in the current situation there is no point of learning the skills of `mining foreman’ past level 1 because the timer is always going to be reset at 1 minute, when running continuously.
the only way to get any benefit from learning the extra skills, is to start then stop the `mining foreman burst’ all the time.
because If you leave it running the weapons timer will reset it every minute regardless of your skill level
why i think this needs to change is, because the mining foreman burst' is not combat it is mining, the same as using the salvager is not combat or using the tractor beam is not combat or using the scanner probes is not combat, Therefore why is using the mining foreman burst’ for mining the only one restricted by the weapons timer
in conclusion
Using combat scanner probes or a salvager has more to do with combat than the mining foreman burst and should therefore should not activate the weapons timer.
Command Bursts are affected by legality in high security space, removing the benefit of fleet members in high security space if they involve themselves as third parties to wars or limited engagements. See remote assistance for more details.
and considering the mining burst is a command burst, it falls under that legalese.
Weapons Timer
This timer behaves differently depending on what kind of offensive action you’re taking. An immediate action such as firing a volley with your turrets or missiles as well as drones firing will instantly start the 60 second timer from the moment of the cycle starting. It would then re-initiate for each cycle, but at the start of the cycle when you activate the module.
Modules with persistent effects such as webs, painters, damps, scrams and bastion mode, will both start the weapon timer upon activation as well as keeping it at 60 seconds for the duration of the module and won’t start counting down until the cycle and effect is gone.
The Command Burst module is an exception to this; it starts the weapon timer upon activation and will disappear at the end of the cycle and long before the burst effect dissipates.
Because for all of those other things you need to stay in space to get the benefit from them, where as the Mining Foreman Burst grants its effect whether the ship that uses it is in space or not, the same as any other Command Burst. Thus the Weapon Timer is a balancing factors, however small, to that benefit.