Mining
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SPOILER ALERT! |
| This article reveals in-game secrets, spoilers, walkthroughs, or other information not intended for general knowledge in-game. |
The mining system is used to produce stone for stonecarving and metals for blacksmithing, weaponsmithing, and armorsmithing.
Eventually, gems will be available.
Tools
- Shovels: These tools remove less material than pickaxes, but they are less likely to trigger a dangerous event.
- Pickaxes: They remove more material than shovels and are more likely to trigger dangerous events.
Basics
Prospecting
The first step to mining is to find an appropriate area and PROSPECT to determine what materials can be found there.
The materials that can be found are entirely dependent on the geology of the area:
- Sedementary
- Minerals: Breccia, dolomite, limestone, sandstone, serpentine, soapstone
- Metals: Coal, copper, iron, nickle, oravir, tin, zinc.
From most to worst, the
- substantial quantity remains to be found.
- good quantity remains to be found.
- decent quantity remains to be found.
- small quantity remains to be found.
- scattering of mineable resources.
Mining
Once the desired area is selected, holding either a pickaxe or shovel in the right hand, simply proceed to MINE.
When first mining, only raw stone is produced, until a vein of either metal or gems is hit.
Rare Materials
There is always a small chance of rare materials being found in the course of normal mining. They will not be visible to PROSPECT, and are only found by chance. They come in two forms, either a single small pocket, which is more likely to occur the closer a vein is to being tapped out, or a full vein, which seems to have a very small but unchanging likelyhood.
Material Storage
Once a material is found that is worth keeping, either pick it up by hand, or PUSH it to the side to have a nearby attendant store it for a small fee.
Dangers
The more activity in a given area, the greater the chance of a mishap. In addition, pickaxes are more likely to trigger these dangers.
The dangers have a variety of results, such as either direct damage, outright death, or even destruction of all minable materials in the area.
Gas
A bitter smell seeps into the air. Studying the geology, you are certain that continued mining will be somewhat dangerous because the hiss of foul smelling gas could choke and stifle you.
Your wide shovel punctures a thin veneer of stone and releases a plume of corrosive gas. You manage to avoid getting any of it in your lungs, but the underlying material appears unsalvageable.
Sweet smelling air fills your nostrils following the swing of your tapered shovel. As you reflect on the pleasant nature of the smell, blackness consumes your vision and your mind goes blank.
Fetid warmth washes over you after your stout pickaxe releases gas trapped beneath some stone. The stench seems to pervade your senses, leaving you with a lingering nausea.
A sharp hiss follows the blow from your stout pickaxe. Your nostrils detect nothing, but moments later you feel your muscles seize up in response. Vertigo sweeps over you and then passes, leaving you somewhat out of sorts.
Explosion
The ground rumbles ominously. Studying the geology, you are certain that continued mining will be rather dangerous because the ground rumblings signal a pending explosion.
You swing your sturdy shovel towards a promising bit of stone and are rewarded with a detonation of rocky fragments! Shards of earth rip into you, leaving bloody gashes and quickly deepening bruises, while the force of the impact knocks you clear off your feet.
Your tapered shovel collides with nearby stone, setting off a blast that launches debris flying in all directions. A large, oblong fragment slams into your forehead and you feel yourself toppling backwards as the world goes black!
The world seems to move in slow motion as your stout pickaxe slices towards a section of rock. Little things catch your eye -- a slight instability in the rubble, a bulging section of stone that could be under pressure. Something is not quite right. You try to halt the swing, but it is too late. Your pickaxe strikes the earth just so, puncturing a pressurized section of material that detonates with incredible force. A tidal wave of shattered earth slams into you, hurling you into the air!
Your stout pickaxe strikes the rocky surface and it detonates abruptly outward! Flying shards of stone miraculously miss striking anyone, but the remaining material appears to be damaged beyond usefulness.
Collapse
The floor shudders briefly, causing pebbles and bits of stone to cascade to the ground. Studying the geology, you are certain that continued mining will be slightly dangerous because the unsound stone walls are likely to result in collapse.
A disconcerting rumble follows the swing of your stout pickaxe, but fortunately only a handful of stones shower down. One of them clips you lightly as you try to take cover.
Ominous rumbling reverberates somewhere in the distance after you strike the earth with your slender pickaxe. A hail of debris follows, pelting you with boulders and razor-sharp stone fragments!
You strike a glancing blow against exposed rock with your flat-headed pickaxe. A disproportionately large shudder resonates throughout the area, followed immediately by a huge sheaf of stone and gravel that cleaves away from the wall and rolls right over you! You seem to be pinned in place.
Careless of any structural hazard you might be inducing, you swing your stout pickaxe at the nearest stone surface. Cracks ripple outward from your blow and the entire rock facing fractures! Spills of rock slide down from above, burying the work area completely. It'll take awhile to dig through that!
Sparks fly as your stout pickaxe punches through an outer layer of stone. Unfortunately, the underlying material can no longer support its own weight and collapses in a spray of gravel and useless pieces of rock. This area may not be suitable to mine for some time.