Difference between revisions of "Ice harvesting"

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Ice mining is different to standard asteroid mining as only mining barges and exhumers are capable of fitting the required equipment, and the refined products are not used for manufacture, but for the standard operation of [[Player Owned Structures]](POS) as well as [http://wiki.eveonline.com/wiki/Jump_drive Capital Ship Jump Drives].
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{{Update|Review for December 2021, Version 19.11 major changes to mining}}
  
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Ice mining equipment also differs to asteroid mining modules, as the yield is a fixed parameter depending on the ships being used. All capable ships will mine one piece of ice per cycle, except for the mackinaw which has a 100% bonus, so instead 2 pieces of ice will be mined per cycle.  
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{{Industry Links}}[[File:Ice_belt.jpg|thumb|A ice belt, full of lovely frozen stuff.]]
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'''Ice harvesting''' is the process of obtaining resources from ice fields (commonly called "ice belts"). This mined ice can then be [[refining|refined]] and used to fuel capital ship [[jump drive]]s, manufacture fuel for [[player-owned starbases]] and [[Citadels|structure]] services, and light [[cynosural field]]s. Ice harvesting requires specialized modules or drones, and so is generally only performed by the same ships used for regular mining: [[ORE Basic Ship and Skill Guide|Mining Barges and Exhumers]], [[Expedition Frigates]], Industrial Command Ships, the [[Rorqual]], the Capital Industrial Ship.
  
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==Ice Asteroids==
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Unlike the various [[Mining|ore mining]] tools, ice harvesting tools always harvest one block of ice (with a volume of 1000 {{m3}}) per cycle; because of this, the best method of harvesting ice more efficiently is to decrease the ice harvesters' cycle times.
 +
{{expansion past|The [[Expansions#Odyssey|Odyssey expansion]] (June 2013) changed ice mining considerably. Before the expansion, ice belts were permanent features in a system, with thousands of ice asteroids spread over hundreds of kilometers. This was changed to much smaller (10-20 ice asteroids each with 50-200 units of ice) dynamic belts which disappear once mined out, and then respawn four hours later.}}
  
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In empire space ice asteroid belts are found at fixed locations, to find them use this free map [http://www.ombeve.co.uk/Eve_Regions.pdf] Eygfe is an example of a system with an ice asteroid belt.
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=== Advantages ===
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Each asteroid can contain well over 100,000 pieces of ice and each piece takes up 1,000m3 of cargo space.  
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* Reduced attention required by the miner when compared with ore mining.
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* Ability to be self-sufficient for POS fuel.
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* Easier to mine without a dedicated hauler (longer cycle times mean fewer trips to the station).
 +
* Fun factor of 6-hourly 'Ice Rush' when a belt spawns, as dozens of miners rush in to clear the belt.
  
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===Ice Ore===
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=== Disadvantages ===
 +
* Reduced ISK yield compared to ore mining. While ice commands similar prices to ore, it's not possible to mine ice continuously due to the 6 hour respawn timer on ice belts.
  
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There are 4 basic types of ice asteroid that are aligned to the faction that controls the local space, with perfect ice refine each will allways produce;
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== Ice belts ==
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[[File:Dotlan.jpg|thumb|A map of the Metropolis region from [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/map/Metropolis/ dotlan]. The Eygfe system has an ice belt, as shown by the thin blue ring around its box.]]
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[[File:Ice_belt_scanner.jpg|thumb|A scanner window showing an ice belt. Note that, since ice belts are [[Cosmic Anomalies]], they can be warped to immediately (without needing to use scan probes).]]
  
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50 Heavy Water
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Ice belts can be found in every region of New Eden, but only in specific systems,<ref>[https://evemaps.dotlan.net/ dotlan]</ref> and each system contains 1-3 ice belts. Ice belts disappear once mined out, and then respawn 6 hours later.<ref>[https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/patch-notes-version-19-08 Patch Notes - Version 19.08]</ref> This timer does not work across downtime; there is always an ice belt after downtime - a new one or the leftovers of a not finished one before the downtime. Also unlike [[Asteroids and ore#Asteroid belts|asteroid belts]], ice belts are a type of [[Cosmic Anomaly]], meaning that they will appear in a different location in the star system every time they respawn, and can be found using a ship's onboard scanner, though they do not require [[Probe scanning|scan probes]] to find.
  
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25 Liquid Ozone
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Like regular asteroid belts, hostile NPCs periodically spawn in ice belts. The rats spawn ~20 min between waves.
  
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1 Strontium Clathrates
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=== Ice variants ===
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As with ore asteroids, each ice asteroid contains one type of ice (so, for instance, an asteroid called "Blue Ice asteroid" will contain nothing but Blue Ice). There are twelve different types of ice asteroids, split into three categories: faction asteroids, enriched faction asteroids, and standard asteroids.
 +
* The ice from faction asteroids (which contain {{co|slateblue|Clear Icicle}}, {{co|slateblue|Glacial Mass}}, {{co|slateblue|Blue Ice}}, or {{co|slateblue|White Glaze}}) refine to small quantities of Heavy Water, Liquid Ozone and Strontium Clathrates, but large amounts of their respective faction's isotope (Helium Isotopes, Hydrogen Isotopes, Oxygen Isotopes, and Nitrogen Isotopes). Each of these asteroid types is only found in the regions of space controlled by their respective faction (so, for instance, Blue Ice asteroids only spawns in Gallente space, and refine to (amongst others) Oxygen Isotopes, which are used to fuel the [[jump drive]]s on Gallente ships and to manufacture fuel for Gallente [[POS]]es).
 +
* The ice from enriched faction asteroids (which contain {{co|slateblue|Enriched Clear Icicle}}, {{co|slateblue|Smooth Glacial Mass}}, {{co|slateblue|Thick Blue Ice}}, or {{co|slateblue|Pristine White Glaze}}) works the same way as regular faction asteroids, but contain more of the same materials. These asteroids are only found in [[nullsec]] (in [[Asteroids and ore#Asteroid distribution|systems controlled by their respective factions]]), or in the Shattered Ice Fields of [[Shattered wormhole systems]].
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* The ice from standard asteroids (which contain {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}, {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}, {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}, and {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}) contains large quantities of Heavy Water, Liquid Ozone and Strontium Clathrates, but no faction isotopes. These asteroids are only found in [[low-sec]] and [[nullsec]], or in the [[Shattered Ice Field]]s of [[Shattered wormhole systems]].
  
