Elite Dangerous - Which is the best beginners mining ship?

Here I look into the factors that make a good laser mining ship. I collect data on two of the contenders and analyse it. The context is mining for platinum in a hazardous resource extraction site. Neither ship in the study had any engineering applied.
Cobra:
s.orbis.zone/kta-
T6 build.
s.orbis.zone/mh8k

[@richvandervecken3954]

I skipped the Type 6 completely by using the sidewinder in the Haz-Rez resource extraction site and followed the security forces around. When the police start to shoot a ship scan it wait until the shields drop and fire at it a couple of times. When the police kill it you receive the bounty. I learned that technique from Hawkes gaming's Elite Dangerous best start guide. However if I were to use mining from the very start I agree that the Type 6 heavy is a very good choice for the first mining ship. After just two full cargo platinum mining runs I would upgrade to the Asp Explorer for my mining ship though. The higher class modules gives the Asp Explorer a 10 LY jump advantage and about a 100 LY range advantage the Asp also handles way better do to having larger thrusters. After you save up about 150 million credits you can switch to a Python and equip 4 2A mining laser's and haul 128 tons or ore, the Python handles better than the Asp Exp but both it's jump distance and range distance are shorter than they Asp, however you can fit a 6A fuel scoop on the Python which mitigates the shorter overall range problem. After you save up about 400 million credits you can switch to the Anaconda which runs the 4 2A mining laser's even better and has 256 tons of cargo capacity.

[@hughjardon3538]

Good stuff. It's not really worth upgrading to the Asp from a T6 for mining. It is better, but by the time you've found one and outfitted it for mining, you could have mined enough for a Python using the T6. It's a close judgement between the Anaconda and a Python. I think the Anaconda wins when fully engineered, but without engineering, it's too slow and dangerous. I can average 125 million per hr using a Python with very light engineering and selling to the normal market rather than a fleet carrier.. I' don't think an Anaconda can get close unless it has engineering.

[@hughjardon3538]

Good stuff. It's not really worth upgrading to the Asp from a T6 for mining. It is better, but by the time you've found one and outfitted it for mining, you could have mined enough for a Python using the T6. It's a close judgement between the Anaconda and a Python. I think the Anaconda wins when fully engineered, but without engineering, it's too slow and dangerous. I can average 125 million per hr using a Python with very light engineering and selling to the normal market rather than a fleet carrier.. I' don't think an Anaconda can get close unless it has engineering. The main problem with the Anaconda is that you need grade 5 dirty drives to escale from pirate attacks. If you have them, it's a good ship. If you don't, it's a flying coffin except for exploration.

[@yerpyerp]

Great analysis. Lot of effort and work to gather such data. I'm gonna poke through your video library and see what other little hidden gems you have.

[@hughjardon3538]

Thanks for your comment. I made this video because I was getting in frequent arguments on various forums, where people were always recommending the Cobra as the best first mining ship. I actually got banned from all the main forums, basically because I proved them wrong and they didn't like it. I think my two most useful videos are on how to mine for money and the two on Pirate massacre missions. The Thargoid ones are no longer valid because of changes in the game. Most of the other stuff is still valid:
ruclips.net/video/uTNTGYVy4nk/видео.html&ab_channel=HughJardon
ruclips.net/video/ToQcJ-9jVao/видео.html&ab_channel=HughJardon
ruclips.net/video/4vEF1ZyTZCo/видео.html&ab_channel=HughJardon

[@williamvorkosigan5151]

What's that now, Hugh? A recommended use for the Asp Scout? Burn the heretic!