Basics of Mining
Asteroid fields
Vast majority of raw materials ANB uses to build it's starships is collected from
asteroid fields. It's very easy and cheap to gather minerals from asteroids. All you need to do is
to blow up a nearby asteroid using ship's weapon systems, and automatic mineral scoop gathers
microparticles released in the explosion into your cargo hold. It's convinient to transport minerals
in form of microparticle dust. ANB platform facilities can process the raw material into more
advanced forms.
Planets
In the long run, planets are much more profitable to mine than asteroid fields. It takes years
for planet mining to be established. This still doesn't mean you cannot make a quick buck from planet
mining.
ANB has given Microspace - the largest interstellar company of the day and a major contractor
of ANB military - sole responsibility for building the infrastructure needed for planet mining. In
it's quests to uncharted or dangerous regions space, ANB navy personell conduct mineral studies of
promising mining candidate planets, and get instantaneous royalties from Microspace's estimated profits
based on the submitted mineral study. Studies are conducted from orbit by charting planet surface with
disposable probes. Charting a rich planet's surface is one of the few deeds which has the
ability to turn you into a rich man overnight.