Mining Basics

"if you can't grow it, you'll have to mine it"

Nobody has ever mined broccoli.

Miners can strike gold, but never cabbage. Chances are you are reading this on a desktop computer. That means, you are about to read up on the fundamentals of mining in Out of Ore, on a device that is comprised of ore mined from the earth, and most can be mined in Out of Ore.

The components include plastic, iron, aluminum & copper are crucial for technologies such as smartphones, flat-screen TVs, monitors, and the machines you operate in Out of Ore.

These basic principles and processes are involved in mining, the extraction of minerals or other geological materials from the Earth.

Types of Mining

Mining can be categorized based on the resource extracted and the method used. The two primary categories are surface mining and underground mining.

Surface Mining

Surface mining involves removing overburden (soil/dirt) to access deposits near the surface. It is typically used for coal, sand, gravel, and some metal ores.

Strip Mining:

Layers of soil are stripped away in strips to expose the resource.

Open-Pit Mining:

A large pit is excavated, common for copper, gold, and iron ore.

Quarrying:

Used for building materials like limestone and granite.

Underground Mining:

This method is employed when deposits are deep beneath the surface. It involves creating tunnels or shafts to reach the ore.

Room and Pillar:

Pillars of ore are left to support the roof while rooms are excavated.

Longwall Mining:

A long wall of coal is mined in a single slice, with hydraulic supports.

Shaft Mining:

Vertical shafts provide access to deep deposits, often used for diamonds and precious metals.

Specialized Mining Types

Placer Mining:

Extracting minerals from stream beds using water (Not Currently Modeled in-game). In-Situ Mining: Dissolving minerals underground and pumping them to the surface, used for uranium. (Not Currently Modeled in-game).

Key Processes in Mining. The mining process typically follows these stages:

Exploration:

Geologists survey and sample potential sites using geophysical methods, drilling, and remote sensing.

Development:

Infrastructure is built, including roads, power supplies, and processing plants. Extraction: The actual removal of the resource using machinery like excavators, drills, and haul trucks.

Processing:

Ore is crushed, ground, and separated to concentrate valuable materials (e.g., via flotation or smelting).

Equipment and Technology

Drilling Rigs:

For blasting and sampling.

Excavators and Loaders:

For moving earth and ore.

Conveyor Systems:

For transporting materials efficiently.

Automation:

Drones are used to survey areas in-game. Darker patches of ground indicate that large deposits of ore are present.