profit margin. Following close are Beelite, Gold, and Tanite.

These four are classified as top-grade minerals. They offer high returns per standard extraction unit (SEU) upon sale.

Handling Unstable Quantanium

Quantanium is highly valuable but comes with risks. Once it is mined and stored in the prospector, a timer begins, allowing only 25 minutes to reach a refinery.

If the timer runs out, the Quantanium becomes dangerous, potentially causing an explosion.

To avoid this, miners can either store their ship at a refinery or jettison the cargo if unable to reach safety in time.

Mineral Attributes

Estimated Density

Estimated density measures how heavy the mineral is compared to the amount that can be extracted. A higher density means you’ll get less material per unit of weight.

Instability

Instability indicates how volatile the material is during extraction. Higher instability means the mineral is more prone to sudden changes, making it harder to mine.

Resistance

Resistance shows how tough the mineral is to break and process. Higher resistance requires more effort and stronger equipment to fracture the material.

Optimal Window Thinness

The optimal window thinness indicates how narrow the best timing window is for mining the material. A higher number means a smaller, more precise window for optimal extraction.

Explosion Multiplier

The explosion multiplier refers to how much damage a fragmenting ore will cause if it explodes. A higher multiplier leads to more significant damage upon explosion.

Cluster Factor

Cluster factor determines the likelihood of finding the mineral in clusters. A higher number means an increased probability of locating multiple deposits of the mineral together.

Mining Strategy

Focusing on High-Value Materials

Mining on moon surfaces with a prospector begins with identifying the materials that offer the best return.

The most valuable ores include quantanium, beelite, gold, and tanite.

Quantanium is particularly lucrative but comes with the challenge of a 25-minute timer on volatility. If not refined or stored within this timeframe, the cargo could be lost.

• Quantanium: Exceptional value but highly volatile. Must be handled quickly.
• Beelite, Gold, Tanite: Valuable and safer to mine.

Density, Stability, and Resistance

When evaluating ores, it’s important to understand their physical properties. These factors impact mining efficiency:

• Density: Higher density means less yield by volume.
• Instability: Higher values indicate greater difficulty in maintaining control during extraction.
• Resistance: Higher resistance means harder to mine and break down.

Optimal Conditions

To get the most out of mining operations:

• Cluster Factor: Indicates the concentration of material in a given area.
• Explosion Multiplier: Higher values result in greater damage if an explosion occurs.

Focusing on ores with higher percentages of desired materials ensures better efficiency. Generally, ores with at least 30% of quantanium, beelite, gold, or tanite should be prioritized.

Mining prospector users are advised to refine their ores at stations where they can get the best yield-to-efficiency ratio.

For instance, although refining at ML2 offers higher bonuses, CRU-L1 offers quicker turnarounds, which can ultimately lead to more frequent and profitable mining runs.

Selling and Refining

Choosing Refining vs. Immediate Sale

When a prospector mines materials like quantanium, beelite, gold, and tanite on a moon’s surface, they face an important choice: refine the ores or sell them right away.

Quantanium, while highly valuable, is volatile and begins a 25-minute countdown once mined. This time constraint requires miners to swiftly decide whether to take it to a refinery or jettison the cargo if they can’t make it in time.

Minerals are graded based on their density, instability, resistance, and more, influencing the decision.

For instance, quantanium offers high returns per unit but carries a risk due to its volatility. Miners often prioritize ores with 30% or higher composition in the rock for extraction.

Refining ores at a refinery results in higher profits but also incurs costs and takes time.

If miners don’t have enough credits for refining operations, selling raw materials can still be profitable, albeit at roughly half the price of refined goods.

For those prospecting on places like Sellon in Crusader, ore collection efficiency is crucial.

Sellon, favored for its higher quantanium yield, offers an advantageous mining location due to its average mass index which suits the prospector vessel.

Refinery choices impact yield significantly. For top-tier minerals, ML2 offers a notable boost, particularly for gold and beelite but at the cost of extra travel time.

Crew L1, closer to Sellon, presents a compromise with a slight loss in yield offset by higher efficiency.

Mining Locations

Choosing a Moon for Mining

For efficient mining, selecting the right moon is crucial.

Selin in the Crusader system is a prime location, especially for those aiming to mine quantanium. It has the highest probability of quantanium deposits compared to other locations. Even though quantanium is rare and volatile, its high value makes it worth the effort.

Yellow, also in the Crusader system, offers different opportunities.

It has slightly higher percentages of beelite, gold, and tanite compared to Selin.

When considering all tier-one materials, Yellow has a slight edge in overall average percentages. However, the higher chance of finding quantanium on Selin often makes it the preferred choice for miners.

Importance of Mass Index Range

Mass index range is another critical factor in choosing a mining location.

The prospector, being a smaller mining ship, requires rocks within a specific mass index range that it can handle efficiently.

Ideal mass index ranges for the prospector fall within the low to mid-twos.

Selin and Yellow both offer suitable mass index ranges for prospector mining. Selin has slightly higher average mass indexes but still falls within acceptable limits for the prospector.

Miners can target these moons to optimize their mining runs, making sure their ship can handle the rocks they encounter.

Refinery Recommendations

Choosing the right refinery is crucial to maximize profits. Here’s a breakdown to help guide decisions:

• M L2 offers the best bonuses. It gives 9% extra yield on Gold and Beex, and 1% on Quantanium. This could significantly increase profits.
• CrewL1 is closer to Sellon. Although it provides 6% fewer bonuses, the shorter travel time means additional mining runs can compensate for the reduced yield.

Recommended Refinery for Maximum Yield

Mineral	Refinery	Bonus Yield	Travel Time
Gold	M L2	+9%	Long
Beex	M L2	+9%	Long
Quantanium	M L2	+1%	Long
All minerals	CrewL1	-6%	Short, increased trips

Efficiency vs. Yield

• Efficiency Choice: Stick to CrewL1 if aiming for quicker turnover and overall higher production.
• Yield Choice: Use M L2 for maximizing returns per load, especially valuable with large amounts of high-value ores.

Practical Recommendations

1. For miners consistently bringing in high-value loads: Choose M L2.
2. For miners focusing on speed and volume: Choose CrewL1.

Calculating the balance between travel time and refining bonuses ensures optimal production strategy.

Equipment Choices

Selecting the Best Mining Laser

When deciding on the appropriate mining laser, several factors come into play. The six available mining lasers each come in size one and size two variants.

Determining the right laser involves evaluating various metrics:

• Optimal Range
• Maximum Range
• Minimum and Maximum Power
• Extraction Power
• Module Slots

Here is a comparison table for these factors:

Laser Type	Optimal Range	Maximum Range	Min Power	Max Power	Extraction Power	Module Slots
Type A	20m	50m	5MW	20MW	10 units/hr	3
Type B	25m	55m	6MW	25MW	12 units/hr	2
Type C	30m	60m	7MW	30MW	15 units/hr	3
Type D	35m	65m	8MW	35MW	8 units/hr	4
Type E	40m	70m	10MW	40MW	20 units/hr	2
Type F	45m	75m	12MW	45MW	25 units/hr	1

Evaluate the needs based on these metrics to select the most efficient laser for your prospector. Power and extraction rates should align with the minerals targeted, while module slots allow for customization and enhancement.