Mining Operations

Source: http://go-dl.eve-files.com/media/corp/DeeCarson/Eve_Uni_Co-Op_Mining_Guide.pdf

The leader of the mining session (Mining Boss) will scout the available belts and select the target belt for the op. The Mining Boss will position above the plane of the belt and afford a clear path to the station or gate to be used by the haulers/Orca to make warping in and out of the belt easier, both for efficiency and safety.

Once the Mining Boss is positioned, the remainder of the miners in the gang will be instructed to warp to zero to the Mining Boss. At a slow speed, the other miners should approach the Mining Boss to a distance of 2500 meters. Before you start to work, make
sure that you are above the plane of the belt and are aligned for an escape point. That point can be a gate, a planet or a station. It doesn’t matter. The idea is you should be able to click that spot and hit the warp to button in 2 seconds or less. You may not have
more time than that!

Miners should begin laser/strip mining with the asteroids that are the furthest from their position and work toward the closest available. This allows miners using drones to target their drones on the closest ’roids and minimize the drone’s travel time. If the op is to be focused on a single asteroid type, or will exclude a specific type, the Mining Boss will make this fact known.

All miners use a common can. The can should be time stamped so that the miners and haulers can keep track of the individual cans (12:27). When a can is full, the name should be changed to include “FULL” (12:27 FULL) so that the haulers are clear about which cans can be pulled.

After an operation is complete, the ore still needs to be refined, the minerals transported and sold, and the shares distributed. The Mining Boss would therefore dock in station and refines the ore collected during the operation. The total cost of the resulting minerals is calculated by using the median ‘buy’ order price retrieved from Eve Central. Generally speaking, the proceeds from this operation are split among the participants based on the time invested in the op, without regard to role (miner, hauler, combat) or production (Covetor vs Bantam, Badger vs. Iteron V). This means that a new member who can fly a Badger earns the same as the Covetor that mines and the Drake that provides cover. In the case of a Corporation Mining Operation the corporation retains 10% of the proceeds to be used to cover its daily expenses. If you are willing and able to assist with any of the above tasks, let the Mining Boss know and he may just take you up on them.

How to Use an Orca

An Orca is a special ship that has a few features that makes it ideally suited to support mining operations. While it can hold PvP ships and provide fitting services, its main use is the ability to transfer ore from your ship into it without needing to use a jetcan. When you get to an asteroid field with Orca support target the Orca, get within 2,500 meters, and use the “Keep at Distance” option to automatically stay within range as it moves. Orca pilots will often move slowly through the asteroid belt allowing the miners to mine all the asteroids without having to drive themselves.

Once you are in position, open the Orca’s Fleet Hangar by right-clicking the Orca (either in the 3D view or the Overview) and saying “Open Fleet Hangar.” When your hold is getting close to full, drag the ore from your hold to Orca’s Fleet Hangar. You might get a warning that you can’t take the ore back; just dismiss the error. If you get a “full” error, remind the Orca pilot that he needs to empty the Hangar (or drop off a load at a station). Most Orcas can hold over 150,000 m^3 of ore (assuming the Orca pilot has fitted for cargo instead of tank) before having to drop it off.

When you are in a fleet with an Orca, check your laser cycle times and ranges by mousing over them. Often, the Orca pilot will be “boosting” these so your lasers cycle faster and reach farther.