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as well as ice specific isotopes
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Assuming perfect [[refining]] skills (0% waste), ice asteroids refine to the following:
  
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{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: center;"
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{| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
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|- style="background-color: #222222;"
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! !! Amarr - Clear Icicle !! Caldari - White Glaze !! Gallente - Blue Ice !! Minmatar - Glacial Mass
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! colspan=2 rowspan=2 |
 +
! colspan=3 |
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! colspan=4 | Faction isotopes
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|- style="background-color: #222222; font-size: 85%;"
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! [[File:mineral_heavy_water.png|32px|Heavy Water]]<br>Heavy Water
 +
! [[File:mineral_liquid_ozone.png|32px|Liquid Ozone]]<br>Liquid Ozone
 +
! [[File:mineral_strontium_clathrates.png|32px|Strontium Clathrates]]<br>Strontium Clathrates
 +
! [[File:Logo_faction_amarr_empire.png|36pxpx|link=]][[File:mineral_helium_isotopes.png|32px|Helium Isotopes]]<br>Helium Isotopes
 +
! [[File:Logo_faction_caldari_state.png|36pxpx|link=]][[File:mineral_nitrogen_isotopes.png|32px|Nitrogen Isotopes]]<br>Nitrogen Isotopes
 +
! [[File:Logo_faction_gallente_federation.png|36pxpx|link=]][[File:mineral_oxygen_isotopes.png|32px|Oxygen Isotopes]]<br>Oxygen Isotopes
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! [[File:Logo_faction_minmatar_republic.png|36pxpx|link=]][[File:mineral_hydrogen_isotopes.png|32px|Hydrogen Isotopes]]<br>Hydrogen Isotopes
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan=4 style="transform: rotate(270deg); border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" | Faction
 +
| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_clear_icicle.png|24px|Clear Icicle]] {{co|slateblue|Clear Icicle}}
 +
| 69
 +
| 35
 +
| 1
 +
| 414
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_white_glaze.png|24px|White Glaze]] {{co|slateblue|White Glaze}}
 +
| 69
 +
| 35
 +
| 1
 +
|
 +
| 414
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_blue_ice.png|24px|Blue Ice]] {{co|slateblue|Blue Ice}}
 +
| 69
 +
| 35
 +
| 1
 +
|
 +
|
 +
| 414
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA; text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_glacial_mass.png|24px|Glacial Mass]] {{co|slateblue|Glacial Mass}}
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 69
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 35
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 1
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 414
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan=4 style="transform: rotate(270deg); border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;"| Enriched
 +
| align="left" | [[File:ice_clear_icicle.png|24px|Enriched Clear Icicle]] {{co|slateblue|Enriched Clear Icicle}}
 +
| 104
 +
| 55
 +
| 1
 +
| 483
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_white_glaze.png|24px|Pristine White Glaze]] {{co|slateblue|Pristine White Glaze}}
 +
| 104
 +
| 55
 +
| 1
 +
|
 +
| 483
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_blue_ice.png|24px|Thick Blue Ice]] {{co|slateblue|Thick Blue Ice}}
 +
| 104
 +
| 55
 +
| 1
 +
|
 +
|
 +
| 483
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA; text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_glacial_mass.png|24px|Smooth Glacial Mass]] {{co|slateblue|Smooth Glacial Mass}}
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 104
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 55
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 1
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" |
 +
| style="border-bottom-color: #AAAAAA;" | 483
 +
|-
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| rowspan=4 style="transform: rotate(270deg);" | Standard
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| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_glare_crust.png|24px|Glare Crust]] {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}
 +
| 1381
 +
| 691
 +
| 35
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
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| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_dark_glitter.png|24px|Dark Glitter]] {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}
 +
| 691
 +
| 1381
 +
| 69
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
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| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_gelidus.png|24px|Gelidus]] {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}
 +
| 345
 +
| 691
 +
| 104
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
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| '''Isotope''' || Helium || Nitrogen || Oxygen || Hydrogen 
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| style="text-align: left;" | [[File:ice_krystallos.png|24px|Krystallos]] {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}
 +
| 173
 +
| 691
 +
| 173
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|}
 
|}
  
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==Basic Ice Mining Requirements==
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Like asteroid ore, unrefined ice takes up a large amount of space and can therefore be time-consuming to transport. The best sub-capital ship for transporting ice (and ore) are the [[Miasmos]], a Gallente hauler which can transport up to 63,000&nbsp;{{m3}} (63 blocks, about two loads from a minimally-skilled [[Mackinaw]], or less than 1.5 loads at max [[Exhumer]] skills) of ice, and the [[Kryos]], another Gallente hauler which got a dedicated ice hold (max. 45,000&nbsp;{{m3}}) in a 2021 update. If you need to haul even larger quantities, it may be worth training to fly a [[freighter]] (which can hold over ten times as much), or to ship the ice by courier contract.
  
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Ice Harvesting modules can only be fit on Mining Barges or Exhumers. Since the procurer is all but useless apart from being cute, the minimum ship to mine ice is in is a retriever
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Ice can also be compressed in [[Upwell structures]] with active Standup Reprocessing Facilities, or by a [[Rorqual]] with an active Industrial Core. Compressed ice takes up only 100&nbsp;{{m3}} per block, and like compressed ore, compressing ice does not change its reprocessing yield.
  
