Core Mining

i

Draft

This article is still being written and may be incomplete.

Uncertain: Candidate recognition details and commodity-specific advice still need direct Live-game verification.

Status

Draft

Last reviewed

2026-08-24

Reviewer

Sythan

Game mode

Both

Version coverage

unspecified

Source quality

Research-backed draft using current mining loop and EDCD mining equipment data

Known uncertainty

Candidate recognition details and commodity-specific advice still need direct Live-game verification.

EDFM // Mining

Core mining identifies fissured asteroids, cracks them with seismic charges, and collects the exposed deposits.

Core mining is the mining method built around finding an asteroid core, placing seismic charges into fissures, detonating the asteroid safely, and collecting the deposits exposed by the break-up.

Draft: This article is still a work in progress and may be incomplete. You can help improve it by adding or expanding its content.

When to use core mining

Core mining is more deliberate than laser mining. The commander searches for a promising asteroid, confirms that it has fissures and valuable contents, places charges, moves clear of the blast, then uses an Abrasion Blaster and collectors to recover the exposed deposits.

It rewards careful target selection and timing. It also punishes wasted charges, poor positioning, and cargo/refinery neglect, so a new commander should learn the normal collector and refinery loop first.

Equipment

Core mining normally uses:

• Pulse Wave Analyser — highlights candidate asteroids worth inspecting.
• Prospector Limpet Controller — confirms contents and deposits before charges are spent.
• Seismic Charge Launcher — places charges into fissures.
• Abrasion Blaster — removes exposed deposits after detonation.
• Collector Limpet Controller, Refinery, cargo space, and limpets.
• Detailed Surface Scanner — useful for finding mapped hotspots before the search begins.

Workflow summary

1. Search the ring for promising asteroids with the pulse wave analyser.
2. Inspect and prospect candidates rather than firing charges blindly.
3. Place seismic charges according to fissure strength and the detonation meter.
4. Move to a safe distance before the detonation timer completes.
5. Use an abrasion blaster on exposed deposits and collect the released resources.
6. Refine, keep or vent commodities according to the run plan.

Practical notes

• A bright pulse-wave return is a clue, not proof of a valuable core.
• The charge meter matters more than simply filling every fissure.
• After detonation, the job is not finished until exposed deposits have been knocked loose and collected.
• Core mining shares equipment with Surface Deposit Mining, but the fissure-and-detonation stage is specific to core asteroids.

Related Field Procedures

• How to Core Mine (Draft) — Identify core asteroids, place seismic charges, crack the asteroid safely, and collect exposed deposits.

Related Field Manual Entries

Mining Pulse Wave Analyser Seismic Charge Launcher Abrasion Blaster How to Core Mine