“Mining is more than pointing lasers at rocks. It’s the foundation of New Eden’s economy, and every ship, station and weapon begins with a miner.”

Mining is one of the oldest and most rewarding careers in EVE Online. Whether you’re earning your first ISK in a Venture or commanding an Exhumer in a moon mining fleet, understanding the fundamentals will make you a more efficient and profitable pilot.

This guide covers everything you need to know to get started.

What is Mining?

Mining is the process of extracting resources from space using specialised mining equipment.

These resources are refined into minerals, which are then used to manufacture almost everything in EVE, including:

Ships
Modules
Ammunition
Structures
Drones
Rigs

Without miners, New Eden’s economy would grind to a halt.

Types of Mining

There are several types of mining, each with its own rewards and risks.

Ore Mining

The most common form of mining.

You’ll mine asteroids found in asteroid belts and anomalies to obtain ores such as:

Veldspar
Scordite
Pyroxeres
Plagioclase
Omber
Kernite

Ideal for new pilots.

Moon Mining

Moon asteroids are created when a refinery fractures a moon.

These asteroids contain valuable ores that cannot normally be found in asteroid belts.

Moon mining is often the most profitable activity available to organised high-sec mining corporations.

Ice Mining

Ice belts contain large ice asteroids that refine into products used to manufacture fuel blocks.

Ice mining provides:

Heavy Water
Liquid Ozone
Isotopes
Strontium Clathrates

Ice cycles are much longer than ore mining cycles.

Gas Harvesting

Gas clouds are found primarily in wormholes and some low-security regions.

Gas is used in:

Combat boosters
Reactions
Tech III production

Gas mining requires specialised equipment.

Choosing Your First Ship

Venture

Every new miner should begin here.

Advantages:

Cheap
Easy to train
Good survivability
Built-in warp core strength
Excellent learning platform

Mining Barges

Once you’ve trained into Mining Barges, you’ll generally choose between:

Retriever

Large ore hold

Relaxed gameplay

Excellent beginner barge

Covetor

Highest yield among barges

Smaller ore hold

Requires more active management

Procurer

Lower yield

Excellent survivability

Ideal if you expect hostile activity

Exhumers

Advanced versions of Mining Barges.

Mackinaw

Large ore hold

Excellent all-round miner

Hulk

Highest mining yield

Requires frequent unloading

Skiff

Exceptional tank

Lower yield

Excellent in dangerous space

Mining Equipment

A mining ship is only as good as its equipment.

Typical fittings include:

High Slots

Mining Lasers
Strip Miners
Ice Harvesters

Mid Slots

Shield Extenders
Shield Hardeners
Survey Scanner

Low Slots

Mining Laser Upgrades
Damage Control

Rigs

Mining rigs
Shield rigs

Drones

Mining Drones
Light Combat Drones

Always balance mining efficiency with survivability.

Understanding Mining Lasers

Mining lasers extract a fixed amount of ore every cycle.

A mining cycle works like this:

Laser activates.
Cycle begins.
Ore is extracted.
Ore is placed into your ore hold.
Cycle repeats until stopped.

If an asteroid runs out before the cycle ends, the remaining time is wasted.

This is why experienced miners monitor asteroid sizes and use survey scanners.

Mining Crystals

Strip miners can use mining crystals to increase yield.

Each crystal is designed for specific ore types.

For example:

Veldspar Crystal
Kernite Crystal
Gneiss Crystal
Bitumens Crystal

Using the correct crystal significantly improves efficiency.

Mining crystals wear out over time and eventually break, so always carry spares.

Fleet Mining

Mining in a fleet is almost always more profitable than mining alone.

Benefits include:

Fleet boosts
Shared intelligence
Greater safety
Faster hauling
Better efficiency
Social gameplay

Within Last Stand Enterprises, fleet mining is the preferred way to operate.

Fleet Boosts

An Orca or Porpoise can provide fleet boosts that improve:

Mining yield
Laser range
Mining cycle time
Shield strength
Capacitor performance

Always remain within boost range to receive these bonuses.

