Mining offers several entry points, from hand mining in caves to ROC surface mining and ship-based extraction with the Golem, Prospector, and MOLE. Profit depends on finding the right deposit, controlling the fracture, limiting inert material, choosing a refinery method, and planning the final sale.
This Star Citizen mining guide covers the complete process, from the first scan to selling refined ore.
Beginner recommendation: Try ROC mining if you already own a compatible carrier ship. Rent a Prospector when you are ready to learn ship mining, refinery orders, and cargo logistics.
How Mining Works in Star Citizen
Every mining run follows the same basic pattern, regardless of whether you carry a Multi-Tool, drive a ROC, or pilot a mining ship.
- Scan the surrounding area and approach a mineable deposit.
- Analyze its composition, mass, resistance, and instability.
- Apply laser energy until the charge enters the optimal green zone.
- Hold the charge inside that zone until the rock fractures.
- Extract the valuable fragments into your storage.
- Sell gems directly or refine ship-mined ore before taking it to market.
The official Mining Basics guide explains the mining HUD, scanning, fracture control, and extraction. It confirms that scan pulses can expose your position to nearby ships.
A valuable mineral does not guarantee a profitable run. Material concentration, inert content, fracture time, refinery yield, and travel distance all affect the final return. A stable deposit with a strong material percentage may earn more per hour than a rare rock that takes several attempts to break.
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Hand Mining, ROC Mining, and Ship Mining
Hand Mining
Hand mining is the cheapest way to learn how mining works in Star Citizen. Small gemstone deposits appear in caves, prisons, underground sites, and selected surface locations.
A basic setup consists of a Multi-Tool with an OreBit mining attachment, a backpack, and suitable protective gear. The laser fractures small deposits, after which the player collects the gemstones by hand. These gems can be sold directly and do not pass through a refinery.
Hand mining requires little investment, but storage limits each trip. It works best as an introduction to laser control or as an extra activity during cave exploration.
The ATLS GEO provides a stronger option for players who want to spend more time on small-scale deposits. It can fracture and collect material faster than a basic handheld setup, though it costs more and requires transport to the mining location.
ROC Mining
The Greycat ROC handles surface deposits that are too large for a handheld tool and too small for ship mining lasers. It provides a practical middle step between cave mining and the full Prospector loop.
ROC mining requires a ship with a cargo bay and suitable ramp. The Nomad offers a compact solo setup, while the Cutlass Black and C1 Spirit provide easier loading and more room around the vehicle. Once deployed, the ROC can fracture a gemstone deposit and extract the material into its internal storage.
ROC gemstones do not require refining. After the run, they can be sold through a compatible Admin office or commodity terminal.
The standard ROC is the better choice for solo players. The ROC-DS separates the driving and mining positions, making it more effective with a second person.
Ship Mining
Dedicated mining ships extract material from large surface rocks and asteroids. They combine stronger lasers, detailed scanners, extraction systems, mining modules, and detachable ore containers.
The Drake Golem is the entry-level option. The MISC Prospector adds greater loadout freedom and remains the main solo mining ship. The ARGO MOLE carries more ore and supports three mining stations, but it needs a crew to operate efficiently.
Ship-mined ore can be sold raw for immediate payment. Refining takes longer and requires a separate cargo ship, but it usually produces a more valuable load.
Required Mining Equipment
Hand miners need a Multi-Tool, OreBit attachment, backpack, suit, helmet, and enough personal storage for the collected gems. A few medical supplies are useful in caves, where falls and hostile encounters can end a run.
ROC mining adds a ground vehicle and carrier ship. Check that the vehicle fits through the ramp without blocking the exit. Fuel, environmental protection, and a tractor-equipped Multi-Tool are worth carrying during longer surface sessions.
Ship mining equipment is more technical. The mining head controls laser power, effective range, resistance reduction, instability, and the size of the optimal charge window. The Prospector accepts different heads, letting the pilot build for controlled fractures, resistant rocks, or a balance between the two.
Mining modules modify the selected head. Some increase power, some make unstable rocks easier to control, and others reduce resistance or inert material collection. Passive modules remain active during the session, while active modules may have limited charges.
Mining gadgets attach directly to a rock and change its fracture properties. They help when resistance is too high or the green zone is too narrow. Applying one takes time and may require leaving the ship, so the deposit needs enough value to justify the extra work.
A beginner setup should favor control over maximum power. A wider green zone and lower instability give the pilot more time to correct the laser throttle before the charge reaches overcharge.
Manual Star Citizen aUEC delivery can help cover a Prospector rental, mining equipment, refinery fees, and replacement gear.
Best Mining Ships and Vehicles
| Ship or vehicle | Crew | Ore capacity | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-Tool | 1 | Backpack storage | Cave and FPS mining | Very low capacity |
| ATLS GEO | 1 | Small-scale storage | Advanced gem mining | Requires transport |
| Greycat ROC | 1 | Vehicle gem storage | Solo surface mining | Requires a carrier ship |
| Greycat ROC-DS | 2 preferred | Larger vehicle storage | Cooperative surface mining | Separate driver and mining seats |
| Drake Golem | 1 | 32 SCU | Entry-level ship mining | Fixed mining head |
| MISC Prospector | 1 | 32 SCU by default | Configurable solo mining | Higher entry cost |
| ARGO MOLE | Up to 4 | 96 SCU | Multi-crew mining | Inefficient without a crew |
Drake Golem
The Drake Golem is the simplest entry into ship mining. It carries 32 SCU of raw ore in two external containers and has a fixed Pitman mining head with module support.
