How to Scan Planetary Rings for Mining Hotspots

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Draft

This article is still being written and may be incomplete.

Uncertain: Exact controller labels and probe-efficiency details still need final in-game verification.

Status

Draft

Last reviewed

2026-08-24

Reviewer

Sythan

Game mode

Both

Version coverage

unspecified

Source quality

Procedure draft based on the current Detailed Surface Scanner ring-mapping workflow and EDFM Mining metadata

Known uncertainty

Exact controller labels and probe-efficiency details still need final in-game verification.

EDFM // Mining / Field Procedures

Use a Detailed Surface Scanner to map a planetary ring and reveal mining hotspots that can guide commodity targeting.

Use this procedure when a commander has reached a ringed body and needs to reveal mining hotspot markers before choosing where to begin a mining run.

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

Before you start

• Fit and power a Detailed Surface Scanner.
• Travel to a system with a body that has planetary rings.
• Leave supercruise travel time and fuel for moving between ringed bodies if the first candidate is not useful.
• Decide whether the goal is simply to learn the process or to look for a specific mined commodity.

Procedure

Procedure

1. Enter supercruise in the target system and select the ringed body.
2. Approach until the Detailed Surface Scanner can be used on the body and its rings.
3. Open the Detailed Surface Scanner interface.
4. Fire probes so the ring is mapped rather than only the main body surface.
5. Wait for the scan result and review any hotspot markers that appear in the ring.
6. Select a hotspot marker that matches the intended mining plan, or record that the ring is not useful for this run.
7. If no suitable hotspot appears, check another ringed body or continue with ordinary prospecting if the run does not require a hotspot.

Completion check

The procedure is complete when hotspot markers are visible for the ring, or when the commander has confirmed that the scanned ring does not provide a useful hotspot for the current plan.

Common problems

• Only the planet was mapped: make sure probes are being placed to cover the ring area, not just the body surface.
• No hotspot appears: not every ring provides the hotspot a commander wants; move to another ring or change the plan.
• The hotspot is visible but far away: select it as a navigation target and approach in supercruise before dropping into the ring.
• The hotspot name looks profitable but the market is stale: a hotspot helps find material, but selling still depends on current demand and price data.

Related Reference Pages

Mining Planetary Rings Detailed Surface Scanner Mining Hotspot

Related Field Procedures

• How to Find a Mining Hotspot (Draft) — Travel to a mapped ring hotspot, drop into the ring safely, and begin prospecting inside the target area.
• How to Scan Planetary Rings for Mining Hotspots (Draft) — Use a Detailed Surface Scanner to map a planetary ring and reveal mining hotspots that can guide commodity targeting.
• How to Start Mining (Draft) — Prepare a ship for a first mining run and complete the basic loop of finding, extracting, refining, and selling mined commodities.