I never mine in Fel - not worth the potential for loss. While most of the people on my shard know me and wouldn't bother me, it's the cross-sharders that show up that would kill me for just being there, and I don't feel like wasting hours for zero outcome. If those stupid BOD reward maps were "by dig" I'd be tempted to, but the maps are only good for the same amount of ore, regardless of where claimed (it just might be a quicker in-an-out if claimed in Fel, but with the maps being random, you never know when you'll find the map right outside a Fel Resident's house). Ironically, when in Fel on other characters (such as my T-hunters) I'm more likely to see a scripter mining there, than a live player.
I do Ilshenar-only. I get the chance for paragons (and their chests - still trying to complete my collection of chests off ore eles), an Ilshenar as a whole counts as dungeon for chance of niter spawns for High Seas ammunition crafting.
As for methods....
Regardless of facet, the Fire Beetle is the way to go, at least for lower metals (Gold and lower). Gold elementals can be farmed in Blackthorn's dungeon (underneath the new king's castle), and you can use up a 6000-ingot 100% gold smelting talisman there in 40-60 MINUTES. You just need a miner with combat capabilities (weapon or book earth ele slayer, DI/SDI, etc.)
There's also a Mining Satchel (I think that's the name) that can hold up to 1000 stone worth of ingots, at half-weight for purposes of your carry capacity. Not sure were it comes from, as I found it for 100k on someone's vendor. It can hold ingots and ore, up to 27 different types. Not checked to see if they can be used inside a pack animal to double storage.
I typically mine in relatively safe places (nothing tougher than skeletons), so I also bring a packy along with my fire beetle. Now that NEW fire and giant beetles are only 1 slot, you can bring 1 fire beetle and up to 4 giants. Or, if you have taming/lore on your miner, train one up to 2 slots and the other up to 3, increasing their resists, HP, etc. and adding attacks (AI, Rune Corruption, Poison) and regens. Note that a Giant beetle with its strengh raised no longer is subject to that BS about being fatigued past 400 or stone in its pack. I take Agapite, Verite and Valorite home in the pack animal(s) once they are fully loaded, to save till I get enough to use one of the BOD reward talismans of the appropriate type (as those talismans only last a day when claimed, and have a set number of ingots before running out - it's not worth claiming them until you have the full amount of ore on hand).
I also tend to use both Prospector Tools and Gargoyle pickaxes when mining.
1 dig with a normal (or sturdy) tool to start the dig, followed by the PT to elevate the ore once, then the GPA to elevate it a second time, and the chance to get the elementals and their 25 ore, digging out the site with the GPA. I get far more high end ore via elementals than I do digging, and about 50% of my ShadowIron/copper/bronze from the eles. This method pretty much minimizes Dull Copper collection (as PT+GPA turns Iron-only spots to SI/Iron, and DC spots to Copper/Iron), and eliminates half the iron you'd normally get.
The normal tools I carry (usually 3 or 4 sturdy tools) are for when I hit niter deposits (High Seas enabled), as there's no reason to use anything other than a normal/sturdy shovel or pick on Niter. With about 500 luck, I usually get only Massive/Clumsy or Gigantic Niter deposits.