Mining

Maul mining using Drones

Mining is a core activity in Vanguard Galaxy. Asteroid fields which occur naturally, through random events, missions or through Mining Claims contain ore-filled asteroids, which can be mined.

Mined ores can either be sold for profit, or refined in the Refinery in order to produce refined materials for further use.

While any ship can mine ores, dedicated mining ships grant significant bonuses. For more info on ship roles, see Ships.

Surface and Core Mining

Asteroids contain ores in two layers: surface and core.

Ores in an asteroid

In order to see what can be mined - which is the first step in mining, the Captain needs to have one of the relevant skills enabled:

Mining overview skills:

Basic Scanning skill will show what types of ores are present, Advanced Scanning will show exactly how much damage is needed to mine everything, and how many ores can be expected.

Surface Mining

Surface mining will mine the ores that are on the outer layer of an Asteroid. This is usually less rewarding but easier, as surface ores are normally more common and worth less money.

In order to mine surface ores, a ship needs to have either a Mining Laser, Mining Autocannon or Mining Surface Drones. Alternatively, special tools like an Asteroid Obliterator can be used, to mixed results.

Sample mining laser:

Mining surface drones:

Core Mining

Core mining will collect the core ores of the Asteroid. This activity is usually more difficult (due to higher HP of core ores), but grants more rewarding Ores.

In order to mine core ores, a ship needs to have either a Core Buster or Mining Core Drones. Alternatively, an Asteroid Obliterator can also be use to mixed results.

Note: Using a Core Buster will vaporize surface ores, while using an Asteroid Obliterator tends to vaporize the entire asteroid. If this is a concern, try to use Mining Core Drones.

Sample mining core buster:

Mining core drones:

Cross-mining and Random Effects

Locked containers received through mining

While mining a specific ore type (surface or core), on successful result there is a 5% chance of having mined the other ore type as well. Thus, getting some core ores while only using a laser is technically possible, though not reliable.

Mining Asteroids also has a chance to spawn Crystals, which can be used in the Forge to craft Exotic (purple) equipment.

Different types of crystals obtained through mining:

In addition to above, with certain skills it's possible for mining to also result in Locked Containers. These can be quite valuable if opened at a Steel Vultures station.

Asteroid Fields and Mining Claims

Example of a Mining Claim.

Asteroid Fields can be found in most Systems. While Asteroid Fields will replenish after 1 Hour when not visited in between, Mining POIs unlocked trough Claims won't - Once a Mining Claim is drained of ores it will stay that way until the player uses another Mining Claim to receive a fresh field.

Claims can be either bought from Mining Shops or from Prospectors in the Bar.

One can view information about a Mining Field at a glance:

Basic and Advanced Scanning skills grant (more) information about an Asteroid Field

	Without the Advanced Scanning Skill	With the Advanced Scanning Skill
Before scanning
After scanning

Motherlode Systems

Motherlode system on a map

Motherlodes have a much higher number of asteroid fields (usually 3, in contrast to regular 0-1) which are also denser and more profitable. They are also higher level than the surrounding systems, which translates to higher-value ores.

In order to unlock a regular Motherlode system, one needs to buy a Gate Key from a Mindus Holdings station within the same subsector. Within Conquest zone, no keys are required.

Motherlode systems occur randomly in the Frontier zone of the map. Within Conquest zone of the map, they also spawn - look for non-conquest Mindus Holdings stations. See Navigation for more information.

Exmaple of a Motherlode system:

Yield and Mining Power

Disclaimer: This Picture is AI generated.

Yield determines the chance to spawn ore when damaging an asteroid, while Mining Power affects how much damage is dealt. As damage accumulates, reaching thresholds triggers ore spawns based on Mining Power. Higher Yield increases spawn chances and can be boosted by skills, crew, or equipment. With Yield Values over 100% there is a chance to create a second "drop" and so on.

Different mining tools have different yield values.

Tool	Yield
Mining Laser	60%
Mining Surface Drone	60%
Mining Twin Laser	50%
Mining Autocannon	40%
Asteroid Obliterator	40%-45% (depending on size)
Core Buster	40%
Mining Core Drone	80%

Environmental Hazards

Hazard Protection Booster can be bought at most Minudus Stations

Asteroid Fields may contain a Hazard - such as Cold, Mines, Radiation, Corrosion etc. These are naturally occurring and are generated from the asteroids themselves. Once an asteroid is destroyed the hazard around it will vanish, but asteroids merely depleted will remain hazardous.

Boosters granting protection from hazards can be purchased or crafted. One can equip multiple Protection Boosters but each will reduce half of hazard exposure left, so full immunity is not possible to achieve. In the long term, investing in better shielding or repair nanites for armor is recommended.

Examples of Hazards

Radiation:	Cold:
Mines:	Heat:

Mineable Ores (as of v0.8.1.9)

Element	Ores Found In
Titanium	Cerrax, Neonine, Orminite, Tachyline, Torvenite, Xylenite, Zorinite, Erythrite
Oxide	Amberic, Baryth, Caldras, Drakitium, Neonine, Tachyline, Xylenite
Silicon	Amberic, Drakitium, Lithar, Onexel, Orminite, Xenorite, Lunorite, Thalorene
Tungsten	Argenthyte, Baryth, Caldras, Dromium, Lithar, Torvenite, Xylenite
Carbon	Cerrax, Drakitium, Dromium, Halcyonite, Onexel, Erythrite, Lunorite
Iridium	Amberic, Argenthyte, Halcyonite, Xenorite, Crysaline, Omegane
Platinum	Dromium, Tachyline, Zorinite, Crysaline, Omegane, Thalorene
Astatine	Caldras, Halcyonite, Neonine, Xenorite, Erythrite, Omegane

Ore spawn levels

Minimum asteroid field level (system or mining POI level) at which each ore variant can first appear. Normally, the game has different values for an ore if it can spawn on surface or core of an asteroid. This table ignores that and just shows at which level of the POI you can expect to see an ore appear.

Ore	Base	Dense	Rich	Pure	Radiant	Notes
Cerrax	1	1	1	—	—	Titanium, Carbon
Amberic	1	—	—	1	1	Oxide, Silicon, Iridium
Onexel	1	1	1	—	—	Silicon, Carbon
Dromium	1	—	—	1	1	Tungsten, Carbon, Platinum
Baryth	1	1	1	—	—	Tungsten, Oxide
Halcyonite	1	—	—	1	1	Carbon, Iridium, Astatine
Orminite	1	1	3	—	—	Silicon, Titanium
Neonine	1	—	—	1	3	Oxide, Titanium, Astatine
Argenthyte	1	7	13	—	—	Tungsten, Iridium
Tachyline	1	—	—	7	13	Oxide, Titanium, Platinum
Zorinite	11	17	23	—	—	Titanium, Platinum
Xenorite	11	—	—	17	23	Silicon, Iridium, Astatine
Lithar	21	27	33	—	—	Silicon, Tungsten
Caldras	21	—	—	27	33	Tungsten, Oxide, Astatine
Torvenite	31	37	43	—	—	Titanium, Tungsten
Drakitium	31	—	—	37	43	Carbon, Silicon, Oxide
Crysaline	41	47	53	—	—	Iridium, Platinum
Xylenite	41	—	—	47	53	Titanium, Tungsten, Oxide
Thalorene	51	57	63	—	—	Silicon, Platinum
Erythrite	51	—	—	57	63	Carbon, Titanium, Astatine
Lunorite	61	67	73	—	—	Silicon, Carbon
Omegane	61	—	—	67	73	Iridium, Platinum, Astatine