New Pilot – Guide to Mining
Your First Steps to Becoming an LSE Miner
Mining is one of the oldest and most reliable careers in New Eden. Every ship, weapon, module and structure begins life as minerals mined from asteroids. Whether you want to make ISK, build ships, or simply enjoy a relaxed fleet with other pilots, mining is an excellent profession.
At Last Stand Enterprises, mining is what we do best.
What You’ll Need
Before you can start mining, you’ll need:
- A Venture mining frigate
- Two mining lasers
- A shield tank
- Mining drones (optional once trained)
- Basic mining skills
The Venture is the perfect first mining ship because it has:
- Large ore hold
- Good mining bonuses
- Built-in warp core strength
- Very low skill requirements
- Cheap replacement cost
Every aspiring miner should begin here.
Your First Mining Ship
A simple Venture fit is all you need.
High Slots
- 2x Miner I (upgrade to Miner II later)
Mid Slots
- Medium Shield Extender
- Multispectrum Shield Hardener
- Afterburner (optional)
Low Slot
- Mining Laser Upgrade
Rigs
- Core Defense Field Extenders or Mining Laser rigs
Don’t worry about having the “perfect” fit.
A cheap Venture that survives is far better than an expensive Venture that explodes.
Finding Somewhere to Mine
Open your Overview or Agency and locate an asteroid belt.
High Security space (0.5–1.0) is the safest place for new miners.
Warp to the belt at 0 km and look around before starting.
Always ask yourself:
- Is anyone suspicious nearby?
- Are there combat ships sitting in the belt?
- Is Local unusually busy?
Situational awareness is one of the most valuable mining skills you’ll ever learn.
How to Mine
Mining is simple.
- Lock an asteroid.
- Activate your mining lasers.
- Wait for each mining cycle to finish.
- Ore is automatically placed into your Ore Hold.
- When your Ore Hold is full, return to station or unload into fleet support.
That’s it.
The Mining Cycle
Every mining laser runs in cycles.
A laser mines a fixed amount every cycle.
If an asteroid contains less ore than the laser would normally mine, the remainder of that cycle is wasted.
Because of this:
- Watch asteroid sizes.
- Move to a new asteroid before the current one disappears.
- Don’t leave lasers running on empty rocks.
Efficient miners waste very few cycles.
Mining in an LSE Fleet
Mining with other pilots is where LSE shines.
Our fleets provide:
- Mining boosts
- Compression
- Protection
- Ore buyback
- Friendly advice
- Social gameplay
Mining together produces significantly more ore than mining alone because command bursts increase yield and efficiency.
What Happens to Your Ore?
You have several options.
Sell the Ore
The easiest option.
LSE members can use the corporation Ore Buyback Programme, meaning you don’t have to haul your ore to market yourself.
Compress It
Compressed ore is:
- Smaller
- Easier to haul
- Usually preferred by buyers
Most fleet Orcas can compress ore while you’re mining.
Refine It
Refining converts ore into minerals.
However, new pilots generally lose value due to lower refining skills and taxes. Many experienced players recommend selling compressed ore instead until your refining skills improve.
Staying Alive
Mining ships are attractive targets.
Never assume High Security space is completely safe.
Always:
- Stay aligned if possible
- Keep Local visible
- Watch D-Scan when appropriate
- Don’t AFK for long periods
- Fit a proper shield tank
- Never carry more value than you can afford to lose
Remember:
A ship that survives mines more than one that has the highest yield but gets destroyed.
Your First Skill Priorities
Focus on these early skills:
Core Mining Skills
- Mining
- Astrogeology
- Mining Upgrades
Ship Skills
- Mining Frigate
- Industry
Survival Skills
- Shield Management
- Shield Operation
- Hull Upgrades
- Navigation
These skills increase your yield while making your ship tougher to kill.
Progression Path
As your skills improve, your ships should progress like this:
| Ship | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Venture | Learn mining |
| Procurer | Strong tank, safest mining barge |
| Retriever | Large ore hold for solo mining |
| Covetor | High-yield fleet mining |
| Skiff | Advanced tanked Exhumer |
| Mackinaw | Advanced solo Exhumer |
| Hulk | Maximum fleet mining yield |
For most LSE pilots, the Procurer is the recommended first mining barge because its stronger defenses make it more forgiving for new players. Community advice also consistently points to the Procurer/Skiff line for safer mining, while Retriever/Mackinaw suits solo play and Covetor/Hulk excels in organized fleets.
Common Mistakes
❌ Mining while AFK
❌ Flying an untanked ship
❌ Refining ore with poor skills
❌ Ignoring Local chat
❌ Mining in expensive ships you cannot replace
❌ Forgetting to insure your ship
LSE Tips for Success
- Join mining fleets whenever possible.
- Ask questions—everyone started somewhere.
- Upgrade your skills before upgrading your ship.
- Keep your clone training at all times.
- Fly ships you can afford to lose.
- Tank first, yield second.
- Have fun. ISK will come naturally.
Welcome to Last Stand Enterprises
Every veteran miner once undocked in a Venture for the very first time.
Don’t worry about perfect efficiency or maximum profit. Focus on learning the basics, flying safely, and enjoying the journey. The ISK, skills, and bigger ships will come with time.
At LSE, we’re not just mining rocks—we’re building a community. Welcome aboard, pilot.