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===Retriever===
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=== Ice distribution ===
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:''See also: [[Asteroids and ore#Asteroid distribution|Asteroid distribution]]''
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Like asteroids and ore, different types of ice spawn based on the racial [[Topology|quarters]] of space. Faction ice (both normal and enriched) will spawn only in that faction's quarter. As with asteroids, more valuable ice spawns at lower security ratings, and each system can spawn all ice types of higher-security systems in the same quarter.
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{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
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|- style="background:#222222;"
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! rowspan=2 | System<br>security<br>rating
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! colspan=4 | Quarter
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|- style="background:#222222;"
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! [[File:Logo_faction_amarr_empire.png|64px|link=|Amarr quarter]]
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! [[File:Logo_faction_caldari_state.png|64px|link=|Caldari quarter]]
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! [[File:Logo_faction_gallente_federation.png|64px|link=|Gallente quarter]]
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! [[File:Logo_faction_minmatar_republic.png|64px|link=|Minmatar quarter]]
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|-
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| {{co|#2FEFEF|█}} 1.0 and lower
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| [[File:ice_clear_icicle.png|32px|link=|Clear Icicle]] {{co|slateblue|Clear Icicle}}
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| [[File:ice_white_glaze.png|32px|link=|White Glaze]] {{co|slateblue|White Glaze}}
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| [[File:ice_blue_ice.png|32px|link=|Blue Ice]] {{co|slateblue|Blue Ice}}
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| [[File:ice_glacial_mass.png|32px|link=|Glacial Mass]] {{co|slateblue|Glacial Mass}}
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|-
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| {{co|#F06000|█}} 0.4 and lower
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| [[File:ice_glare_crust.png|32px|link=|Glare Crust]] {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}
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| [[File:ice_glare_crust.png|32px|link=|Glare Crust]] {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}
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| [[File:ice_glare_crust.png|32px|link=|Glare Crust]] {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}
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| [[File:ice_glare_crust.png|32px|link=|Glare Crust]] {{co|slateblue|Glare Crust}}
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|-
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| {{co|#D73000|█}} 0.1 and lower
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| [[File:ice_dark_glitter.png|32px|link=|Dark Glitter]] {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}
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| [[File:ice_dark_glitter.png|32px|link=|Dark Glitter]] {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}
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| [[File:ice_dark_glitter.png|32px|link=|Dark Glitter]] {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}
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| [[File:ice_dark_glitter.png|32px|link=|Dark Glitter]] {{co|slateblue|Dark Glitter}}
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|-
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| {{co|#F00000|█}} 0.0 and lower
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| [[File:ice_gelidus.png|32px|link=|Gelidus]] {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}<br>[[File:ice_krystallos.png|32px|link=|Krystallos]] {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}<br>[[File:ice_clear_icicle.png|32px|link=|Enriched Clear Icicle]] {{co|slateblue|Enriched Clear Icicle}}
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| [[File:ice_gelidus.png|32px|link=|Gelidus]] {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}<br>[[File:ice_krystallos.png|32px|link=|Krystallos]] {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}<br>[[File:ice_white_glaze.png|32px|link=|Pristine White Glaze]] {{co|slateblue|Pristine White Glaze}}
 +
| [[File:ice_gelidus.png|32px|link=|Gelidus]] {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}<br>[[File:ice_krystallos.png|32px|link=|Krystallos]] {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}<br>[[File:ice_blue_ice.png|32px|link=|Thick Blue Ice]] {{co|slateblue|Thick Blue Ice}}
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| [[File:ice_gelidus.png|32px|link=|Gelidus]] {{co|slateblue|Gelidus}}<br>[[File:ice_krystallos.png|32px|link=|Krystallos]] {{co|slateblue|Krystallos}}<br>[[File:ice_glacial_mass.png|32px|link=|Smooth Glacial Mass]] {{co|slateblue|Smooth Glacial Mass}}
 +
|}
  
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The following allows for a Mining Barge to be used:
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==== Specific Ice Belts in High and Low Security Space ====
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* [[Skills:Science#Astrogeology|Astrogeology  III]]
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: [[Clear Icicle Belt]] • [[White Glaze Belt]] • [[Blue Ice Belt]] • [[Glacial Mass Belt]]
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* [[Skills:Science#Science|Science IV]]
 
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* [[Skills:Industry#Industry|Industry V]]
 
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* [[Skills:Spaceship Command#Mining Barge|Mining Barge I]]
 
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* [[Skills:Industry#Mining|Mining IV]]
 
  
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===Ice Harvester===
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==== Specific Ice Belts in Null Security Space ====
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: [[Enriched Clear Icicle Belt]] • [[Pristine White Glaze Belt]] • [[Thick Blue Ice Belt]] • [[Smooth Glacial Mass Belt]]
  
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The minimum additional skill requirement to use a basic Ice Harvester is;
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==== Ice Belts in Shattered Wormhole systems ====
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* [[Skills:Industry#Ice Harvesting|Ice Harvesting I]]
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: [[Shattered Ice Field]]
  
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This skill set will result in 1 Piece of Ice per Ice Harvester with a cycle time of 10mins, this is the lowest ice yield rate possible.
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== Ice harvesting mechanics ==
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{{main|Mining}}
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Ice mining works in much the same way as [[mining|ore mining]]: equip a ship with ice mining modules, approach and target an ice asteroid, and activate the mining module. At the ''end'' of each cycle, one unit of ice will be deposited in your ship's cargo or ore hold (despite its name, the ore hold can hold ice too). However (unlike ore mining) ice mining modules can only be fit on [[Mining Barges]] and [[Exhumers]], and the asteroid [[Drones#Mining Drones|mining drones]] cannot be used. Specialized [[Drones#Ice Harvesting Drones|ice harvesting drones]] must be used, which also come in T1, T2, Augmented, and Excavator flavors, and also use their own skills: {{Sk|Ice Harvesting Drone Operation}}, and {{Sk|Ice Harvesting Drone Specialization}}.
  
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==Improving Cycle Times==
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=== Skills ===
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{{main|Mining#Skills|Mining skills}}
 +
The core skill for ice mining is the (appropriately named) {{sk|Ice Harvesting|icon=yes}}, which reduces the cycle time of ice mining modules by 5% per level. Train this to level V to use the Tech 2 ice miner. {{sk|Mining Upgrades|icon=yes}} is needed to install mining upgrade modules (which further decrease the cycle time of ice miners). Lastly, the {{sk|Mining Barge|icon=yes}} and/or {{sk|Exhumers|icon=yes}} skills are needed to fly ice mining ships; training higher levels of these skills also decreases the cycle time of ice mining modules (depending on the bonuses of the ship being flown). Since most mining modules are fairly CPU-intensive (and fitting ice mining upgrades only makes this worse), you will probably need to train some [[Mining#Fitting skills|fitting skills]] to take full advantage of your ice mining ship.
  
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To improve the amount of ice we can harvest, we have to reduce the cycle time from the rather long 600 seconds.  
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=== Ice harvesting ships ===
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{{main|ORE Basic Ship and Skill Overview}}
 +
==== Expedition Frigates ====
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The [[Prospect]] and the [[Endurance]] can both fit Ice Mining Lasers, but the Endurance has bonuses that reduce the cycle duration. They are much more maneuverable and can fit cloaking devices, making them well suited to operating in dangerous wormhole space.
  
