Laser Mining Revolution!

[@TimothyGabbert-v4q]

Thanks for the vid! I was wondering if I wanted to bother getting the pre-engineered mining lasers then saw your video which answered my questions. 😊 -Flatspace

[@HPmcDoogle]

Man if only this setup had existed back when i was exploring with my (now decommissioned) carrier. I had brought some friends with me on an exploration trip one of them REALLY wanted to go... and i barely got any help fueling the carrier i had to do it all my self, and eventually when we ran completely dry on fuel for the carrier and the stores were tapped, they just stopped playing. So i had to do all of the work for little movement. This method might actually bring me back to mining.

[@ruffleif8381]

That's our hope and why we work on this. Did you check the video on how to find the good spots? And we have a layer on ED Astro with verified hotspots, although some of them might need review as we've learned stuff along the way...

[@HPmcDoogle]

@@ruffleif8381 I have not checked the video, i will today though.

[@BreechBangClear]

Not sure what the revolution is here. This build is old news

[@ruffleif8381]

Well it was new to us... Thought we'd share it as we've all been around for a while and not heard of it.

[@jasperlit1345]

@@ruffleif8381 Most folks will mine Tritium off of their carrier when they have to, not a lot of reasons to mine it otherwise, even if you could get 500t + an hour like with Platinum it still sells for much less. That being said if you want to laser mine this build does work great! My similar Corvette build runs 5 class two and 2 class one pre-engineered mining lasers allowing it to burns down rocks in about 17 seconds, and I also use 20 collectors. I was using this build over 2 1/2 years ago just after I was awarded 2 class one pre-engineered mining lasers in a CG, then when the pre-engineered mining lasers became widely available around 2 years ago I built a T-10 with 3 class two's and 6 pre engineered class one's. So the build isnt really new, but the process of taking advantage of the long range pre-engineered lasers to start pre-mining the next asteroid is something I did not consider back then. T-10 2 years ago> kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ-ynKaseMd6odE

[@styln2nyt]

I didn't want to be rude, but yea...I've been doing this build since around 2019/20. but it was back during the gold rush days of Low-Temp Diamonds, and of course VOID OPALS!! I made my Billions (Carriers didnt exist). I guess since a lot of us "old heads" left the game, it seems like a lot of old things are new again. its all fun though, Its not like I woke up and knew what to do, I had to learn from somewhere to. I think it was "Down to earth Astronomy" vids where I learned all my mining. But I dont think he makes ED vids anymore? anyway, long rant. sorry, just seen this video and I was like....huh? Am I ahead of my time, and Should I have been making Tutorials all these years? coming back to ED to see these changes. o7 commanders

[@jasperlit1345]

@@styln2nyt I believe the build is different than yours was as it runs 7 lasers, 4 of them are the pre-engineered 1D mining lasers that were 1st available from a community goal the last week of October 2021, well after LTD's and Void Opals were heavily nerfed. The pre-engineered 1D mining lasers are the main reason this build is so good, as you can run 4 of them with 3 class 2's, and also start mining the next rock (as far as 2.5km away with no damage fall off) while waiting for collectors to finish up. o7

[@papabrou]

Interesting, not sure why I never thought of this, but you are correct, since it takes 3 small to produce fragments at the same speed as a medium, but for the same distro draw as a med you can run 4 small mod, you effectively gain the output of a small laser. It does make sense for plat mining but for trit it might be worth it to bring seismic charges, abrasion blaster and maybe even ssd missiles to be able to blow a core/ssd if you stumble on one, especially since your use the PWA already. 😉 If you are actually getting 350t/h, that means you're filling your 250t in less than 45 minutes, you might want to bring more cargo and stay in the ring for longer, even if your play sessions are only 45 minutes since you're in the black you could logoff in the ring and just continue where you left off in your next session without spawning pirates as long as you're far enough from the bubble... You could fit another 256t, with 13 collector which should be more than enough if you are close to the rock and that even lets you get 4 active prospectors. I noticed that your shields are thermal resistant, if it's for deep space mining it should never be shot at, the only usage of the shields is basically braking, asteroids collisions are absolute damage so the shield and boosters should all be reinforced/heavy duty. if you have the Prismatic Shields unlocked they are great for that, they recharge slow but you'll probably be done mining before you get past their 14k absolute hit points unless you boost into every rock. Would look something like this on EDSY /s/vXl4Nd5 Oh almost forgot, in case you didn't know, you can disable the voice message that says "Prospector Failed" every time you shoot a new one and the old one dies, under Options, Audio, Expand Voice volume, Ship Voice Vol, Limpet and set Prospector to Off. o7

