How to Mine Surface Deposits

i

Draft

This article is still being written and may be incomplete.

Uncertain: Commodity-specific deposit behavior still needs direct Live-game verification.

Status

Draft

Last reviewed

2026-08-24

Reviewer

Sythan

Game mode

Both

Version coverage

unspecified

Source quality

Procedure draft based on current mining workflow and EDFM mining data modules

Known uncertainty

Commodity-specific deposit behavior still needs direct Live-game verification.

EDFM // Mining / Field Procedures

Break surface deposits from asteroids with an abrasion blaster and collect the resulting materials or commodities.

Use this procedure for surface deposit mining, including the post-detonation cleanup stage of core mining.

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

Required equipment

• Abrasion Blaster
• Collector Limpet Controller
• Refinery
• Limpets and cargo space
• Optional: Prospector Limpet Controller and Pulse Wave Analyser when searching for suitable asteroids

Procedure

Procedure

1. Identify an asteroid with visible surface deposits, or inspect a cracked core asteroid after detonation.
2. Target a visible deposit.
3. Fire the abrasion blaster until the deposit breaks free.
4. Keep collector limpets active so the released material is recovered.
5. Check the refinery and cargo hold before moving to the next deposit.
6. Repeat until no useful deposits remain or the run plan changes.

Completion check

The asteroid is complete when useful visible deposits have been dislodged and collected, or when the remaining deposits are not worth the time, cargo, or refinery space for the run.

Common problems

• Deposit will not break free: confirm that the visible deposit is targeted and that the abrasion blaster is hitting it directly.
• Collectors keep dying: back away from jagged asteroid surfaces and avoid dragging limpets through rock.
• Cargo does not appear: check refinery bins; fragments may still be processing or blocked.
• No visible deposits after a core blast: inspect the cracked pieces before leaving, but do not assume every angle has a recoverable target.

Related Reference Pages

Mining Surface Deposit Mining Abrasion Blaster Collector Limpet Controller Refinery

Related Field Procedures

• How to Core Mine (Draft) — Identify core asteroids, place seismic charges, crack the asteroid safely, and collect exposed deposits.
• How to Mine Surface Deposits (Draft) — Break surface deposits from asteroids with an abrasion blaster and collect the resulting materials or commodities.