Prospecting Calculator Web App

Overview

The Prospecting Calculator allows players to input their luck and pan capacity to calculate the probability of obtaining specific minerals. It is designed for players of the Roblox game Prospecting (game link can be found here). This web app solves the problem of existing calculators becoming outdated; a previously popular community calculator stopped receiving updates when its creator stopped playing the game.

Key Features

• Luck-based reroll logic that matches in-game mechanics
• Calculated the chances of: effective chance per pan, probability of at least 1 drop, and the number of pans needed for a 50% and 90% success rate
• Location and Rarity-based mineral filtering using JSON data manually compiled via the game's official wiki
• Responsive, mobile-friendly interface

Tech Stack

What I Learned

Through recreating this calculator, I learned how to model probability using independent rerolls rather than simple multipliers. I also learned how to handle very small probabilities accurately and present complex mathematical results in a clear, user-friendly way through thoughtful UX decisions such as clear labels, rounded outputs, and transparent formulas.