Mining is one of the few ways to earn money in Star Citizen that works from your very first hour, because you can start on foot with cheap gear and move up to a ship when you can afford one. CIG published two short guides in October 2026, one on hand mining and one on ship mining, and this article pulls them together into a single starting point.
The short version: on foot you need a multi-tool with the mining attachment, a tractor beam and a backpack, and you sell at any admin office or outpost terminal. In a ship you scan for a rock, fracture it with the laser while watching range and charge, collect the fragments, then store the ship at a station and sell or refine the ore.
Hand mining: gear up
Head to a cargo deck at any major station and pick up a multi-tool, the mining attachment for it, a tractor beam attachment, armor and a backpack. The backpack matters because mined fragments go into it. If you have never mined before, there is a contract in your mobiGlas, the wrist computer every character carries, that walks you through the basics; take it before you try to work alone.
- Multi-tool with the mining attachment
- Tractor beam attachment
- Armor and a backpack with room for ore
- The introductory mining contract from your mobiGlas
Hand mining: finding and breaking rocks
Open the maps tab to see what is minable on a given planet or moon before you fly there. Most deposits are in caves, but plenty sit on the surface. When you land, scan with the Tab key and track down anything marked unknown; scanning it reveals the ore underneath. Small deposits only need the multi-tool: scan the rock, mine it while keeping the power meter in the green, then pull the fragments into your backpack.
When the backpack is full, sell at an admin office, a station gallery or an outpost terminal. There is no refining step for hand-mined ore at this level.
Ship mining: which ship to start with
CIG’s guide names three starting points. The Prospector and the Golem are the beginner picks: single-seat miners that are simple to run alone. The Argo Mole is the choice if you want more cargo space, at the cost of being a larger ship built for a crew. All three can be rented or bought in game, so you do not need to pledge for one.
Ship mining: scan, fracture, extract
Fly to an asteroid field or a planet and switch to scan mode to find a rock worth cracking. Hovering over a rock shows its composition and which ore is inside. Enter mining mode and fire the laser. Two numbers decide whether you succeed: your distance from the rock and the rock’s charge level. Drift out of range or let the charge run away and the rock can explode.
Once the rock fractures, switch to extraction mode and collect the purple fragments. When the hold is full, head back to a station, store the ship so the ore moves into the station’s local inventory, and go to the refinery. There you can sell the ore raw, refine it for a bigger payout, or keep it for crafting.
- Scan mode: find a rock and check its composition
- Mining mode: fire the laser, watch range and charge
- Extraction mode: collect the purple fragments after the fracture
- Station: store the ship, then sell, refine or keep the ore
What this means for new players
Hand mining is a sensible first money-maker because the gear is cheap and the introductory contract teaches the loop. Do not buy a mining ship on the pledge store just to try the career; rent or buy a Prospector in game once hand mining has paid for it, and only move to a Mole when you have friends to crew it. Our Star Citizen referral code guide explains how the 50,000 UEC signup bonus works and how to apply code STAR-6WPK-3K56 before you enlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
A multi-tool with the mining attachment, a tractor beam attachment, armor and a backpack, all sold at cargo decks. The mobiGlas has an introductory mining contract that teaches the basics.
CIG’s guide suggests the Prospector or the Golem for solo beginners, and the Argo Mole if you want more cargo capacity and have a crew.
Ship mining depends on staying within laser range and keeping the rock’s charge level under control. Drifting out of either range risks an explosion.
Hand-mined ore sells at admin offices, station galleries and outpost terminals. Ship-mined ore goes to a station refinery after you store the ship, where you can sell it raw, refine it or keep it for crafting.
Source: Star Citizen | Ship Mining Beginners Guide ⛏️. Details come from CIG’s Ship Mining Beginners Guide and Guide to Hand Mining videos, published on the Star Citizen YouTube channel in October 2026.
