DSP Vein Utilization Guide (v0.10) - Optimal Miner Placement and Proliferation for Maximum Output
Master mining optimization in Dyson Sphere Program. Complete guide to mining machine placement, vein coverage patterns, proliferator application, and vein utilization upgrade priorities. Extract more ore per vein with fewer miners.
Ore veins are finite. Every iron ore, copper ore, and coal vein on your starting planet will eventually deplete. Mining optimization determines whether you run out of resources in 20 hours or 200 hours. This guide covers every mining optimization technique.
Mining Machine Coverage
Placement Pattern
Each mining machine covers a 3x3 tile area, extracting ore from all 9 tiles simultaneously. The key insight is overlapping coverage:
| Placement | Coverage | Ore Veins Used | Output | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scattered random | 50-70% | Partial | ~20/min | 60% |
| Edge-to-edge grid | 90-95% | Full vein | ~30/min | 90% |
| Dense center cluster | 95-100% | Full vein | ~36/min | 95% |
Mining
BeltBuild mining machines in a grid pattern starting from the densest cluster of ore tiles. Place them edge-to-edge so no tile is left un-mined. A single 12-tile-wide iron vein supports 4 mining machines in a 2x2 grid.
**Depth rule:** Mining machines placed directly on top of the ore patch mine faster than machines placed on the edge. The center tiles of a large vein get priority mining. If your vein is irregularly shaped, cluster miners on the thickest part.
The Vein Utilization Tech Tree
Vein Utilization is the single most important infinite research in DSP. Each level reduces ore consumption by 10%, effectively increasing your ore supply by 11% per level.
| Level | Ore Consumption Reduction | Effective Ore Multiplier | Cost (Previous Level x) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10% | 1.11x | 1x |
| 5 | 50% | 2.0x | 480x |
| 10 | 100% | infinite (free mining) | 196,830x |
| 15 | 150% | 2.5x reduction per craft | 47Mx |
Proliferation for Mining
Applying Mk.II or Mk.III Proliferator to mining outputs is surprisingly effective:
| Proliferator | Extra Output | Cost to Spray | Net Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk.I | +12.5% | 1 Coal per 12 ore | Small gain |
| Mk.II | +20% | 1 Diamond per 10 ore | Medium gain |
| Mk.III | +25% | 1 Carbon Nanotube per 8 ore | Good gain (late game) |
For early game, skip proliferator on mining. The coal and diamond costs outweigh the gains. For late game (post-green science), Mk.III proliferator on high-volume ores (iron, copper, titanium) is worthwhile.
When to Proliferate Mining
| Ore Type | Early Game | Mid Game | Late Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | No | No | Yes (Mk.III) |
| Copper Ore | No | No | Yes (Mk.III) |
| Coal | No | No | No |
| Titanium Ore | No | Maybe (Mk.II) | Yes (Mk.III) |
| Silicon Ore | No | Maybe (Mk.II) | Yes (Mk.III) |
| Rare Minerals | N/A | Yes (Mk.II) | Yes (Mk.III) |
Off-World Mining Setup
When your home planet veins run low, expand to off-world outposts:
Mining Priority for Starting Planet
Set mining priority based on depletion speed:
| Ore | Starting Amount (Typical) | Hours at 60 SPM | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | 2-3M | ~40h | Build iron off-world outpost at hour 15 |
| Copper Ore | 1-2M | ~30h | Build copper off-world at hour 10 |
| Coal | 1-2M | ~50h | Switch to Energetic Graphite from Oil by hour 20 |
| Stone | 500K-1M | ~60h | Negligible consumption, skip off-world |
| Oil Seeps | 2-4/s | Infinite | Oil never depletes, just slows |
Pair mining optimization with our DSP Smelting Array Blueprint Guide for a complete raw-to-ingot pipeline.