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===Skills===
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==== Mining Barges ====
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All three barges have a 2% reduction in Ice Harvester duration per level of {{sk|Mining Barge|icon=yes}}. As with standard mining, each hull is suited for a different style of mining, but none have any particular focus in harvesting ice resources. For example, the [[Covetor]] has an extra role bonus to ice mining yield (25% reduction in cycle time and activation cost) and 5% bonus to range, the only one with such a bonus amongst the three barges, but however it also has a fairly small ore hold (7000&nbsp;{{m3}}), and will fill up fairly quickly. The [[Procurer]] and the [[Retriever]] have a bonus of 2% each and the same ice mining yield, and each ship has a different strength (the Retriever has a very large ore hold, and the Procurer a very tough tank). As when using these ships for ore mining, the choice depends on your play style. Flying in a dangerous region of space? Use a Procurer. Want to mine for long stretches without returning to a station? Use a Retriever. Want to get the absolute maximum amount of ice you can? Use a Covetor.
  
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Continuing to learn the [[Skills:Industry#Ice Harvesting|Ice Harvesting]] skill will decrease the cycle time by 5% per level for a grand total of 25% reduced cycle time which give us a cycle time of 450 seconds
+
==== Exhumers ====
 +
Exhumers are straight upgrades from their Mining Barge counterparts, and the same reflections hold true for them. One small difference is that both the [[Skiff]] and the [[Mackinaw]] get a smaller (2%) reduction to ice harvester cycle time per level of {{sk|Exhumers|icon=yes}} (the [[Hulk]] gets a 3% reduction per skill level). The [[Skiff]] also gets an additional low slot giving all three Exhumer three low slots, unlike its Barge counterpart the [[Procurer]].
  
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===Tech 2 Modules===
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==== Industrial Command and Capital Industrial Ships ====
 +
With the release of the [[Expansions#Ascension|]] update, the [[Orca]], [[Rorqual]], and the newly-introduced [[Porpoise]] all have bonuses to ice harvesting drone cycle time. As a result, these ships have become viable ice harvesting platforms post-Ascension.
  
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By reaching Ice Harvester Level 5, we can now fit the Ice Harvester II which has a base cycle time of 500 seconds, we then apply the 25% bonus and with a week of training we have reduced the cycle time down to 375 seconds a great 37.5% improvement
+
=== Drones ===
 +
{{main|Drones#Ice Harvesting Drones|Drones}}
 +
The skill {{sk|Ice Harvesting Drone Operation|icon=yes}} reduces cycle time by 5% per skill level.
 +
Ice harvesting drones do exist, and are in fact the only way for the {{co|wheat|Porpoise}}, {{co|wheat|Orca}}, and {{co|wheat|Rorqual}} to harvest ice. However, ice harvesting drones use considerably more bandwidth and drone bay space than their ore mining counterparts (50 vs 5 Mbits/s / {{m3}}), so most ships can only field a single drone of this type and the Rorqual, with the maximum amount of bandwidth (125 Mbit/s) can only utilize two at a time.
  
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===Ice Harvesting Upgrades===
+
The {{co|wheat|Rorqual}} also has access to the powerful ice-harvesting variant of the Excavator drone. Unlike regular ice harvesting drones, Excavators only require 25 Mbit/s of bandwidth, allowing a {{co|wheat|Rorqual}} to field a full flight of five. Excavators have phenomenal ice harvesting capabilities, with a cycle time more than 100 seconds faster than normal ice harvesting drones, though they also move at half the speed.
  
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We can reduce the cycle time even further by using Ice Harvesting Upgrades, they act the in the same way as Mining Laser Upgrades, except the bonus applies to ice ore. With a tech 1 module we can improve our cycle time by 5% with a 10% cpu penalty and for a tech 2 module we can improve our cycle time by 9% with a 12.5% cpu penalty.  
+
=== Improving yield ===
−
Obviously our ultimate aim is two fill both of the low power slots with these modules for a massive cycle reduction of 18%
+
{{main|Mining yield}}
 +
In contrast with ore mining, all ice mining modules mine exactly one unit (1000&nbsp;{{m3}}) of ice per cycle; therefore, the only way to increase your mining efficiency is to decrease your modules' cycle time. This can be done by training skills (see above), installing more advanced [[ORE Basic Ship and Skill Guide#Ice miners|ice mining]] and [[ORE Basic Ship and Skill Guide#Mining laser upgrades and ice harvester upgrades|mining upgrade modules]], fitting [[ORE Basic Ship and Skill Guide#Ice harvester accelerator|Ice Harvester Accelerator]] rigs, flying more advanced ships (Exhumers instead of Mining Barges), or using [[implants]] (the IH-100x Inherent Implants 'Yeti' Ice Harvesting series). Additionally, if you are in a fleet, you can receive further bonuses through [[Mining yield#Command Bursts|Command bursts]].
  
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With the fitting levels of a retriever at most only one upgrade can be fit, if you have access to a hauler it is a good idea to use a cargo expander in spare slot. The reason is quite simple, a retriever has a basic cargo space of 2,000m3. This fits exactly 2 pieces of ice, so when your cargo hold fills, one of the harvesters will turn off. If you have a bit of extra space this wont happen and you can continue uninterrupted.  
+
While each bonus may seem small, when taken together they can make a significant difference:
 +
{{example|A beginning ice miner with very basic skills ({{sk|Mining Barge|I}} and {{sk|Ice Harvesting|I}}) fits a [[Covetor]] with two Ice Harvester I modules and goes looking for ice. Once the miner finds a suitable ice field, each of the two modules can mine a block of ice every 2 minutes and 28 seconds.
  
−
==Hulk or Mackinaw==
+
If the miner then spends some time training their Mining Barge and Ice Harvesting skills to level IV, the miner will have lowered their cycle time to 2 minutes and 13 seconds, an improvement of about 12%. Wanting to improve the yield further, the miner can then install two Ice Harvest Upgrade modules on their Covetor (with some training to {{sk|Mining Upgrades|IV}}), which drops the cycle time to 2 minutes.
  
