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The Ault miner client uses VRF-based mining with micro proof-of-work checks.

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Quick Start

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1) Build

cd miner
make build

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2) Generate VRF key

./aultmined vrfkeygen

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3) Configure environment

export CHAIN_GRPC="test-grpc.cloud.aultblockchain.xyz:9090"
export CHAIN_RPC="https://test-rpc.cloud.aultblockchain.xyz"
export CHAIN_ID="ault_10904-1"
Provide MINER_OPERATOR_KEY and MINER_VRF_KEY through a secret manager or protected service environment. Do not export raw private keys in an interactive shell or commit them to an env file.

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4) Register VRF key

./aultmined set-key

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5) Start mining

./aultmined mine --yes

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Core commands

  • aultmined keygen
  • aultmined vrfkeygen
  • aultmined set-key
  • aultmined mine
  • aultmined mine --yes

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Key environment variables

  • MINER_OPERATOR_KEY: secp256k1 operator private key. Inject it as a secret, not via interactive export.
  • MINER_VRF_KEY: Ed25519 VRF private key. Inject it as a secret, not via interactive export.
  • CHAIN_GRPC: gRPC endpoint
  • CHAIN_RPC: RPC endpoint
  • CHAIN_ID: chain ID
  • MINER_BATCH_SIZE: max submissions per batch
  • MINER_DISABLE_DB: disable SQLite if needed
  • MINER_DATA_DIR: key/data directory
If neither MINER_OPERATOR_KEY nor MINER_VRF_KEY is set, auto mode can generate keys.

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How mining works

  1. Monitor epochs
  2. Compute VRF output
  3. Check threshold
  4. Solve micro-PoW
  5. Batch-submit wins

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Operator mode (delegated licenses)

# Register operator with commission
aultd tx miner register-operator 10 --from <your-key>

# License owners delegate
aultd tx miner delegate-mining <operator-addr> <license-ids...> --from <license-owner>

# Miner detects delegated licenses and mines
aultmined mine --yes

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Troubleshooting

  • Stuck on “awaiting delegation”: confirm delegated licenses on-chain
  • VRF registration retries: usually resolves after valid delegation/key setup
  • Health check failures: verify gRPC/RPC connectivity
  • Key persistence issues: verify the storage mount or data directory

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Security Notice

⚠️ Never expose your private keys. If your deployment uses the following environment variables, treat them as secrets:
  • MINER_OPERATOR_KEY
  • MINER_VRF_KEY
Do not:
  • Commit them to version control
  • Share them in screenshots or logs
  • Store them in plaintext in production servers
  • Export them in an interactive shell
  • Use them directly in shell history
For production setups, it is strongly recommended to:
  • Use a secure key management system
  • Isolate the miner in a dedicated environment
  • Restrict server access
  • Avoid storing raw private keys in shared environments
If your operator private key is exposed, your mining rewards and delegated licenses may be at risk.