Asteroid mining?

[Charlie Beeler (OP)]

I've built a couple of these.  But my problem is that I don't seem to know how to get them to actually mine an asteroid.  I don't see a task group command to intiate mining, being at an asteroid with minerals to harvest isn't working, nor is load minerals.  

Did I miss a required component when designing the class?

Code: [Select]

AM Iowa class Asteroid Miner    8000 tons     421 Crew     872.5 BP      TCS 160  TH 240  EM 0
1500 km/s     Armour 1     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0     PPV 0
Cargo 25000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5    Replacement Parts 15    
Asteroid Miner: 2 module(s) producing 20 tons per annum

Magneto-plasma Drive E10 (3)    Power 80    Efficiency 1.00    Signature 80    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 54.0 billion km   (416 days at full power)

This design is classed as a non-combatant for maintenance purposes

[vergeraiders]

Ditto

I even added a cargohold to mine to pick up the spoils and nada.

thanks

[Steve Walmsley]

The asteroid miners work in a similar way to terraformers. If they are in orbit of a colony they will work automatically and deposit the minerals at the colony. Create a colony on the body you want to mine using the F9 system view.

Steve

[ShadoCat]

To add to what Steve said, after the mines deposit the minerals on the asteroid/planet/moon.  Just go around with a freighter and pick them up (or invest in mass drivers to shoot them home).

[Charlie Beeler (OP)]

Hm.  I had made the assumption that a ship with an asteroid mining module and a cargo hold would function.  As in park at an asteroid with minerals and it would harvest the ore and deposit in the ships cargo hold not on the surface.  I'll assign a colony on the targeted asteroid and proceed.  Thanks for the help.

[Steve Walmsley]

Hm.  I had made the assumption that a ship with an asteroid mining module and a cargo hold would function.  As in park at an asteroid with minerals and it would harvest the ore and deposit in the ships cargo hold not on the surface.  I'll assign a colony on the targeted asteroid and proceed.  Thanks for the help.

I was originally going to set it up so that ships mined into cargo holds. However, I realised it would be more efficient to leave the minerals on the surface so the mining ships wouldn't have to drag around cargo holds. Leaving the minerals on the surface meant a population was needed to hold them, which is how I got to the current mechanics.

Steve

[ShadoCat]

Steve, this initially caused confusion for me too.

It might be good for a mining ship to put minerals into cargo holds, if available.  Then they would act as sorium harvesters.

Also, for clarification, is a population needed when using a mining ship?  If so, why?  Automated mines just dump the minerals on the surface in piles to await pickup.

[Steve Walmsley]

Steve, this initially caused confusion for me too.

It might be good for a mining ship to put minerals into cargo holds, if available.  Then they would act as sorium harvesters.

Also, for clarification, is a population needed when using a mining ship?  If so, why?  Automated mines just dump the minerals on the surface in piles to await pickup.

I should have said a colony rather than a population. It doesn't have to have any actual population (people), just a colony so it can act as a location to store the mined minerals. I could have it so that the minerals would be mined into cargo holds but them every mining ship would need cargo holds and would be restricted in terms of the amount they can mine. The way it currently works you can still put cargo holds on a mining ship and transfer the minerals after they are mined but you also have the option to just keep mining and let specialised freighters haul the minerals or use mass drivers. Creating a colony only requres opening the F9 window, selecting the body in question and clicking Add Colony.

Steve

[James Patten]

Do Asteroid Miners work faster than Automated Mines?

[SteveAlt]

Do Asteroid Miners work faster than Automated Mines?

Mines, automated mines and mining modules all work at the same rate, which is the racial mining rate modified by any commander bonus.

Steve

[Kurt]

Do Asteroid Miners work faster than Automated Mines?

Mines, automated mines and mining modules all work at the same rate, which is the racial mining rate modified by any commander bonus.

Steve

I have used asteroid mining units, but from an ease of use standpoint, I feel that automated mines/mass drivers are better.  With mining ships, you have to watch their clocks and send them in for refits, while you just let the AM's go and move them when they have mined out the asteroid.  

Note that I'm not speaking economic value here, just ease of use.  

Kurt