Essential Mining Skills
Building the Foundation of a Professional Miner
Mining in EVE Online is more than simply fitting mining lasers and undocking. The most successful miners are those who invest in the right support skills, allowing them to mine faster, fit better equipment, use advanced crystals, and maximise the value of every fleet operation.
This guide covers the essential mining skills every Last Stand Enterprises pilot should train, from their first Venture to an Exhumer.
You can also look at the ingame LSE skill plans
Priority 1 – Core Mining Skills
These are the first skills every mining pilot should train.
Mining
Purpose: Increases mining yield and unlocks advanced mining ships and modules.
Why it matters
- Improves ore extraction.
- Required for Mining Barges and Exhumers.
- Prerequisite for many mining skills.
Recommended Level: V
Priority: ★★★★★
Astrogeology
Purpose: Increases mining yield by 5% per level.
One of the biggest increases to mining income available through skills.
Recommended Level: V
Priority: ★★★★★
Mining Upgrades
Purpose: Reduces CPU requirements of Mining Laser Upgrades.
Allows stronger fittings while increasing mining yield.
Recommended Level: IV–V
Priority: ★★★★★
Survey
Purpose: Reduces Survey Scanner cycle time.
Useful for identifying which asteroids still contain ore and reducing wasted mining cycles.
Recommended Level: III–IV
Priority: ★★★☆☆
Priority 2 – Ship Progression Skills
Mining Frigate
Required to fly the Venture.
Recommended Level: IV
Train to V if required for your progression path.
Industry
Required for Mining Barges.
Although primarily an industrial skill, it is a key milestone in every miner’s progression.
Recommended Level: V
Mining Barge
Allows you to fly:
- Procurer
- Retriever
- Covetor
Each level also improves barge performance.
Recommended Level: V
Exhumers
Allows you to fly:
- Hulk
- Mackinaw
- Skiff
Each level improves mining yield and ship performance.
Recommended Level: IV initially
Train to V when comfortable flying your chosen Exhumer.
Priority 3 – Ore Processing Skills
Ore processing skills allow the use of Tech II mining crystals, significantly increasing mining yield on specific ores.
Examples include:
- Veldspar Processing
- Scordite Processing
- Pyroxeres Processing
- Plagioclase Processing
- Omber Processing
- Kernite Processing
- Jaspet Processing
- Hemorphite Processing
- Hedbergite Processing
- Gneiss Processing
- Dark Ochre Processing
- Crokite Processing
- Spodumain Processing
- Bistot Processing
- Arkonor Processing
- Mercoxit Processing
Recommendation
Train only the ore processing skills relevant to the ores your corporation mines.
For LSE pilots, prioritise the ores found on your corporation’s moon operations and regular mining sites.
Aim for:
- Level III for Tech II crystals as early as possible.
- Level IV for the ores you mine most frequently.
- Level V only if you specialise in a particular ore or want maximum refining efficiency.
Priority 4 – Mining Drones
Mining drones become increasingly valuable as ship size increases.
Mining Drone Operation
Increases mining drone yield.
Recommended Level: V
Drone Interfacing
One of the strongest drone skills in EVE.
Provides a significant bonus to mining drone performance.
Recommended Level: IV–V
Drone Navigation
Allows mining drones to reach asteroids more quickly.
Useful during fleet mining where travel time can reduce efficiency.
Recommended Level: III–IV
Drone Durability
Improves drone survivability.
Useful when operating in systems with NPC pirates.
Recommended Level: III
Priority 5 – Crystal and Module Support
Reprocessing
Improves refining efficiency.
Helpful if you refine ore rather than selling through the LSE Buyback Programme.
Recommended Level: IV
Reprocessing Efficiency
Further improves refining yields.
Only necessary for pilots refining their own ore.
Recommended Level: IV
Shield Skills
Mining ships rely heavily on shield tanks.
Ensure you train:
- Shield Management
- Shield Operation
- Shield Upgrades
- Tactical Shield Manipulation
These are covered in the Essential Shield Skills guide.
Recommended Training Order
Stage 1 – Venture Pilot
Train:
- Mining IV
- Astrogeology III
- Mining Upgrades III
- Mining Frigate IV
- Survey III
Stage 2 – Mining Barge
Train:
- Industry V
- Mining Barge III
- Astrogeology IV
- Mining Upgrades IV
Stage 3 – Fleet Miner
Train:
- Mining V
- Astrogeology V
- Mining Barge V
Begin training the ore processing skills for the ores you mine most often.
Stage 4 – Exhumer
Train:
- Exhumers IV
- Mining Drone Operation V
- Drone Interfacing IV
- Ore Processing IV for your primary ores
Stage 5 – Perfect Miner
Train:
- Exhumers V
- Mining Upgrades V
- Drone Interfacing V
- Ore Processing V for your specialist ores
- Remaining drone support skills to IV–V
LSE Training Priorities
At Last Stand Enterprises, we recommend the following order of importance:
- Mining
- Astrogeology
- Industry
- Mining Barge
- Exhumers
- Mining Upgrades
- Ore Processing Skills
- Mining Drone Skills
- Survey
- Reprocessing Skills
LSE Tips for New Miners
- Train for the next ship only when you can fit it properly—good support skills are often more valuable than rushing into a larger hull.
- Use Tech II mining crystals whenever practical to maximise yield on the ores you mine most often.
- Stay with the fleet and keep your tank fitted; surviving a gank is always more profitable than replacing a ship.
- Sell ore through the LSE Ore Buyback Programme if you want quick, reliable ISK without hauling.
- Upgrade your implants when you can afford them, but never fly with implants you are not prepared to lose.
A successful miner isn’t measured solely by the size of their ship, but by how efficiently they extract ore, how safely they operate, and how consistently they contribute to the fleet. Strong mining skills are the foundation of all three.