Its wider optimal charge window makes basic fracture control more forgiving. The fixed head limits its performance against some resistant deposits, placing the Golem below the Prospector for long-term mining.
Choose the Golem when you want an affordable mining ship for low- and medium-resistance rocks.
MISC Prospector
The MISC Prospector is the best general solo mining ship. Its replaceable head and module slots let the pilot prepare for different deposit types without changing ships.
The standard Prospector carries 32 SCU of raw ore. Larger MOLE bags can raise the capacity to 48 SCU, though this requires replacing the default containers.
The Prospector includes a bed and basic living facilities for longer sessions. Its main weakness is defence, so isolated mining sites and shorter refinery routes are safer than busy industrial zones.
ARGO MOLE
The ARGO MOLE has three mining stations and 96 SCU of raw ore capacity. A coordinated crew can combine mining heads and modules, giving each operator a separate role during difficult fractures.
The pilot cannot control a mining laser from the cockpit. A solo player has to move between the flight seat and a mining station for every deposit. That makes the MOLE a poor solo choice despite its larger capacity.
Scanning for Deposits
Scanning is where profitable mining begins. Send a scan pulse, approach the detected signature, enter scanning mode, and analyze the deposit before activating the laser.
The analysis shows four key values. Composition tells you which materials are inside the rock. Mass gives an indication of the power needed to fracture it. Resistance reduces the effect of the laser, while instability controls how sharply the charge level moves.
A good target has a useful material concentration, manageable resistance, and enough space in the optimal zone for controlled adjustments. High inert content fills ore containers without adding much value.
Deposit example: A rock containing 35% Agricium with low instability may be a better choice than a Quantanium deposit with poor concentration, high resistance, and a narrow optimal window.
Do not stay with a deposit that your current setup cannot fracture. A different head, module, gadget, or second mining laser may solve the problem, but leaving the rock can save more time than forcing an unsuitable loadout.
Repeated scan pulses may reveal your ship to nearby players. Check the radar between scans and move when another ship begins following your route.
Fracturing and Extracting Ore
Once the deposit has been analyzed, enter fracture mode and activate the mining laser at low power. Raise the throttle in small steps until the rock energy begins moving toward the green zone.
The charge may continue rising after the last throttle adjustment. Large changes can send it through the green zone and into overcharge before the pilot can respond. Small corrections provide more control, especially on unstable rocks.
Keep the energy level inside the optimal zone until the fracture completes. If the charge approaches overcharge, reduce the throttle early. Shut down the laser and move away when the rock becomes uncontrollable.
After the first fracture, some pieces may need to be broken again. The mining display marks fragments that are ready for extraction and separates them from pieces that still require fracturing.
Switch to extraction mode and scan each fragment before collecting it. Filling the containers with every available piece is a common mistake. Select fragments with a strong material percentage and leave low-value or inert-heavy pieces behind.
Refining Raw Materials
A mining ship returns raw ore rather than finished commodities. You can sell that ore at a compatible terminal for immediate payment or create a refinery order for a larger final return.
Refinery methods balance processing cost, completion time, and material yield. A slow method may return more material at a lower cost, while a faster process may reduce the final margin. The terminal shows the available methods and estimated result before payment.
Creating an order follows a short process:
- Land at a station with a refinery deck and store the mining ship.
- Open the refinery terminal and select the ship’s raw ore.
- Remove unwanted materials from the order.
- Compare the processing time, cost, and expected yield.
- Submit the order and wait for completion.
- Return with a cargo ship that has enough free capacity.
- Transfer the refined materials into its cargo hold.
Several refinery orders can run at once. This lets you continue mining while earlier loads process.
Finished materials cannot remain in the Prospector’s mining bags. They need a conventional cargo grid. A Nomad can collect a small order, while a Cutlass Black or C1 Spirit suits larger solo loads.
Route example: Mine with a Prospector, submit the ore at an L1 refinery station, collect the finished order with a Cutlass Black or C1 Spirit, then transport the cargo to a compatible TDD.
Where to Sell Refined Ore
Raw ship ore can be sold at supported refinery terminals. This skips the processing fee, waiting time, and cargo journey, but the payout is normally lower.
Refined commodities are sold at compatible Trade and Development Division terminals and other commodity markets. Area18, Lorville, New Babbage, and Orison are common destinations in Stanton.
The closest market is not always the best destination. Check whether the terminal purchases every material in the hold and whether it has enough current demand for the full load. A large order may need to be split when the terminal stops accepting part of the cargo.
Store all refined materials on the secured cargo grid. Loose containers can create loading problems and may not be detected correctly by a sale terminal.
Hand-mined and ROC gemstones follow a shorter route. They do not need a refinery order and can be sold through compatible Admin offices and trade terminals.
Mining Risks and Common Errors
Poor deposit selection causes many unprofitable runs. Mining every detected rock fills the containers with low-value material and increases the number of refinery trips. Analyze several deposits before committing to one.
Overcharge usually comes from raising the laser throttle too aggressively. Begin at low power, wait for the energy response, and make smaller corrections near the green zone.
Another common error is arriving at the refinery without a suitable cargo ship. Check the expected output before submitting the order. A completed load cannot be collected when the selected ship lacks enough free cargo capacity.
Market planning matters after refining. Flying an expensive load to a terminal with low demand adds risk without securing a better sale. Check the destination before loading the cargo.
Keep enough aUEC for fuel, repairs, refinery fees, replacement modules, and rental time. Spending the entire balance on a Prospector rental may leave no funds for processing the first load.