−
One of the most controversial questions when Ice mining, is what ship should be used. The answer is always the Mackinaw or the Hulk and below we will outline the benefits of each as honestly, which to choose is a personal decision.  
+
The miner can then upgrade the ship to a [[Hulk]] (with some training to {{sk|Exhumers|IV}}), and installs an Ice Harvester Accelerator rig for good measure, which brings the cycle time down to 1 minute and 53 seconds. Going for broke, the miner upgrades all the modules to their Tech 2 variants, adds a third Ice Harvest Upgrade II and trains their skills to level V, dropping their cycle time down to 1 minute 17 seconds, for a total reduction of 48%.}}
  
−
'''Ice Output'''
+
As mining ice often turns into a race, with large number of miners competing to mine as much ice before the belt is emptied, having short cycle times can be an advantage beyond simply mining more ice in a given period of time. This allows you to beat your competition to those last few pieces of ice in a belt (as, if two miners are attempting to mine the same asteroid with only one unit of ice left, whoever finishes their cycle first gets that block of ice, and the other gets nothing). [[Mining#Survey scanner|Using a survey scanner]] can be very helpful, as you can see how much ice is left in each asteroid.
−
This is an easy one to answer, the Mackinaw produces more ice per minute then the hulk can. This is down to the fact that it has a 100% yield bonus and for every cycle you receive 4 pieces of ice instead of one.
 
  
−
'''Cargo Space'''
+
== Tactics ==
−
The hulk is capable of holding 8 pieces of ice compared to the mackinaw’s 6, and with module expansions and rigging, it is obvious that the hulk can stay out longer before having to return to that station to drop off the ice. However it does take longer to mine.  
+
Because of the popularity of systems that contain ice anomalies, they have become targets of regular and perpetual [[gank]]ing activities. The following tactics may be useful in particular by Ice Miners:
  
−
'''Survivability'''
+
* Ensure that once you warp in to a site, you start your ship moving away from the warp in point. This is where gankers are likely to appear.
−
There are more then enough high sec systems with ice belts, and Eygfe is one such system close to Aldrat. Thusly on a safety standpoint it is not necessary to move into dangerous low-sec space. However there is still the issue of suicide gang attacks (gankers) Ice belts can be targeted due to the belief that many ice miners are afk and are thusly easy targets. The hulk does have an increased chance of surviving a ganker attack then the mackinaw does.  
+
* Use [[bookmarks]] to your advantage. Sensible use of safe spots can make ice mining much safer.
 +
* Make sure you are always moving. Gankers may be tempted by still ships, which may be an indication that the pilot is not at their keyboard.
 +
* Try to be aligned at all times, ideally to your safe spot. Provided you are moving at 75% of your maximum speed you will be able to warp off almost immediately if a ganker appears.
 +
* If you know the names or corporations of local gankers, set them as "terrible" standing in your contacts list. This will ensure that they stand out in local.
  
−
'''Price'''
+
== Locations in Empire Space ==
−
Many experienced players will point out that any one wanting to be a miner will have to buy a Hulk at some point to maximize there profits. This means that frequently the Mackinaw is bought as a second ship, dedicated to ice mining, as such significantly increases purchase costs.  
+
Below are the systems that spawn ice anomalies within empire space, organized alphabetically.
  
−
'''The big question – Is Ice mining actually for me?'''
+
=== Amarr ===
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Afivad Afivad]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Anath Anath]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Avada Avada]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Bashakru Bashakru]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Bordan Bordan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Bourar Bourar]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Cabeki Cabeki]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Chanoun Chanoun]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Claini Claini]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Dantan Dantan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Dihra Dihra]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Enal Enal]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Erkinen Erkinen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Esteban Esteban]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Feshur Feshur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gasavak Gasavak]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gemodi Gemodi]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gosalav Gosalav]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Haras Haras]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hezere Hezere]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hoseen Hoseen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Illi Illi]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Jarzalad Jarzalad]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Jerma Jerma]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Kamih Kamih]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Kothe Kothe]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Menri Menri]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Miah Miah]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Modun Modun]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Moutid Moutid]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Naguton Naguton]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Nebian Nebian]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Oberen Oberen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ordion Ordion]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Pemsah Pemsah]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Raravoss Raravoss]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Riavayed Riavayed]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Sadana Sadana]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Schmaeel Schmaeel]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Seil Seil]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Sosala Sosala]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Sosan Sosan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Talidal Talidal]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Tannakan Tannakan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Tisot Tisot]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Upt Upt]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ussad Ussad]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Vezila Vezila]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Warouh Warouh]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Yahyerer Yahyerer]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Zatamaka Zatamaka]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Zazamye Zazamye]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Zorenyen Zorenyen]
  
−
Yet again another question without a correct answer. There are many reasons for and against Ice Mining, but there are some important facts that need to be said. Ice has a limited use compared to asteroids. Minerals from asteroids are used throughout eve, basically everything out there is made out of minerals where as ice products are only used in Player Owned Structures and certain ships with jump drive capability.
+
=== Caldari ===
−
It is perhaps considered easier to ice mine, as the cycle times are significantly longer then asteroid mining modules, and ice asteroids are so massive, that it would take a large fleet of ships to mine all of the ice, as such it is very difficult for the ice asteroid to run out. Many miners will tell you the frustration at mining an asteroid with hardly next to nothing in it and loosing cycle time because they haven’t got the attention to focus on there scanners. This is perhaps where Ice Mining does come into its own, and many miners have been known to hit the asteroid belt while there for example studying.  
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Aakari Aakari]
−
The final big issue is well, that ice is big! Just one block takes up 1000m3 of space. So an unmodified Hulk can only fit 8 pieces, not much really. Many professional ice miners will have a second account to act as a hauler to move the ice and leave the miner in place.  
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ahtulaima Ahtulaima]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Dantumi Dantumi]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Elonaya Elonaya]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Fuskunen Fuskunen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gekutami Gekutami]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Halaima Halaima]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hallanen Hallanen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hasama Hasama]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hentogaira Hentogaira]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hurtoken Hurtoken]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hysera Hysera]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Jotenen Jotenen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Kehjari Kehjari]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Kiskoken Kiskoken]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Mitsolen Mitsolen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Obe Obe]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Oishami Oishami]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Osmon Osmon]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Oto Oto]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Outuni Outuni]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Passari Passari]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Pavanakka Pavanakka]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Piekura Piekura]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Prism Prism]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Reitsato Reitsato]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Silen Silen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Sirseshin Sirseshin]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Teimo Teimo]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Uchomida Uchomida]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Uotila Uotila]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Vattuolen Vattuolen]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Wuos Wuos]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Yoma Yoma]
  