Survey Scanners

A Survey Scanner shows:

Remaining ore in each asteroid
Distance to asteroids

This allows you to:

Choose the richest rocks
Avoid wasting laser cycles
Coordinate with other miners

It’s one of the most useful modules for efficient mining.

Compression

Ore compression greatly reduces the volume of mined ore.

Advantages:

Easier hauling
Reduced transport costs
Faster logistics
Improved fleet efficiency

Many fleets compress ore during operations using an Orca or refinery.

Reprocessing

Ore itself isn’t usually used for manufacturing.

Instead it is refined into minerals.

Your refining yield depends on:

Character skills
Structure bonuses
Equipment
Ore type

Better refining means more minerals from the same amount of ore.

Ore Buyback

Many corporations, including Last Stand Enterprises, operate an Ore Buyback programme.

Benefits include:

Instant payment
No hauling to trade hubs
No market fees
Less time selling
More time mining

This makes it easy for new pilots to earn ISK while supporting the corporation’s industrial activities.

Staying Safe

Mining ships are valuable targets.

Always:

Fit an appropriate tank.
Watch Local.
Monitor your Overview.
Stay within fleet.
Avoid mining AFK.
Stay aligned when practical.
Listen to your Fleet Commander.

A miner who survives earns more than one who mines slightly faster but loses their ship.

Common Mistakes

Chasing Yield Only

The highest-yield fit is often the weakest.

A balanced fit usually earns more ISK over time.

Ignoring Support Skills

Mining isn’t just about Mining V.

Engineering, Shield, Navigation and Drone skills all improve your effectiveness.

Mining Alone

Fleet boosts can dramatically increase your income.

If an LSE fleet is available, join it.

Forgetting Crystals

Always carry spare crystals.

Broken crystals mean lost mining time.

Ignoring Drones

Combat drones protect you from NPC pirates.

Mining drones increase yield.

Both are valuable tools.

Recommended Skill Progression

Beginner

Mining IV
Mining Frigate IV
Astrogeology III
Drones III
Shield Operation III

Intermediate

Astrogeology V
Mining Barge IV
Mining Upgrades IV
Drones V
Drone Interfacing III

Advanced

Mining Barge V
Exhumers IV–V
Mining Drone Specialisation
Shield Management V
Drone Interfacing V
Mining Upgrades V

Remember, support skills often provide greater long-term value than rushing into a larger ship.

LSE Best Practices

At Last Stand Enterprises we encourage every miner to:

Fly ships you can afford to replace.
Fit a proper tank before increasing yield.
Join boosted mining fleets whenever possible.
Use the correct mining crystals.
Keep your skill queue active.
Follow fleet and mining rules.
Help newer pilots learn the profession.
Prioritise teamwork over individual gain.

Mining is most successful when everyone works together.

Quick Mining Checklist

Before Undocking:

✓ Ship fitted

✓ Tank modules online

✓ Mining crystals loaded

✓ Drones onboard

✓ Ore hold empty

✓ Skill queue active

✓ Fleet joined (if applicable)

During Mining:

✓ Watch Local

✓ Monitor your Overview

✓ Stay within boost range

✓ Use the correct crystals

✓ Check asteroid sizes with your Survey Scanner

✓ Listen to fleet instructions

After Mining:

✓ Compress ore if available

✓ Sell through Ore Buyback or refine

✓ Repair your ship

✓ Replace drones and crystals

✓ Review your next skill goal

Final Thoughts

Mining is one of the most accessible careers in EVE Online, but mastering it takes time. The most successful miners aren’t simply those with the biggest ships—they’re the pilots who understand their equipment, train the right skills, work well in fleets and stay alert to the dangers of New Eden.

Whether you’re extracting your first load of Veldspar in a Venture or leading a moon mining operation in an Exhumer, every mining cycle contributes to something larger.

At Last Stand Enterprises, we believe mining is about more than ISK. It’s about building ships, supporting your corporation, strengthening the industrial backbone of New Eden and enjoying the journey alongside your fellow pilots.

Fly prepared. Mine efficiently. Build the future.