[@guhak]

The main reason few ships ever tried it was that most large ships could fit enough mediums to their distro as to run out of spare hard points to make the 1-4 conversion feasible. That and people wouldn’t believe in the potential starting time benefits from mining at long range while you approach into medium laser distance allowing your collectors to start collecting sooner than going to medium range first. Granted with lithobraking setups and needing to wait for prospectors to engage it *is* true that you probably only get a fragment or two to pop out from the anaemic size 1 rates by the time you’re within 500 metres… On average 4 size 1’s generate 0.56 fragments a second and if you do a 500m/s boost you’re at the rock within 2-4 seconds assuming you’re within 2km of your next rock always. The lasers can start as far out as 4km but idk if that would practically matter with prospectors. Maybe with a wing of prospectors.

[@ruffleif8381]

o7! For Trit we've found this build to be the fastest, and just about only viable, way to do pure laser mining. Combining SSD+laser is still faster, check my video with the Vette. Abrasion blaster is a wasted hardpoint, even if the fragments are good. It takes too much time. No trit in core, so seismic not needed. My shield is good enough, so haven't bothered re-engineering, but you're right. Trit yield is low, so the 20 collectors absolutely a must for getting some speed, hence the lower cargo space. Feel free to join our server for more discussion, search squadron STLC on Inara.

[@therealbahamut]

I kinda wish laser mining actually DID something. Like if I cut a solid ring across that asteroid that goes through it, it'd be cool to see it cut in half. Or maybe I configure my lasers to converge on a point and then spin my ship so I slice out a cone. I know ED doesn't really have the infrastructure for that but it'd make laser mining a lot more fun. It's why we love core mining; something actually HAPPENS.

[@tenryuta]

sadly im not sure the engine can handle geomod like that(or whatever the tech is for making new tex to fit the changed poly's/models is)

[@proteuzgaming6206]

Very interested about the info regarding pulse wave analyser and laser mining. I would assume this holds true for platinum too? Gonna give it a go this weekend.

[@ruffleif8381]

Nice! While we're not so interested in Platinum as we're mostly out in the void, we're very interested in that attitude. And this is experience only, not properly tested. Check in with STLC (link on Inara) and share your results!

[@proteuzgaming6206]

@@ruffleif8381 will do CMDR. I did not see the discord link on Inara... Possible that I missed it but I found it in the video description. I'll report in after some mining sessions.

[@guhak]

I’m sure you know this, but just as a clarification note the damage on a mining laser means absolutely nothing to mining. The class 1 lasers are around 1/3rd as fast at depleting as a class 2 mining laser is, and this applies equally to the pre-engineered ones too. However, you can fit four pre-engineered in the same distributor energy as one class 2, allowing you to get 1.333… class 2 lasers at the cost of three additional hard points. Not 5 which seems to be what the video was saying. Considering it seems even with 20 limpets you’re collector gated rather than laser mining time gated I guess it’s not that important though that the 4 medium + 3 small setup would mine faster (not sure you’d even have the distributor to sustain that many lasers anyway, didn’t bother checking). I’m guessing with your group’s data it was found that subsurface launchers weren’t worth using for speed? I know a lot of people in the eliteminers Reddit were exploring using subsurface launchers with the tritium highway mapping projects, some saying it was how they were getting as fast as they could. Since if the SSDs were worth using someone could run 4 mediums + a few subsurface launchers (for ammo). I’m also really curious about the PWA part, how large a dataset did y’all compile to find a statistically significant increase in yield% near glowing rocks? Would love to see the numbers on this. I don’t remember if k saw this in the eliteminers community Reddit, could be worth posting there to get the word out. Mining in advance using the long range of the class 1’s has long been something I was thinking could be more efficient but seldom got people to actually try it out / think it was worth using…

[@ruffleif8381]

o7 commander! Search STLC on Inara, you'll find a link to our Discord. It'll be easier to discuss the details there. Thing is, there are many parameters that interact and play together. Briefly, the record for SSD + laser mining with Vette (check my other videos) is 520 tph. Just laser with the Cutter is 410 tph. Nobody we know has done Tritium laser mining faster than 300 tph with just regular lasers. But ring variation is very significant, so this cannot be done in most rings anyhow. You'd be very welcome to join our group. Seems like you've got some insights already!