−
==Perfect Ice Mining Requirements==
+
=== Gallente ===
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Actee Actee]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Aeschee Aeschee]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Agoze Agoze]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Alachene Alachene]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Alparena Alparena]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Alsavoinon Alsavoinon]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Antollare Antollare]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ardallabier Ardallabier]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Atlulle Atlulle]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Aubenall Aubenall]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Avaux Avaux]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Aydoteaux Aydoteaux]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Brapelille Brapelille]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Cadelanne Cadelanne]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Carirgnottin Carirgnottin]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Carrou Carrou]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Chelien Chelien]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Costolle Costolle]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Cumemare Cumemare]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Deninard Deninard]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Eugales Eugales]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Fliet Fliet]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gallusiene Gallusiene]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Indregulle Indregulle]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Jaschercis Jaschercis]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Lamadent Lamadent]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Mannar Mannar]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Maut Maut]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Mercomesier Mercomesier]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Misneden Misneden]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Niballe Niballe]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Palmon Palmon]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Rancer Rancer]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ratillose Ratillose]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Ruerrotta Ruerrotta]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Stegette Stegette]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Thelan Thelan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Tolle Tolle]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Uphallant Uphallant]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Vaurent Vaurent]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Vevelonel Vevelonel]
  
−
To get the absolutely perfect ice harvesting settup this is what you are going to need.
+
=== Minmatar ===
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Abudban Abudban]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Asgeir Asgeir]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Barkrik Barkrik]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Dantbeinn Dantbeinn]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Egmar Egmar]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Emolgranlan Emolgranlan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Endrulf Endrulf]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Eszur Eszur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Eygfe Eygfe]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Finanar Finanar]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gedugaud Gedugaud]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hegfunden Hegfunden]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Helgatild Helgatild]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hodrold Hodrold]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Hrokkur Hrokkur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Nakugard Nakugard]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Nein Nein]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Oddelulf Oddelulf]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Oppold Oppold]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Osvetur Osvetur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Sirekur Sirekur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Teonusude Teonusude]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Todifrauan Todifrauan]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Turnur Turnur]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Uisper Uisper]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Vard Vard]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Varigne Varigne]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Weld Weld]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Wiskeber Wiskeber]
  
−
Mackinaw skills:
+
=== Ammatar ===
−
* [[Skills:Spaceship Command#Exhumers|Exhumers V]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Astabih Astabih]
−
* [[Skills:Spaceship Command#Spaceship Command|Spaceship Command IV]] 
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Faspera Faspera]
−
* [[Skills:Industry#Industry|Industry V]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gamis Gamis]
−
* [[Skills:Science#Astrogeology|Astrogeology V]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Gelhan Gelhan]
−
* [[Skills:Science#Science|Science IV]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Kenobanala Kenobanala]
−
* [[Skills:Industry#Mining|Mining IV]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Lilmad Lilmad]
−
* [[Skills:Spaceship Command#Mining Barge|Mining Barge V]]
+
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Mahti Mahti]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Majamar Majamar]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Nakah Nakah]
 +
* [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/system/Yishinoon Yishinoon]
  
−
Ice Harvester II module:
+
== See also ==
−
* [[Skills:Industry#Ice Harvesting|Ice Harvesting V]]
+
* [https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/mining-foreman-revolution Mining Foreman Revolution], dev blog detailing mining changes in [[Expansions#Ascension|Ascension]]
  
−
2 x Ice Mining Upgrades
+
== References ==
 +
<references />
  
−
This skill set will result in 2 pieces of Ice per Ice harvester with a cycle time of 4 mins 20sec
+
{{Mining Links}}
  
 +
[[Category:Mining]]
 
[[Category:Industry]]
 
[[Category:Industry]]
−
[[Category:Mining]]
 

Latest revision as of 18:35, 23 April 2024

This page should be updated due to game changes.
Reason: Review for December 2021, Version 19.11 major changes to mining


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A ice belt, full of lovely frozen stuff.

Ice harvesting is the process of obtaining resources from ice fields (commonly called "ice belts"). This mined ice can then be refined and used to fuel capital ship jump drives, manufacture fuel for player-owned starbases and structure services, and light cynosural fields. Ice harvesting requires specialized modules or drones, and so is generally only performed by the same ships used for regular mining: Mining Barges and Exhumers, Expedition Frigates, Industrial Command Ships, the Rorqual, the Capital Industrial Ship.

Unlike the various ore mining tools, ice harvesting tools always harvest one block of ice (with a volume of 1000 m3) per cycle; because of this, the best method of harvesting ice more efficiently is to decrease the ice harvesters' cycle times.

Advantages

  • Reduced attention required by the miner when compared with ore mining.
  • Ability to be self-sufficient for POS fuel.
  • Easier to mine without a dedicated hauler (longer cycle times mean fewer trips to the station).
  • Fun factor of 6-hourly 'Ice Rush' when a belt spawns, as dozens of miners rush in to clear the belt.

Disadvantages

  • Reduced ISK yield compared to ore mining. While ice commands similar prices to ore, it's not possible to mine ice continuously due to the 6 hour respawn timer on ice belts.

Ice belts

A map of the Metropolis region from dotlan. The Eygfe system has an ice belt, as shown by the thin blue ring around its box.
A scanner window showing an ice belt. Note that, since ice belts are Cosmic Anomalies, they can be warped to immediately (without needing to use scan probes).

Ice belts can be found in every region of New Eden, but only in specific systems,[1] and each system contains 1-3 ice belts. Ice belts disappear once mined out, and then respawn 6 hours later.[2] This timer does not work across downtime; there is always an ice belt after downtime - a new one or the leftovers of a not finished one before the downtime. Also unlike asteroid belts, ice belts are a type of Cosmic Anomaly, meaning that they will appear in a different location in the star system every time they respawn, and can be found using a ship's onboard scanner, though they do not require scan probes to find.

Like regular asteroid belts, hostile NPCs periodically spawn in ice belts. The rats spawn ~20 min between waves.

