Centurion mining scout. Top speed: 300 m/s.
Cargo capacity: 0
Weapon slots: 0
Availability: only a few systems
Price: 100,000c
Mineral scanner: built in

Tungeska Centurion (Mining Scout Variant)
Armor: 4000/4000
Cargo Capacity: None
Weapons: None
Mass: 4000kg
Length: 10m
Thrust: 250N
Max Speed: 75m/s
Spin Torque: 7.5Nm
Turbo Max Speed: 265m/s
Turbo Energy: 60e/s
Radar Range: 1500m
Built-In Advanced Mineral Scanner
Price: 8,000cr

The Centurion Mining Scout was initially developed by the Tunguska Heavy Mining Concern to scout for their mining vessels. It enabled the construction of scanner-less mining vessels with larger holds and more mining beams. Its low radar range and lack of weapons makes it incapable of defense or attack, but its high speed and Advanced Mineral Scanner enable it to quickly scout a sector. This vessel is only available at stations with a reciprocal trading agreement with the Tungeska Heavy Mining Concern and requires a faction level of 300 or higher with Tungeska.

The scout might get get bored after finding a good asteroid and letting the miners go to work.

It might be cool to give a bonus to group mining when the asteroid is being scanned by someone in the group.

-DD

Tunguska Warthog (Mining Escort Variant)
Armor: 6000
Cargo: 12
Weapons: 1L
Mass: 6000kg
Length: 10m
Thrust: 220N
Max Speed: 60m/s
Turbo Max Speed: 220m/s
Turbo Energy: 55e/s
Built-in Advanced Mineral Scanner

Heck, I'd fly it. Perfect for both scouting and keeping the freaking bots off your mates.
Last time I went group mining, I earned about 150,000c, but that was only because I actually mined for the first 10 minutes. After that I was in a dual-positron Serco Vulture Guardian killing pesky Collectors so my buddies could get 8 some-odd Centaurs full of Apicene ore each. It would really be nice if we could start some kind of group/guild cargo (rates vary per-station?) hold from which the proceeds (credits only, no xp please) go equally (or unequally) to each member of the group/guild who's online.
-:sigma.SB

Advanced Mineral Scanner (E/2S*)
Range: 1000m
Energy: 50/scan**
Mass: 600kg

* Fills one Equipment port, if such ports are added. Else, fills 2 Small ports
**(only matters once they fix it so that you actually need to scan roids, rather than just targetting them)

Rogue, there is already an item with the name 'advanced mineral scanner'. It is 1S, Range 750m, negligble mass, and 50 energy. Secondly, your post would fit better in the thread 'new mining scanners' http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/7788#95638

There is an advanced mineral scanner? I've never seen it... What are the levels?

120 completed prospecting missions i believe.

I wonder if this still works...
I used to play with laying a few lightning mines and sitting on a roid in a belligerant-bot-sector. bots would not notice me, and the ones that did were quickly zapped.

could you still mine in bot sectors by hugging roids?

Unfortunately you need ---combat 8---- to get lightning mines. So I doubt many miners have been able to try it. (OK combat 7 in the right place... which is still.. ugh.. several hundred Prosus Assaults).

Maybe you could hire someone to come and drop Lightning Mines for you, but the problem is that mines hurt anyone who is not in the same nation as you, even if you are grouped and trying to do a group mining mission.

Also lightning mines crash the sector currently. just ask di.. i mean just ask spellcast.

I love the idea of specialized ships.

Should we be able to specialize them ourselves?

Purchasing extra armor, cargo space, engines, weapon slots, etc.

All changing the mass of the ship and all but it adds more specialization options. What do you guys think?

No. Too hard to balance.