Ice Harvesting

Ice Harvesting

How can I harvest Ice fields?

In order to harvest ice fields you will need a mining barge and an ice harvester. (In addition to the actual ice field, of course.)


Ice fields

These can be located in the same way as any other asteroid belt. To see if your current system has an ice field, right-click in space, select "asteroid belts" and check for an ice field listing. If it is there it should present you with the same options as asteroid belts would. Ice fields should be easily recognizable from asteroid belts by their appearance.


Mining barges

Mining barges are dedicated mining ships available from the market. Before you rush of to purchase one, please note that you require the Mining Barge skill to operate them. This skill in turn requires astrogeology level 3 and Industry level 5. The level of the mining barge skill required depends on the actual mining barge you wish to use. Make sure you check the "show info" on the mining barge in question for the skill requirements before purchasing one.


Ice harvesters

These are specialized mining lasers and should be available on the market. Those can only be fitted on mining barges. Operation of an ice harvester requires the ice harvesting skill, which in turn requires Mining level 4.

With the skills trained and the necessary items acquired you are now ready to do some ice mining. Please keep in mind that NPC pirates spawn in ice fields as well as asteroid belts and that the ice harvester have a very long cycle time, so you won't see any units of ice in your cargohold for a bit after you start harvesting. To reprocess the ice that you mine, you will require the ice Processing skill.