Mining Hotspot
EDFM // Mining
Mining hotspots are mapped ring areas that help commanders target specific mined commodities.
A mining hotspot is an area in a planetary ring associated with a named mined commodity. Hotspots are revealed by mapping a ring with a Detailed Surface Scanner and are used to guide mining runs toward better candidate areas.
Mining role
Hotspots are a search aid, not a guarantee. A commander still has to enter the ring, prospect asteroids, extract with the chosen method, collect fragments or deposits, refine them into cargo, and check the current market before selling.
Hotspots matter most when the run has a target commodity. They are less useful for a commander who is simply learning the mining loop or collecting whatever valuable materials appear.
Finding hotspots
- Fit a Detailed Surface Scanner.
- Travel to a system with ringed bodies.
- Use the scanner to map the ringed body or ring region.
- Select a hotspot marker that matches the intended commodity.
- Drop into the ring safely and begin prospecting inside or near the hotspot.
Related methods
- Laser Mining — benefits from hotspots when searching for a target commodity.
- Core Mining — may use hotspots for target selection but still depends on finding valid core asteroids.
- Sub-surface Mining — requires asteroids with sub-surface deposits even inside a hotspot.
- Surface Deposit Mining — depends on visible deposits, often after core mining.
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.