Ice variants

As with ore asteroids, each ice asteroid contains one type of ice (so, for instance, an asteroid called "Blue Ice asteroid" will contain nothing but Blue Ice). There are twelve different types of ice asteroids, split into three categories: faction asteroids, enriched faction asteroids, and standard asteroids.

  • The ice from faction asteroids (which contain Clear Icicle, Glacial Mass, Blue Ice, or White Glaze) refine to small quantities of Heavy Water, Liquid Ozone and Strontium Clathrates, but large amounts of their respective faction's isotope (Helium Isotopes, Hydrogen Isotopes, Oxygen Isotopes, and Nitrogen Isotopes). Each of these asteroid types is only found in the regions of space controlled by their respective faction (so, for instance, Blue Ice asteroids only spawns in Gallente space, and refine to (amongst others) Oxygen Isotopes, which are used to fuel the jump drives on Gallente ships and to manufacture fuel for Gallente POSes).
  • The ice from enriched faction asteroids (which contain Enriched Clear Icicle, Smooth Glacial Mass, Thick Blue Ice, or Pristine White Glaze) works the same way as regular faction asteroids, but contain more of the same materials. These asteroids are only found in nullsec (in systems controlled by their respective factions), or in the Shattered Ice Fields of Shattered wormhole systems.
  • The ice from standard asteroids (which contain Glare Crust, Dark Glitter, Gelidus, and Krystallos) contains large quantities of Heavy Water, Liquid Ozone and Strontium Clathrates, but no faction isotopes. These asteroids are only found in low-sec and nullsec, or in the Shattered Ice Fields of Shattered wormhole systems.

Assuming perfect refining skills (0% waste), ice asteroids refine to the following:

Faction isotopes
Heavy Water
Heavy Water 		Liquid Ozone
Liquid Ozone 		Strontium Clathrates
Strontium Clathrates 		Logo faction amarr empire.pngHelium Isotopes
Helium Isotopes 		Logo faction caldari state.pngNitrogen Isotopes
Nitrogen Isotopes 		Logo faction gallente federation.pngOxygen Isotopes
Oxygen Isotopes 		Logo faction minmatar republic.pngHydrogen Isotopes
Hydrogen Isotopes
Faction Clear Icicle Clear Icicle 69 35 1 414
White Glaze White Glaze 69 35 1 414
Blue Ice Blue Ice 69 35 1 414
Glacial Mass Glacial Mass 69 35 1 414
Enriched Enriched Clear Icicle Enriched Clear Icicle 104 55 1 483
Pristine White Glaze Pristine White Glaze 104 55 1 483
Thick Blue Ice Thick Blue Ice 104 55 1 483
Smooth Glacial Mass Smooth Glacial Mass 104 55 1 483
Standard Glare Crust Glare Crust 1381 691 35
Dark Glitter Dark Glitter 691 1381 69
Gelidus Gelidus 345 691 104
Krystallos Krystallos 173 691 173

Like asteroid ore, unrefined ice takes up a large amount of space and can therefore be time-consuming to transport. The best sub-capital ship for transporting ice (and ore) are the Miasmos, a Gallente hauler which can transport up to 63,000 m3 (63 blocks, about two loads from a minimally-skilled Mackinaw, or less than 1.5 loads at max Exhumer skills) of ice, and the Kryos, another Gallente hauler which got a dedicated ice hold (max. 45,000 m3) in a 2021 update. If you need to haul even larger quantities, it may be worth training to fly a freighter (which can hold over ten times as much), or to ship the ice by courier contract.

Ice can also be compressed in Upwell structures with active Standup Reprocessing Facilities, or by a Rorqual with an active Industrial Core. Compressed ice takes up only 100 m3 per block, and like compressed ore, compressing ice does not change its reprocessing yield.

Ice distribution

See also: Asteroid distribution

Like asteroids and ore, different types of ice spawn based on the racial quarters of space. Faction ice (both normal and enriched) will spawn only in that faction's quarter. As with asteroids, more valuable ice spawns at lower security ratings, and each system can spawn all ice types of higher-security systems in the same quarter.

System
security
rating 		Quarter
Amarr quarter Caldari quarter Gallente quarter Minmatar quarter
█ 1.0 and lower Clear Icicle Clear Icicle White Glaze White Glaze Blue Ice Blue Ice Glacial Mass Glacial Mass
█ 0.4 and lower Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust Glare Crust
█ 0.1 and lower Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter Dark Glitter
█ 0.0 and lower Gelidus Gelidus
Krystallos Krystallos
Enriched Clear Icicle Enriched Clear Icicle 		Gelidus Gelidus
Krystallos Krystallos
Pristine White Glaze Pristine White Glaze 		Gelidus Gelidus
Krystallos Krystallos
Thick Blue Ice Thick Blue Ice 		Gelidus Gelidus
Krystallos Krystallos
Smooth Glacial Mass Smooth Glacial Mass

Specific Ice Belts in High and Low Security Space

Clear Icicle Belt • White Glaze Belt • Blue Ice Belt • Glacial Mass Belt

Specific Ice Belts in Null Security Space

Enriched Clear Icicle Belt • Pristine White Glaze Belt • Thick Blue Ice Belt • Smooth Glacial Mass Belt

Ice Belts in Shattered Wormhole systems

Shattered Ice Field

Ice harvesting mechanics

Main article: Mining

Ice mining works in much the same way as ore mining: equip a ship with ice mining modules, approach and target an ice asteroid, and activate the mining module. At the end of each cycle, one unit of ice will be deposited in your ship's cargo or ore hold (despite its name, the ore hold can hold ice too). However (unlike ore mining) ice mining modules can only be fit on Mining Barges and Exhumers, and the asteroid mining drones cannot be used. Specialized ice harvesting drones must be used, which also come in T1, T2, Augmented, and Excavator flavors, and also use their own skills: Ice Harvesting Drone Operation, and Ice Harvesting Drone Specialization.

Skills

Main article: Mining skills

The core skill for ice mining is the (appropriately named) Icon skillbook2.png Ice Harvesting, which reduces the cycle time of ice mining modules by 5% per level. Train this to level V to use the Tech 2 ice miner. Icon skillbook2.png Mining Upgrades is needed to install mining upgrade modules (which further decrease the cycle time of ice miners). Lastly, the Icon skillbook2.png Mining Barge and/or Icon skillbook2.png Exhumers skills are needed to fly ice mining ships; training higher levels of these skills also decreases the cycle time of ice mining modules (depending on the bonuses of the ship being flown). Since most mining modules are fairly CPU-intensive (and fitting ice mining upgrades only makes this worse), you will probably need to train some fitting skills to take full advantage of your ice mining ship.

