Sub-surface Mining

i

Draft

This article is still being written and may be incomplete.

Uncertain: Deposit availability and commodity-specific recommendations 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

Deposit availability and commodity-specific recommendations still need direct Live-game verification.

EDFM // Mining

Sub-surface mining uses displacement missiles to extract deposits inside an asteroid.

Sub-surface mining uses a Sub-surface Displacement Missile against a deposit inside an asteroid. A prospector scan identifies the deposit, then the missile is fired and released during the extraction window to break material loose for collection.

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 sub-surface mining

Sub-surface mining sits between laser mining and core mining in complexity. The commander still prospects asteroids and collects refined cargo, but extraction depends on a short timing interaction rather than a continuous laser beam or a seismic detonation.

This method is useful when the target asteroid has sub-surface deposits worth extracting. It is not a replacement for prospecting: firing displacement missiles without a confirmed deposit wastes ammunition and time.

Equipment

A sub-surface mining ship needs:

• Sub-surface Displacement Missile — extracts the internal deposit.
• Prospector Limpet Controller — identifies deposits and contents.
• Collector Limpet Controller — retrieves the released chunks.
• Refinery, cargo space, and limpets.
• Detailed Surface Scanner — useful when the run is aimed at a mapped hotspot.

Workflow summary

1. Prospect the asteroid and select a sub-surface deposit.
2. Fire and hold the displacement missile while tracking the deposit indicator.
3. Release during the highlighted extraction band.
4. Keep collector limpets active to retrieve the released chunks.
5. Manage refinery bins so mixed fragments do not stall collection.

Practical notes

• Sub-surface deposits are target-specific; do not expect every asteroid in a hotspot to contain one.
• Practice the release timing on low-risk targets before treating it as a profit run.
• Collectors and refinery bins are still the bottleneck once chunks have been released.

Related Field Procedures

• How to Sub-surface Mine (Draft) — Extract sub-surface deposits from asteroids with displacement missiles and collect the released chunks.

Related Field Manual Entries

Mining Sub-surface Displacement Missile Prospector Limpet Controller Collector Limpet Controller How to Sub-surface Mine