Miners' Corner: share your experiences, strategies, and pastimes

I sometimes mine in EVE, both solo and in groups. For me, it's more about the meditative experience than pure profit. My activity usually revolves around three things, depending on my mood:

• Chatting about anything, whether on Vent or in the in-game chat.

• You guessed it - ship spinning (I really wish they'd add more moving parts to my Orca!).

• Peeking on my drones with the 'look at' feature

But now that I think about it, it seems like I’m doing everything but actually staying engaged in the game

can you guess which mining drone that is?!

Yay, my bounty highlight! Ironically, I can't call myself a great miner- my experience is mostly limited to occasional mining sessions in the Curse region from 2004-2006, using an Apocalypse (which was a top mining ship back then). It was all about jet-can mining, so you couldn’t leave the game for long due to cargo limitations.

While mining, I'd hang out with other miners on TeamSpeak and surf the in-game web browser. We had some interesting entertainment, like gambling with ISK on EVE-CASINO or browsing certain "niche" adult content for miners, again, access via ISK transactions lol.

One day, someone introduced me to a site with free Flash games, where I discovered Motherload by XGen Studios. This led me to ArmorGames, where I got hooked on Gemcraft and eventually my all-time favorite tower defense game, Kingdom Rush.

XGen Studios - Motherload Goldium Edition (they rebuild that game for Steam)

GemCraft - Play on Armor Games

So yeah, my mining entertainment was playing other free games in a web browser during those relatively short play sessions.

Mining in EVE Online is often seen as a simple, passive activity, but it can be incredibly rewarding and strategic if approached correctly. Whether you're mining solo in high-sec or coordinating a fleet operation in null-sec, mining can be both a relaxing pastime and a lucrative venture.

Before I even undock, I make sure my ships are fully fitted and stocked. For high-sec mining, I usually fly a Retriever for its large ore hold, while in null-sec or more dangerous areas, I switch to a Skiff for its tankiness. I also have a Porpoise or Orca nearby for boosting and hauling, depending on the scale of the operation.

I always scout out potential mining spots beforehand. Using a fast, cloaky ship, I warp to asteroid belts, moons, or ice fields to scan the available resources. I create bookmarks at optimal mining ranges, ensuring that I can warp in and start mining efficiently without wasting time.

I have two styles of mining: active and AFK. Active mining involves constantly monitoring the game, moving between asteroids, and maximizing yield. AFK mining, on the other hand, involves setting up your lasers and checking in periodically. I tend to combine both depending on my mood. When actively mining, I aim to maximize yield by targeting high-value ores and continuously repositioning to stay in optimal range.

As a tip, I advise you to optimize your fits, fleet mining, use marketing tools, learn when to bail and invest in ice and moon mining.

For me, mining in EVE Online is more than just a way to make ISK—it’s a time to relax and reflect. I often put on a podcast or some music, settle into a comfortable routine, and let the lasers do their work. There’s something incredibly soothing about the hum of the mining lasers and the sight of asteroids slowly breaking apart.

When I mine with friends, it becomes a social activity. We chat about our day, plan future operations, and share stories of past adventures. It’s a low-stress way to enjoy the game and stay connected with the EVE community.

Mining in EVE is undoubtedly one of the activities that most consider boring and monotonous (though very necessary for the ecosystem). Here are my strategies to make it more fun:

1. Invite Your Companions to Mine: If you usually mine alone with your own mining fleet, it’s highly recommended to invite smaller miners to join your operation. This way, you help your companions grow, have someone to talk to, and will likely learn something new. And last but not least: the more eyes on the grid, the less likely a fatal accident (especially in systems with a high number of players).

2. Plan Your Next Assets for Manufacturing: If you are into industry, mining time is a good opportunity to plan your next assets for manufacturing (if you haven't done so yet).

3. Install PI Extraction Cycles: If you do Planetary Interaction (PI), it's a good time to set up the extraction cycles. Remember, you don't have to be in the same system to do this.

4. Entertainment During Mining: And finally, the classic and always reliable option: watch series or movies. However, those seconds when you take your eyes off the grid can be deadly, so instead, I would advise you to listen to a good podcast or have a playlist with your favorite music to keep you alert.

These strategies can help make your mining sessions more engaging and enjoyable while ensuring you stay productive and safe in EVE.

Do You Have a Moment to Talk About Our Malevolent Lord of Jspace?

I am a big advocate for newer players to get into gas harvesting ("huffing") as opposed to hisec mining. Yes, the risk is significantly higher than the rando catalyst gank, but the ISK is also infinitely better as well. The nice thing about gas huffing is that there aren't a ton of support skills necessary to get good results. The biggest investment is the 50m ISK skillbook you'll need for gas harvesting itself. Once you have that, you can dive into wormholes in a venture fitted with a T1 core probe launcher and some sisters core probes and you're set.

The advantage of doing this is that it develops a bunch of useful skills: scanning, dscanning, situational awareness (soft skill), sig tanking, and so much more. It's scary at first and rather easy to make a mistake that'll cost you your ship, but that's why you do it in a venture. Once you've got a handle on things, you can upgrade to a prospect if you really want to, but even just a venture can be enough to extract 80-100m from lower tier gas sites. The skills you learn in order to gas huff will easily transfer to mining in low and nullsec where the real ISK can be made from mining. After some time wormhole diving for gas, you'll be a pro at staying aware of potential danger and you won't be relying on third-party tools to do so.

To clarify, I am not advocating doing anything specific while mining. I am advocating for how to develop your skills so that you can be the sharpest miner on field. My favorite thing to do while mining is either listening to podcasts and audiobooks or chatting with corp mates on comms.