I've been mining since the launch of $ORE, and I've been involved with $ZINC since the beta.
I want to share some thoughts because I think many miners are overlooking what's happening.
The $ZINC Problem
In my view, $ZINC is the most extractive mining protocol I've participated in.
According to the project's documentation, the team committed to using 8% of protocol revenue for buybacks. In practice, those buybacks have largely stopped.
Meanwhile, the Bonanza (formerly Motherlode) continues to grow, while the token price remains suppressed.
The team's buyback wallet currently holds 1,570 SOL:
https://t.co/RWSmYqfggQ
That SOL was supposed to support the ecosystem through buybacks, but instead it appears to be accumulating on the sidelines while miners absorb the downside.
As a result:
- The $ZINC price is lower than it should be.
- The Bonanza is lower than it could be.
- Miners are effectively subsidizing the protocol while receiving less value in return.
It feels like the mines are being extracted by the team rather than rewarding the miners who keep the protocol alive.
My concern is that when the Bonanza eventually declines, the team will then deploy some of this accumulated SOL, after miners have already carried the cost.
Track Record Matters
Before $ZINC, the team built Turbine Cash, a privacy-focused protocol that ultimately failed.
$ZINC was also presented with a privacy narrative, but in reality:
- You mine from the same wallet.
- You withdraw to the same wallet.
- There is no meaningful privacy for the average user.
The privacy claim simply doesn't match the actual user experience.
Final Thoughts
I've seen more and more users raising concerns on X, and I wanted to add my perspective for those who haven't looked deeper into the numbers yet.
If the protocol promises buybacks, those buybacks should happen. If miners are providing the value, they shouldn't be the ones carrying the entire burden while protocol-owned SOL continues to pile up.
At some point, people need to ask a simple question:
Who is benefiting most from the current system — the miners, or the team?
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📓what is @ore?
ore is a solana-native digital store of value. think: a crypto token built on solana (not patched-on through bridges) so it can play nice with everything on that chain with less risk.
➤ why being solana-native matters
most “stores of value” live off-chain or on other chains and use bridges. bridges break. ore being native means fewer middlemen, fewer risks, and faster cheap moves inside solana apps.
➤ the big idea (motivation)
want a long-lasting token that’s fair, easy to use on solana, and incentivizes people to hold and build… not just flip. the rules are tuned to reward patience and participation, not insiders.
➤ how mining works
each minute is a round. miners place sol into cells on a 5×5 grid. after a minute, solana picks one winning block at random. people who had claims on that block split the rewards. you can think of it like placing bets on squares… if your square wins, you get paid.
➤ mining mechanics (what you actually get)
every round mints about +1 ore (split among winners depending on rule). also, SOL placed on losing squares gets redistributed to winners proportionally so winners take a piece of the losing pot. half the time the +1 ore is split among winners; half the time one lucky miner wins the whole +1.
➤ the motherlode
each round adds +0.2 ore into a communal motherlode pool. hitting the motherlode is rare (1 in 625). if it hits, the pool is split among winners of that round. if not, it keeps growing. this creates a long-shot jackpot that keeps people excited without inflating supply too fast.
➤ refining…why there’s a claim fee (and why it’s smart)
when miners claim mined ore, 10% is taken as a “refining fee.” that fee is redistributed to other miners in proportion to their unclaimed mining rewards. translation: if you hold your mined ore instead of claiming it, you slowly earn more. the system nudges people to wait and hold… which stabilizes price pressure and rewards long-term players.
➤ staking & buybacks
10% of all SOL mining rewards go to the protocol as revenue. the protocol uses that SOL to buy ore on the open market. 90% of purchased ore is “buried” (taken out of circulation), and 10% goes to stakers as yield. so stakers both earn direct yield and benefit from supply reduction via buybacks - a built-in deflationary pressure.
➤ tokenomics
max supply = 5,000,000 ore. fair-launch… no team allocations or insider minting. the protocol mints roughly +1 ore per minute as miners win but only until the 5M cap is hit. buybacks help offset the inflation caused by mining.
➤ fees and small costs… tl;dr list
- 10% of SOL mining rewards ⪼ protocol (for buybacks).
- 10% of ore bought in buybacks ⪼ staker yield.
- 10% of ore mining rewards ⪼ redistributed to miners (refining).
- 1% of SOL deployed by miners ⪼ admin/dev fee.
- 0.00001 SOL ⪼ deposit when opening miner account.
- 0.000005 SOL ⪼ per automated transaction (autominer scheduling).
➤ deeper reasoning…the game theory
- jackpots + steady rewards (motherlode + regular mining) keep both casual players and serious miners engaged.
- refining fee encourages people to not cash out instantly, reducing sell pressure and rewarding holders passively.
- buybacks + burying counter mining inflation, aligning protocol revenue with token scarcity.
- no insider mint builds trust: everyone had the same chance to mine from day one.
➤ who benefits and why it’s sustainable
miners: chance at regular rewards + occasional big wins.
holders/stakers: passive gains from refining and buyback yield, plus long-term upside if demand grows.
protocol: earns revenue to buy and bury ore, creating a feedback loop that supports token value.
➤ quick practical notes
if you want to try mining, remember it’s probabilistic… you’ll see ups and downs. long-term holding and staking are designed to reward patience. and always be careful with amounts you risk on any grid or round.
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