Moon Mining

Moon Mining is a large-scale operation that allows corporations to extract rare minerals directly from the crusts of moons. Unlike asteroid mining, where you simply find an Ore Site and Mine ore, this process has several very expensive Stages that precede the Mining Operations themselves. We've separated the process into three stages to make it easier to follow. Before them, however, we need to understand the Moon Ore Classification and Survey. Thus - Stage 0

Stage 0: Moon Ore Classification and Survey

Moon ores are classified into five tiers based on the rarity of the minerals they provide. These tiers are commonly referred to as the R-Scale. Before anchoring a refinery, a player must use a Survey Probe Launcher to scan the moon. This reveals the moon's Permanent Mineral Composition.

Important Note:
Unlike Asteroids and Ice, Moon Ore does not use the Grade System. The quality of the extraction is determined entirely by the moon's natural R-Scale. The rigs fitted to the refinery will only add Volume, not Quality.

Rarity and Special Moons

The ore types and percentages are fixed to the celestial body and do not change between extractions.

Ubiquitous (R4):

Rocks: Zeolite, Sylvite, Bitumen, Coersite.
Focus: Bulk industrial throughput and base T2 component materials.

Common (R8):

Rocks: Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite.
Focus: Primary source of Chromium and Platinum; essential for standard T2 module production.

Uncommon (R16):

Rocks: Otavite, Sperrylite, Vanadinite, Wolframite.
Focus: Higher-value minerals like Cadmium and Vanadium, the bottleneck for many T2 cruiser and destroyer hulls.

Rare (R32):

Rocks: Carnotite, Loparite, Monazite, Ytterbite.
Focus: Strategic minerals like Technetium and Hafnium; required for advanced T2 hulls and specialised weaponry.

Exceptional (R64):

Rocks: Xenotime, Monazite, Ytterbite, Zircon.
Focus: The most expensive minerals (Dysprosium, Promethium, etc.) are used in the most advanced T2 and T3 technologies.

Security Space Distribution

High-Sec: Restricted to R4 and low-percentage R8. Ideal for basic T2 component production.
Low-Sec: Primary source for R16 and R32. The industrial heart of the T2 module market. There are Rare/Legacy R64 Moons.
Null-Sec: The only source for R64 moons. High-value strategic territory.
Wormhole Space: Moon mining is NOT possible in J-Space systems. Unless you use the Metanox Moon Drill.

Stage I. Refinery Anchoring and Fitting.

To enable moon mining, a refinery must be anchored at the "Moon's extraction point" (it's visible Beacon). The Fitting requires specialised Modules, Services and Structure Rigs. Modules and Services:

Standup Moon Drill (Service Module):
- The core requirement for extraction. Without this service module active, you cannot start an extraction.
- Fuel Consumption: Consumes 5 units of Fuel Blocks per hour while active.
Standup Moon Mining Laser (High Slot):*
- Used to manually "Pop" the chunk at the end of the extraction cycle.

Stage II. Engineering Rigs (Enrichment)

Both the Athanor and Tatara have 3 Rig Slots. Rigs cannot be repeated - you must choose unique bonuses for each slot. These rigs come in Tech 1 and Tech 2 variants and can be installed as per Corporation policy.

Moon Ore Extraction Rigs:
- Effect: Increases the total yield (volume) of the moon chunk by 20% (T1) or 25% (T2).
- Strategic Value: This is the most common rig, as it simply creates more ore for the same amount of time.
Moon Ore Stability Rigs:
- Effect: Increases the lifespan of the moon ore field after it has been popped.
- Strategic Value: Used by smaller corporations that need more time to mine out a field before it dissipates.
Moon Ore Reprocessing Rigs:
- Effect: Increases the mineral yield when reprocessing moon ore at that specific structure.
- Restriction: These are separate from the extraction rigs and occupy different rig slots.

Stage III. The Extraction Process (Fracking)

With Moon mining Infrastructure installed, it is time to wake it up and Beam those Moon Rocks up. It's a two-step process:

Stage 1: Extraction:

The structure fires an "Extraction Beam" at the moon, pulling a chunk of the crust into orbit over several days or weeks. Cycle Length: You can set the extraction cycle between 1 and 56 days. The Longer cycles result in a much larger Moon Chunk, which translates into a higher volume of rocks in the field. The rest is the Corporation's choice.

