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Star Citizen allows players to live their best, space-faring life, whether they want to be bounty hunters, pirates, traders, or humble miners. Cruising through space and hunting for rare minerals is a solid way to make a living, and will be a go-to for many first-time Star Citizens. However, mining an asteroid may not be as easy as it seems, and going in blind may not reward players in the way they had hoped.
Mining in Star Citizen has several steps, and a little preparation goes a long way. This guide will teach players how to mine in Star Citizen, how it works, and what each step entails so that players can get the most out of their off-world mining endeavors.
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How Do Players Mine in Star Citizen?
To mine in Star Citizen players must go through three steps: Scanning, Fracturing, and Extraction.
Scanning
Scanning is the process of figuring out which rocks hold materials that may be worth selling. A ship sends out a pulse that marks rocks that have worthy materials. This can be dangerous, as it also marks players’ positions to those who may wish others ill. To scan, follow these simple steps:
- Hit Tab to activate Scanning Mode
- Click and Hold LMB for two seconds to send out a ping
When first looking for a place to mine and wanting to do a more general scan, players can also hit V. This scan will show many objects such as moons, ship systems, planets, ores, mineable asteroids, and other useful features in the area.
Mining
Once a player has identified a rock they want to mine, they must then fracture it. Players use a mining laser to fracture a rock to reach the useful materials within. Players must balance the strength of the mining laser to make sure they fracture the rock without damaging the materials inside. These steps illustrate how to fracture rocks successfully:
- Press M to enter Mining Mode
- Mouse over the target rock, which shows players its material composition
- Right-click to make sure players are in Fracture Mode rather than Extraction Mode
- Left Click to activate the Mining Laser
- Scroll the mouse wheel to increase or decrease the laser throttle
- A UI element will appear on the right side of the screen, showing a green and red bar. Increase or decrease the laser throttle to keep the bar in the green
- Once this bar reaches 100% the rock will fracture
Extracting
Extraction is the simplest part of mining. With the hard work done, players will have to collect the pieces that they have mined, allowing them to bring them planetside for further refinement or sale. The steps for this are simple:
- Right Click to switch to Extraction Mode
- Left Click to put materials into saddlebags
Materials that are highlighted in purple are ready for extraction. Those in yellow will require further rounds of Mining to fully prepare for extraction.
Some of the more expensive materials may require players to bring their haul to a refinery within a time limit, so it may be in a player’s best interest to make note of the closest refineries before starting to mine.
With these steps, players will be ready to journey out into space and make their money! Whether it be through mining or salvaging, players should feel confident in their abilities. Still, always remember: Space isn’t always as empty as it seems. Players should be ready to fight if darker forces are hiding on the other side of the asteroid.
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