First, let's get equipped. The size of the job will determine the size of your tools, from hand tools to massive mining machines. Here's a quick look at each:
Never leave home without a multi-tool. Equipped with the OreBit Mining Attachment, your trusty multi-tool is able to fracture and gather small ore deposits, such as Aphorite, Dolivine, or Hadanite. Often these deposits can be found in caves, on the surface of moons or planets, or your local prison facility.
Most weapon shops and general stores will carry a multi-tool, but your local refinery deck at any L1 station will have everything you need for all things mining.
Need to fracture something a bit bigger? The next step upward from your multi-tool is a mining vehicle, which can be transported in a ship as small as a Cutlass. These dedicated mining machines are much stronger than a multi-tool and can both fracture much larger deposits as well as store more harvested ore to bring back to sell.
The current ground vehicle options for mining are from Greycat Industrial, offering both the single-seat ROC as well as the dual-seat ROC-DS.
Looking for even larger prospects? Time to take to the skies with a mining ship! Single-seat options are available for a new mining enthusiast to level up their ore game, such as the MISC Prospector, but if you have a group, Argo's got your back with the MOLE. The mining lasers on these vessels are far more powerful than their ground-based counterparts, and can tackle deposits within large crags on planet surfaces or even asteroids scattered in space.
Now that we've got our tools, let's get crackin'. First things first, we need to find some ore. If you're looking to mine by hand, you can scan a planet's surface in your ship to look for ore deposits. Switch to SCM mode (default binding is holding B) and tap the TAB key to send out a ping. This will show you points of interest within roughly a dozen kilometers, which can include ore veins for mining!
Once a suitable deposit has been identified, let's bust it open. Prepare your mining laser (default Mouse 3 when in a vehicle and SCM mode) then aim at the deposit to begin a detailed scan. This will give you a meter on the right side of your UI that displays the target ore's current stability, as well as any other additional properties.
Activate the laser (default Mouse 1) and gradually increase the power to cause the ore to fracture. Aim for the green optimal zone, and hold the power level there. Once the zone fills completely, the deposit will fracture. Careful! If you give the ore too much power and overcharge it, it could explode, destroying the ore and potentially even your vehicle!
Once fractured to a point that allows you to harvest, the highlight around the deposit will change from yellow to purple. Switch your laser to Gather mode (Mouse 3 in vehicles, B when using the multi-tool) to activate a low-power tractor beam, pulling in the valuables you've dug up. This will pull in everything you've mined, from the ore to inert materials, so keep an eye on your cargo capacity.
Looking to start your salvage career? Head to Dumper's Depot or Platinum Bay and pick up a Multi-Tool and the Cambio-Lite SRT attachment for the Greycat Multi-Tool.
This attachment can both fill Recycled Material Composite (RMC) canisters by scraping hulls and dispense RMC to help you repair hull damage on your ships.
Answer to no one, cut out the middleman, and earn big ripping wrecks apart like a pro.
This single-seat ship is the perfect way to get serious about salvage when you're ready to move on from the Multi-Tool.
Thanks to a reinforced cargo bay and long-range jump drive, the Reclaimer is ideal for breaking apart deep-space wrecks.
Have a crew looking to salvage larger ships? The Aegis Reclaimer puts your team to work to scrape out big profits.
Why stop at the hull? Derelict ships can be stripped of their components, as well their cargo in their holds depending on the wreck. Check the cargo bays of your prospects before you leave, you never know what you might find!
As of 3.19, components, weapons, and missiles can be removed from vehicles using your Pyro RYT Multi-Tool and a TruHold Tractor Beam Attachment. Be sure to unlock the vehicle's item ports using either the switch in the cockpit, or by binding it to a key.
Currently, all weapons up to size 5 and all components up to size 2 can be removed from vehicles as long as you have access to them, via a component bay on the interior or exterior of the vehicle. You can then attach these components to your own vehicles, or you can sell them at shops that accept them or to other players.
Hull Scraping and Repair is the bread and butter of any seasoned salvager. Both of these features go hand in hand, as the material you scrape off of derelict hulls can then be used to repair your own ships.
Aboard a Vulture or Reclaimer? Activate Salvage Mode (default key 'M') or hop into a Salvage Turret and you'll see the HUD displayed. On the left and/or right side information on the salvage modules you have equipped will be displayed. It will showcase important parameters like the diameter of the beam and its current speed and efficiency. You can switch through the equipped modules with the right mouse button by default. Additional modules are available at Dumper's Depot, Platinum Bay, and other shops. We even have more options ready for you to customize within the key bindings settings.
Once you've found an object to scrape, engage your beam with 'Mouse 1' by default. There are indicators at the bottom of the HUD which tell you how much much material is available under your scraper beam. The top of the HUD shows your current extraction rate and progress in filling an SCU container with RMC and additionally the remaining material of the targeted section. These containers are filled automatically as you scrape and eject into your cargo hold.
As you fill these containers, you might receive a warning on your HUD informing about an obstructed conveyer belt. Now, you'll have to move the commodity container off the cargo hold's conveyor belt with a tractor beam (or have a friend help you). You can also use the filler station in your hold to create RMC canisters, that can be used with your Multi-Tool equiped with the Cambio-Lite SRT attachment to use it for repairs.
Once you've got SCU containers full of RMC, head to a commodity kiosk to sell them. These can be found at most landing zones and space stations. However, not all kiosks will purchase RMC, and don't forget to keep an eye on the price to make sure you're not getting a raw deal!
If you created RMC canisters instead of filling your SCU containers and you've got your SRT Multi-Tool attachment handy, you can use RMC to repair your or a friend's hull damage. With your Multi-Tool, attachment, and filled RMC canister equipped, press the 'B' key to switch from salvage mode to repair mode.
You can significantly repair your hull but not fully. To fully restore your ship's hull, you'll need to take it to a landing pad or hangar that offers repair services.
Structural Salvage was first introduced in Alpha 3.22 to further round out the salvage career. After you've finished hull scraping and gathering any valuables, components, or cargo off of the derelict you're salvaging, it's time to break the vehicle apart!
To begin, make sure the target vehicle is fully powered off, then switch to Fracture/Disintegrate mode. On the Vulture, this can be done from the pilot seat (default keybind is 'Right Alt' + 'W'). The Reclaimer requires operation of its claw, which can be deployed using the seat to the right of the pilot.
Engage the fracturing field with 'Mouse 1' by default, and watch the vehicle crack into pieces! The Reclaimer can fracture any vehicle, while the Vulture is limited to vehicles the size of a Mercury Star Runner and smaller.
After the hull has been successfully fractured, switch to Disintegration mode with default key 'M'. By pressing 'Mouse 1', you'll create a disintegration field around the pieces, eventually turning them into a fine dust. This commodity, called Construction Materials, is automatically is pulled into your ship and put into SCU containers in a similar fashion to RMC.
The hard working industry pilots of the 'verse are the backbone of Star Citizen, keeping the people supplied with everything from metals to minerals, from guns to gizmos, and everything in between.
Be sure to check out the Guide System to get paired with a fellow industrialist, and head over to Spectrum to provide any and all feedback on mining, refining, salvage, or repair gameplay in Star Citizen.