Stage 2: The Fracture (The Pop):

At the end of the extraction cycle, the "Moon Chunk" is brought close to the structure. Using the Mining Laser, a Mining Director has to fire the laser, fracturing the chunk into a Moon Ore Field that appears on the overview as a Cosmic Anomaly. This field is time-limited to a few days before the rocks dissipate.

Reprocessing Outcomes

Moon ores are reprocessed into a mix of standard Asteroid Minerals and specialised Moon Minerals.
Here is a Full List of Moon Minerals and where to get them from:

Evaporite Deposits: Zeolite, Sylvite, Bitumen, Coersite
Hydrocarbons: Zeolite, Sylvite, Bitumen, Coersite
Silicates: Zeolite, Sylvite, Bitumen, Coersite
Chromium: Zeolite, Sylvite, Bitumen, Coersite, Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite
Platinum: Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite
Cobalt: Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite
Scandium: Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite
Titanium: Cobaltite, Euxenite, Scheelite, Titanite
Cadmium: Otavite, Sperrylite, Vanadinite, Wolframite
Vanadium: Otavite, Sperrylite, Vanadinite, Wolframite
Promethium: Otavite, Sperrylite, Vanadinite, Wolframite, Xenotime, Monazite, Ytterbite, Zircon
Thulium: Otavite, Sperrylite, Vanadinite, Wolframite, Xenotime, Monazite, Ytterbite, Zircon
Hafnium: Carnotite, Loparite, Monazite, Ytterbite
Mercury: Carnotite, Loparite, Monazite, Ytterbite
Technetium: Carnotite, Loparite, Monazite, Ytterbite
Caesium: Carnotite, Loparite, Monazite, Ytterbite
Dysprosium: Xenotime, Monazite, Ytterbite, Zircon
Neodymium: Xenotime, Monazite, Ytterbite, Zircon

Moon Mining Management

Ownership: Moons are owned by the corporation that anchors the refinery. Those installations cost billions of ISK just for the basic setup. The most efficient setup, using T2 rigs, can reach a cost of up to half a trillion or more. If you have ever wondered "What does a corp do with all the money they make through taxes?", well, here is just one field of spending to imagine.
Taxation: Many corporations "tax" their miners by requiring them to pay a certain sum of ISK determined by the amount of ore mined. Now, knowing how expensive it is to provide and maintain such operations, be kind enough to pay your taxes.
- Special Note: This mined amount INCLUDES the Residue during Mining. Therefore, the usage of Non-Residue Mining Equipment can be essential. Otherwise, the player is left with less ore in hand and more Tax to pay. An important clarification is that, due to the taxation rather than the privacy, only players from the same corporation that owns the moon should be harvesting its Moon Ore.
Safety: Moon fields are private anomalies, but they are highly visible on the overview once "popped," making them frequent targets for roaming Enemy fleets.

Passive Moon Mining: The Metenox Moon Drill

First introduced in the Equinox Expansion (June 2024), the Metenox Moon Drill is a deployable structure that offers an automated alternative to the fracking process

How it Works: Unlike an Athanor, the Metenox does not create an ore field for players to mine. Instead, it **automatically extracts and reprocesses** moon ore into minerals over time. Efficiency: The Metenox is significantly less efficient than manual mining. You receive a smaller percentage of the total possible minerals compared to a player fleet mining and reprocessing. Fuel Cost: Consumes Magmatic Gas (a specialised fuel) or standard Fuel Blocks to operate. Because of high fuel costs, it is generally only profitable on R8 moons and higher. Availability: Can be anchored in Low-Sec, Null-Sec, and Wormhole Space Vulnerability: It has a single reinforcement timer and can be easily destroyed by a small roaming gang, making it a high-risk/low-effort asset.

Note: The Metanox is still a corporation-owned structure. Thus, if you do not have permission to do such a thing, you can't. If you have an Alt Corp, ask about regulations and taxation before dropping such a structure on your own. Failure to comply with it will have consequences, including but not limited to having your structure on zKill.