Look for a nickel asteroid on the map, then work out where an outpost can collect the ore and how a ship will carry it home. A recorded playtest shows this approach from locating the rock through delivering nickel to the main station.
Pick a target you can supply repeatedly
The player found a nickel rock near their operating area by looking around on the map. Choose a target based on the location shown in your save and your ability to make the return trip.
Build the collection and receiving ends
The playtest player established an automatic mining outpost and planned a dock at each end of the trip. Give the outpost a way to stage the ore and the main station a clear path from the receiving dock to refining.
Test the first delivery
Check that the source dock is set up to load the ore, then watch it arrive at the receiving dock. Once you see the ore reach the refinery, run the route again to see whether it repeats cleanly.
See Main Sequence on Steam for the official game information.
FAQ
Is there one fixed nickel location?
The playtest example shows how a player located a nearby deposit. It does not establish a universal coordinate.
Do I refine the ore at the outpost?
The recorded setup brought ore to the main station for refining. Whether to refine locally depends on how you want to arrange the line.
What should I check if the cargo ship returns empty?
Verify that the outpost has nickel ore ready and that the source dock is set to load it.