Running a Mining Op

This is a brief checklist on how to run an Eve University mining op with shares based upon each members' time in operation.

The companion article for a mining operation fleet member is Participating in a Mining Op.

This assumes a highsec op.

Checklist

1. Pick your location. If you cannot refine the ore yourself, 50% Minmatar Mining Corporation stations or 50% Caldari Business Tribunal stations are good choices, as you can ask someone to refine for you, or use Aldrat so you can use the Uni's free perfect refine service at Aldrat IX - Moon 13 - MMC station.
2. Pick what type of op you want to run. This will depend on your resources.
   • For example, with an Orca, everyone can mine and drop their ore directly into that (if within 2500m) and just use a JetCan while the Orca is docking (which it can then pick up with a tractor (if fitted)).
   • With just an industrial hauler, the JetCan will be used to hold stuff while the hauler empties it out and takes the ore to station.
   • Obviously, with more (Orca and Iteron V, two Orcas, etc.) your flexibility will go up.
3. Form a fleet. You will need at least one miner and one hauler to get started.
   • Advertise the fleet in fleet finder, and in chat channels Industry.E-UNI and Chat.E-UNI (repeating the ads periodically).
   • Have fleet members join Industry.E-UNI in Mumble if they want, or start your own chat channel.
4. Log the "lasers on" and "lasers off" time of each member of the operation (or the join/leave time for industrials). You can use Genn's Mining Op Spreadsheet or Scrapyard's Mining Op Worksheet or other spreadsheets for this. You can also use your chat log (make sure it's on) and have everyone say when they join and leave and what time it is, as a back up. Also log the entire fleet start/stop time (for yourself).
5. When the op's over, refine the ore into minerals.
   • You can do this yourself, or
   • You can ask someone to do it for you, or
   • You can use the Uni's perfect refine service
6. Sell the minerals, probably in Rens or Hek
   • You can use sell orders, but for faster ISK you can sell into the market; prices are usually better in Rens. You can check the Rens prices in Eystur, which is also one jump from Hek.
7. Using the times logged, calculate shares for each member and use your wallet to transfer the ISK to them after the sales go through.
8. Post an after-operation report on the Mining Forum if you wish

Notes on Running a Smooth Op

• Assign someone to watch the "local" channel for people who might try to cause problems (more for JetCan ops than Orca ops).
• Assign someone to watch the local grid (in the overview) for visitors, possible threats and other ships and rats.
• Assign someone to watch Industry.E-UNI to bring new blood to the fleet and capture "rejoin fleet" requests.
• The hauler should, if possible, not be the booster, so that boosts are not lost when the hauler is docked up.
  • Alternatively, at least structure the fleet so someone with Mining Foreman V is the booster when the hauler docks.
• Try to maintain a fleet presence above or below the plane that the asteroids spawn in.
  • This way, if the fleet should need to warp out quickly (due to aggression or a smartbomb battleship attack), there will be nothing blocking egress.

Help from Uni Management

Azmodeus Valar, the Director of Logistics, has offered to pick up ore from nearby Aldrat and both refine and sell it for any Uni mining op. (Reference here)

Determining Shares

The mining op fleet commander has the final say on how to distribute shares and make operation rules. (You're always free to find another fleet or start your own if you don't like it.) The fleet commander, however, does have the obligation to ensure that everyone joining the mining operation is aware of the rules and distribution of shares when they first join (or consider joining). Once the rules and shares are laid out, they should not be changed after the fact.

Rules

• The fleet commander should keep a record of the total ore mined of each type, the total refined minerals, and the total ISK which was received.
• The fleet commander should keep a record of the times each participant spent in the operation.
• The fleet commander may record the logistics times associated with processing the ore, selling, etc., solely for reporting purposes.
  • This is to let other fleet commanders know how much time they might expect to spend on these activities.
• These records (if kept electronically) should be made available to any fleet member who asks (or any Uni Director, Officer or Manager) for a week.
• An "After Operation Report" can be made on the [1], if desired.

Shares

• The fleet commander (or someone he designates and who accepts) will handle the post-operation logistics including refining, transporting, selling and distributing shares.
  • These activities are not considered part of the operation for share purposes.
• All funds gained from the op will be included in the total sum distributed to the members of the op as shares.
  • There is no required "operation donation" to the Uni for running an op.

For an example of how an operation using these rules/shares would work, see this example.

References

• Industry.E-UNI chat channel
• Gennevie's Mining Op Spreadsheet for tracking time and shares
• Scrapyard's Mining Op Worksheet
• Mining in the Apetter Constellation
• University and Player Perfect Refine List
• Halada's Complete Miner's Guide
• Determine which ore to mine for most profit
• Mining Loaner Fleet
• Mining Forum
• Mining
• Refining
• Ice Mining
• Mining Ships
• Mining Barges
• Mining 101, Mining 102
• Mining Boss 101
  • Mining Boss 101 class recording, syllabus and spreadsheet