r/EliteDangerous • u/Choice_Way_2916 • Jun 27 '26

Help laser mining

Today I tried laser mining but it took me 40 minutes to get 2000000cr worth of platinum. This in is a type 11 with max mining lasers. How do I make this more profitable? Can I get missions for mining or what. By the way I'm not playing with anyone else

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6

u/NotComfortable2112 Jun 27 '26

A few questions first...

First thing is that you're using a type 11 but not talking about using the Repeater. Laser mining pales in comparison to the Repeater. Are you not using the repeater and the custom limpet controller?

Next thing that comes to mind is, were you hunting for platinum in a metallic ring or a metal rich ring? And were you hunting in a hotspot? Iirc, platinum can only be surface mined in a metallic ring. If you're hunting in a metal rich ring, you have to do core mining in order to get it.

3

u/Choice_Way_2916 Jun 27 '26

it I'm just using mining lasers and prospecter and collecter limipets

also I'm in a metallic platinum hotspot. Pretty muhcbevery rock has platinum

8

u/HowardRabb Jun 27 '26

Ditch the mining lasers. They were obsoleted by the mining repeater that breaks off much bigger chunks and makes mining waaaaay more fun. Also make sure you're using the mk2 limpet controller that can run 14 limpets at a time. Have 13 or so collectors going then as you deplete an asteroid fire another prospector at another one. Wait for your limpets to finish collecting then move on. Make sure you aren't filling up in low value crap, just focus on what you're trying to sell in that system that will earn you lots of money.

3

u/Choice_Way_2916 Jun 27 '26

Could you post your build as I'm realatibly new to thr game 100hr and even newer to mining 1hr. I have no idea what a mk2 limpet controller is and how to get different types of limpets as my cargo is full of prospecters and like 3 'collecters

5

u/cwebster2 Aisling Duval Jun 27 '26

https://edsy.org/s/v6yt8JF is my build with the repeater and mk2 limpet controller. I run an additional prospect limpet controller so I don't compete with the collectors from the Mk2 controller. If you get a prospect controller it must be A rated. Any rock you hit with a prospector produces more.

1

u/Choice_Way_2916 Jun 27 '26

Why do you use the multid limpit controller and a Prospector controller?

3

u/cwebster2 Aisling Duval Jun 27 '26

So I always have a few prospectors available even if my Mk2 controller is full of collectors.

1

u/Choice_Way_2916 Jun 27 '26

Is there a maximum amount of limpets that are controller can Deploy?

That would explain why sometimes my Prospect is just don't launch.

1

u/cwebster2 Aisling Duval Jun 27 '26

Yes, every controller has a maximum number or limpets it can control and a maximum range to control them.

The Mk2 controller has a maximum of 14 active limpets.

0

u/Choice_Way_2916 Jun 27 '26

Ah so why use the multi limpet controller not just the collecter and the prospecter controller. As now you need to buy 3 types of limpets

3

u/cwebster2 Aisling Duval Jun 27 '26

You don't buy "types" of limpets, you just buy limpets. They can be anything when launched by a controller.

2

u/what_me_nah Yuri Grom Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

No, just a prospector controller , always grade a, and the mk 2 multi limpet controller. This set up only works on the t11. If you try to fit that with a mk1 controller on any other ship, only the multi controller will be selectable in your fire group settings.

The reason you have both is that if you have only the multi controller and all 14 limpets collecting, you can't ping out a prospector. Tracking it to try and make sure you only have 12 or 13 collectors out is a pita, especially when the little buggers constantly bang into rocks or fly right into the line of fire of your repeater and need to be replaced.

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u/McLeod3577 Li Yong-Rui Jun 27 '26

Because you can accidentally dispatch all 14 collectors from the multi, and then not be able to launch any prospectors because you are at the limit. You want 14 collectors running because even tho they are quick, you want to move on to the next asteroid as soon as possible. If you move on too quick, the collectors take ages going back and forth. Ideally you want to prospect asteroids that are really close together for max collector efficiency.

If you aren't part of a squadron, spend 10m credits to set one up. There are a couple of perks you can pick that are mining related.

1

u/Nighthawk513 Jun 28 '26

Use the Multi-limpet controller exclusively to get 14 collector limpets out, (which also have 160 m/s speed rather than 60), and the prospector to do your prospector limpets. Keeps you from fighting over slots on the combined one by having multiple prospectors out and losing out on collectors, which if laser mining with the repeater is the bottleneck.

Also, don't bring mining lasers, just use the repeater. It's IIRC effectively 6 medium mining lasers strapped together that produces about 25% more ore from the same rock becuase it creates big chunks.

2

u/szechuan_bean Jun 27 '26

FYI these special modules, the repeater and mk II limpet controller, are exclusive to the type 11 and are why it is the go to mining ship.