[@w3yr]

It seems like 4 med 3 small is possible with a max-engineered PD (Weapon Focused, Super Conduits or Cluster Cap) but it seems like that same PD could support 5 mediums just as well.

[@ruffleif8381]

@@w3yr Nope. On a Vette/Conda yes, but The Cutter needs the reduced distro draw from the modified mining lasers. And the Cutter can fit 20 collectors.

[@guhak]

⁠@@w3yrnot for the 7A PD the cutter has, it can support 4m+3s for 18s whereas a 42 fragment rock (max size) would take 20s on average for that configuration so you’ll stutter. A 4m+2s+1ssd setup though can be supported with only about 0.5seconds of stutter fire on the 42 fragment rocks while being around 0.14 fragments/s faster than the 3m+4s setup for laser. Alternatively drop another size 1 for 2ssd’s to keep around the same laser rate (in exchange for less pre-mining at distance)

[@guhak]

@@ruffleif8381I’m honestly pretty surprised you’re so collector gated. Unless tritium specifically has different fragment mechanics that I’m unaware of, against a 42 fragment asteroid your 3m+4s setup would deplete in 23 seconds of full firing (since you start early your total time mining is a bit more but that’s mostly modulated by how fast you travel between rocks which with lithobraking should go decently). If we modeled this as all the rocks just dropping at the start of the lasers and you had 23 seconds to pick them up, that would give you 1.82 seconds per fragment round trip for a single limpet. You have 20 limpets so that scales linearly to *36.5s* per limpet round trip. You’re trying to be out of there within 23 seconds so that’s overkill. Making matters worse, they *dont* drop all at once. You only generate 1.82 fragments per second on average. So you’ve only saturated your 20 limpets by around the 11 second mark, but in that time normally at least 3 of your limpets or so (depending on distance) should have finished a round trip, meaning they’d re-enter the queue and you would actually not be at saturation yet. I’m not actually sure you’re generating fragments fast enough to ever reach saturation of no limpet left idle provided being close enough. What I’m missing I guess must be that the cutter configuration just doesn’t generate anything even resembling a coherent stream of rocks at close range so as to make it more likely limpets will have to travel further than ideal, but even with that the mean time needed per 20 limpets seems still too high for your setup, 15 limpets or so should still have more lead time than your 23 seconds need… And since your hold is less than the per hour figure you’re presumably extrapolating an average across many sessions so I’m curious the statistics there versus having just had more hold

[@SinNombreYQueWea]

Can you post the build in coriolis? My brain just doesn't work with EDSY

[@ruffleif8381]

Sorry, that would show the build wrong. Coriolis isn't able to display the modified mining lasers correctly, and will display those as regular class 1.

[@SinNombreYQueWea]

@@ruffleif8381 I guess I'll have to temporarily stop being retarded for a second here

[@makroshlyta]

This laser is some kind of CG reward?

[@ruffleif8381]

No. It's a purchaseble tech broker module in LTT 198. You need to first get allied with Torval Mining LTD, then get the permit from megaship Orchestral Falcon in Tavgi system. Worth the hassle!

[@MarkYale]

I’ve never spent much time mining. What do you primarily do with all the collected mats? Sell on a carrier? Sell to market? Refuel? All of the above?

[@ruffleif8381]

You could use this build to mine Platinum fast and sell to stations or carriers in the Bubble. I mine in the void, and fuel my own carrier like this. There are also STAR Initiative depots that need resupply, and at the mining speeds we're getting it's faster to mine than return to the Bubble for resupply missions that are further than 30k ly out, if you're already out there.

[@Agora2021]

Can this be done in anything other than a Cutter? I really don't want to have to grind down the Imperial rankings.

