# Mining pools (PPM)

Ethereum is being mined when connecting virtual miners to program pools (PPM). The logic of smart contracts initially contains the boundaries of the characteristics of the created PPM.

The maximum permissible amount of PPM is unlimited.

### PPM characteristics and limit values

| Minimum period of PPM operation                                                                                                      | 24 hours                             |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| Maximum period of PPM operation                                                                                                      | unlimited                            |
| Maximum allowable reward when launching PPM for 1 IPS                                                                                | 0.502512562812096000 ETH in 365 days |
| The minimum allowable PPM reward that the reward for 1 IPS aims for                                                                  | 0.000497142870192 ETH in 365 days    |
| Launch PPM when it is created no earlier than after                                                                                  | 24 hours                             |
| The period after which the PPM reward will become static and equal to the minimum reward (cannot exceed the period of PPM operation) | 10 minutes                           |
| Connecting virtual miners                                                                                                            | Connect/Disconnect                   |
| Minimum period to include virtual miners in PPM                                                                                      | 0 - 365 days\*                       |
| Prolongation of the connection of virtual miners at the end of the minimum active period                                             | Enabled/Disabled                     |
| Collateral for 1 IPS in ERM                                                                                                          | 0 - 100 ERM                          |
| Pass type                                                                                                                            | 0 - 9                                |
| Provision method                                                                                                                     | 0 – ERM, 1 – pass card               |

{% hint style="warning" %}
\*If additional miners are connected to PPM or a reward is withdrawn from PPM, the minimum period time counter starts counting again.
{% endhint %}

The dApp Ermine provides a guaranteed mining pool (Guaranteed Pool) which is always available for mining and it has a fixed reward for every 1 IPS. There is no requirement to provide computing power in this pool, there is no minimum time period for adding and disconnecting miners.

In a PPM with a dynamic reward change when virtual miners are connected, the reward rate is fixed until the user disconnects or adds virtual miners in such a PPM or when the reward is withdrawn from such a PPM.


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