Ice harvesting ships

Main article: ORE Basic Ship and Skill Overview

Expedition Frigates

The Prospect and the Endurance can both fit Ice Mining Lasers, but the Endurance has bonuses that reduce the cycle duration. They are much more maneuverable and can fit cloaking devices, making them well suited to operating in dangerous wormhole space.

Mining Barges

All three barges have a 2% reduction in Ice Harvester duration per level of Icon skillbook2.png Mining Barge. As with standard mining, each hull is suited for a different style of mining, but none have any particular focus in harvesting ice resources. For example, the Covetor has an extra role bonus to ice mining yield (25% reduction in cycle time and activation cost) and 5% bonus to range, the only one with such a bonus amongst the three barges, but however it also has a fairly small ore hold (7000 m3), and will fill up fairly quickly. The Procurer and the Retriever have a bonus of 2% each and the same ice mining yield, and each ship has a different strength (the Retriever has a very large ore hold, and the Procurer a very tough tank). As when using these ships for ore mining, the choice depends on your play style. Flying in a dangerous region of space? Use a Procurer. Want to mine for long stretches without returning to a station? Use a Retriever. Want to get the absolute maximum amount of ice you can? Use a Covetor.

Exhumers

Exhumers are straight upgrades from their Mining Barge counterparts, and the same reflections hold true for them. One small difference is that both the Skiff and the Mackinaw get a smaller (2%) reduction to ice harvester cycle time per level of Icon skillbook2.png Exhumers (the Hulk gets a 3% reduction per skill level). The Skiff also gets an additional low slot giving all three Exhumer three low slots, unlike its Barge counterpart the Procurer.

Industrial Command and Capital Industrial Ships

With the release of the [[Expansions#Ascension|]] update, the Orca, Rorqual, and the newly-introduced Porpoise all have bonuses to ice harvesting drone cycle time. As a result, these ships have become viable ice harvesting platforms post-Ascension.

Drones

Main article: Drones

The skill Icon skillbook2.png Ice Harvesting Drone Operation reduces cycle time by 5% per skill level. Ice harvesting drones do exist, and are in fact the only way for the Porpoise, Orca, and Rorqual to harvest ice. However, ice harvesting drones use considerably more bandwidth and drone bay space than their ore mining counterparts (50 vs 5 Mbits/s / m3), so most ships can only field a single drone of this type and the Rorqual, with the maximum amount of bandwidth (125 Mbit/s) can only utilize two at a time.

The Rorqual also has access to the powerful ice-harvesting variant of the Excavator drone. Unlike regular ice harvesting drones, Excavators only require 25 Mbit/s of bandwidth, allowing a Rorqual to field a full flight of five. Excavators have phenomenal ice harvesting capabilities, with a cycle time more than 100 seconds faster than normal ice harvesting drones, though they also move at half the speed.

Improving yield

Main article: Mining yield

In contrast with ore mining, all ice mining modules mine exactly one unit (1000 m3) of ice per cycle; therefore, the only way to increase your mining efficiency is to decrease your modules' cycle time. This can be done by training skills (see above), installing more advanced ice mining and mining upgrade modules, fitting Ice Harvester Accelerator rigs, flying more advanced ships (Exhumers instead of Mining Barges), or using implants (the IH-100x Inherent Implants 'Yeti' Ice Harvesting series). Additionally, if you are in a fleet, you can receive further bonuses through Command bursts.

While each bonus may seem small, when taken together they can make a significant difference:

A beginning ice miner with very basic skills (Mining Barge I and Ice Harvesting I) fits a Covetor with two Ice Harvester I modules and goes looking for ice. Once the miner finds a suitable ice field, each of the two modules can mine a block of ice every 2 minutes and 28 seconds.

If the miner then spends some time training their Mining Barge and Ice Harvesting skills to level IV, the miner will have lowered their cycle time to 2 minutes and 13 seconds, an improvement of about 12%. Wanting to improve the yield further, the miner can then install two Ice Harvest Upgrade modules on their Covetor (with some training to Mining Upgrades IV), which drops the cycle time to 2 minutes.

The miner can then upgrade the ship to a Hulk (with some training to Exhumers IV), and installs an Ice Harvester Accelerator rig for good measure, which brings the cycle time down to 1 minute and 53 seconds. Going for broke, the miner upgrades all the modules to their Tech 2 variants, adds a third Ice Harvest Upgrade II and trains their skills to level V, dropping their cycle time down to 1 minute 17 seconds, for a total reduction of 48%.

As mining ice often turns into a race, with large number of miners competing to mine as much ice before the belt is emptied, having short cycle times can be an advantage beyond simply mining more ice in a given period of time. This allows you to beat your competition to those last few pieces of ice in a belt (as, if two miners are attempting to mine the same asteroid with only one unit of ice left, whoever finishes their cycle first gets that block of ice, and the other gets nothing). Using a survey scanner can be very helpful, as you can see how much ice is left in each asteroid.

Tactics

Because of the popularity of systems that contain ice anomalies, they have become targets of regular and perpetual ganking activities. The following tactics may be useful in particular by Ice Miners:

  • Ensure that once you warp in to a site, you start your ship moving away from the warp in point. This is where gankers are likely to appear.
  • Use bookmarks to your advantage. Sensible use of safe spots can make ice mining much safer.
  • Make sure you are always moving. Gankers may be tempted by still ships, which may be an indication that the pilot is not at their keyboard.
  • Try to be aligned at all times, ideally to your safe spot. Provided you are moving at 75% of your maximum speed you will be able to warp off almost immediately if a ganker appears.
  • If you know the names or corporations of local gankers, set them as "terrible" standing in your contacts list. This will ensure that they stand out in local.

Locations in Empire Space

Below are the systems that spawn ice anomalies within empire space, organized alphabetically.

Amarr

Caldari

Gallente

Minmatar

Ammatar

See also

References

  1. ^ dotlan
  2. ^ Patch Notes - Version 19.08
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