[@ruffleif8381]

I actually haven't tried the Vette. It'll have less collectors, but more agility and even faster rock depletion. The cl8 WF distro should handle 5/2 regular/modlasers, or at least 4/3 beautifully. Conda has more hardpoints so will be fastest at depleting rocks, but will then struggle with collection due to worse internals. Join us in STLC (search on Inara and follow invite there), then let us know your experience!

[@zeazevedo]

Have you tried mining lance beams?

[@ruffleif8381]

Actually, that's the only powerplay module I never bothered with. Would love to hear if it's actually any different from the tech broker...

[@prisonerofthehighway1059]

Mining lance’s only benefit is range. It pays for it heavily with power draw.

[@prisonerofthehighway1059]

@jocl7159 been gone a long time. I don’t think you could engineer mining beams when I left but I could be wrong.

[@jasperlit1345]

@@prisonerofthehighway1059 Compared to the pre-engineered 1D's the mining lances are very inferior, their damage fall off starts at 500m and their range is 2km, the pre engineered ones have 2.5 km range with no damage fall off, also they run cooler, use less PD, and less PP.

[@rocket2739]

Your power priorities scare me

[@ruffleif8381]

lmao.. I guess I didn't bother with it. Not many pirates or gankers out in the void!..

[@rocket2739]

@@ruffleif8381 true. Just remember to set them if you plan to get back to the Bubble to redeem your exploration data o7

[@DubStepTomatoFarmer]

This a new mining laser? Never herd about it been playing for years

[@guhak]

It was released as part of a CG back in 2021 or something

[@DubStepTomatoFarmer]

Ok. I guess I missed that CG

[@guhak]

@@DubStepTomatoFarmer to be clear, they’re now still available as a technology broker thing, not CG exclusive!

[@AtlasinfoAtlasinfo]

Im stupid noob, сan anyone explain to me why the Mining Multi Limpet Controller 3C is not used? It works with 4 limpets at a time (while the Collector Limpet 5A only holds 3, so 5 x 3C is 20 limpets), and it doesn't take up the 8 slot, allowing for another large rack, which can accommodate an additional 256 limpets/tons. The only reasonable explanation is the limpet lifetime, which is 200 sec shorter? Also, a separate controller for the prospector is not required, even if you add another one just for that... PS: The question is closed, for some reason Coriolis "allows" any number of multicontrollers, but more than one is not installed in a new purchased Сutter.

[@ruffleif8381]

Coriolis is missing quite a few things. I've switched to EDSY.

[@AtlasRandGaming]

5 size 2 in python are faster than this

[@ruffleif8381]

Same distro, more distro draw, less damage, less collectors. But hey, if that's your preference, have fun!

[@arfazero1]

ooh i throught we where talking about a game with some relevance, but it turns out ifs F devs abortion

[@Afro__Joe]

So why are you here, got nothing better to do than hate? jfc

[@arfazero1]

@Afro__Joe spam my feed with crap I'm gonna gonna click on it eventually and tell them there Fortune 😁

[@mars449tearful6]

I dont know why anyone would spend anytime mining tritium in the first place. It wouldnt matter if you had a setup that could easily haul in a thousand tons an hour, it would still take many hours to put any significant amount on your carrier. If you are out in the black, away from any stations then of course, you have no choice. But to mine tritium anywhere near the bubble is ridiculous and a complete waste of time when you can just buy it. I have put 10,000 tons on my carrier in about an hour using a type nine. People who have carriers generally are not worried about money anyway, so why spend all day working your but off. You can park near a good sell spot, put a good buy price for it on your carrier, go to work and other people will fill it up for you! I mapped tritium Hotspots all the way across the galaxy for anyone out in the black by the way. kzbin.info/www/bejne/roq9e2aoaM2Cg8k

[@ruffleif8381]

This is so true. My videos are not at all about mining in the Bubble, they are about handling the void. And even in the void you can buy from the STAR inititiative depots. But to resupply those depots far out with a single carrier is only possibly if you cover your own fuel usage with mining. That's about 1000 tons per 6k ly waypoint, which takes about 3 hours at a decent mining rate. It's niche gameplay, for sure... But with this knowledge, it's viable.

[@enrique88005]

You are right, it is waste of time. I like doing it just to relax while listening to a podcast.