Mining in Space Station 13 (SS13) might seem like a quiet job, but it’s absolutely vital for the entire station. You’re the one responsible for supplying the crucial resources that keep everything running, from research to robotics. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to become a proficient and valuable miner, ensuring you stay safe (mostly!) and contribute significantly to the station’s operations.
Getting Started: Your First Mining Expedition
So, you’re ready to get your hands dirty and extract some valuable ores? Excellent! Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started on your mining career in SS13.
1. Gear Up for Success
First things first, you need the right tools for the job. Head to the mining equipment locker – usually located in or near the mining area. Here’s what you’ll need to grab:
- Material Scanner Goggles: These are essential! They allow you to see the different types of minerals hidden beneath the surface. Equip them to get a visual overlay of valuable resources.
- Mining Scanner: This handheld scanner helps you pinpoint the exact location and type of minerals. Use it to scan the ground and identify rich veins of ore.
- Pickaxe: Your primary digging tool. Swing it at mineral deposits to extract raw ore.
- Mining Satchel (Optional): Provides extra inventory space to carry more minerals in the field, before you need to transfer to the ore box.
- Shovel (Optional): Useful for digging up sand, which is needed for glass production, or for clearing paths in the mining area.
Alt text: A miner equipping themselves with essential tools from the mining equipment locker, including goggles, scanner, and pickaxe, preparing for a productive mining shift.
2. Suit Up for Safety (and Space!)
Mining often takes place in the vacuum of space or in hazardous environments. Protection is key. Visit the Mining EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) area, usually located near the equipment locker. Equip the following:
- Mining Hardsuit/Voidsuit: This provides protection from the vacuum of space, extreme temperatures, and minor impacts. Wear this at all times when mining outside the station.
- Breath Mask: Essential for breathing in space or in areas with toxic atmospheres.
- Oxygen Tank: Provides breathable air for your hardsuit. Make sure it’s full before heading out!
For emergencies, there’s often a mini-Medbay near the Mining EVA area. There’s also a maintenance room nearby where you can refill your oxygen tank and perform basic suit maintenance.
Alt text: A miner fully equipped in a robust hardsuit, complete with helmet and oxygen tank, ready to venture into the vacuum of space for off-station mining operations.
3. Get an Ore Box: Your Mobile Mineral Storage
Before you start digging, grab an Ore Box. This is crucial. It can hold a seemingly infinite amount of raw minerals, saving you countless trips back and forth. Drag it along with you as you explore the mining areas. Periodically empty your Mining Satchel into the Ore Box to maximize your carrying capacity.
4. Find Those Minerals! The Hunt Begins
Now for the exciting part: finding valuable ores!
- Activate your Material Scanner Goggles: Put them on to see mineral deposits highlighted in your vision.
- Use your Mining Scanner: Scan the ground to identify the specific types of minerals and their density. Look for areas rich in valuable resources.
- Prioritize Valuable Minerals: While any ore is helpful, focus on these key minerals for maximum impact:
- Phoron: Extremely important for research and energy production. High demand!
- Gold: Used in electronics and valuable for the station’s economy.
- Silver: Essential for advanced technology, including mechs and bluespace devices.
- Uranium: Needed for nuclear reactors and advanced research (handle with care!).
- Diamond: Used in high-tech components and valuable tools, and earns good points.
- Platinum: A versatile material for alloys, high-tech devices, and valuable for export.
- Sand: Don’t forget sand! It’s used to make glass, which is vital for many station systems. Use a shovel or drill to collect sand.
Alt text: A miner carefully scanning the ground with a handheld mining scanner, searching for subsurface mineral deposits in a rocky extraterrestrial environment.
5. From Mine to Market: Redeeming Your Haul
Once your Ore Box is full of precious ores, it’s time to return to the station and turn your hard work into valuable resources and points.
- Drag your Ore Box to Cargo Bay: The ore redemption machine is located in the Cargo Bay.
- Access the Ore Redemption Machine: Interact with the machine.
- Insert Your ID: This is crucial for getting credit for your mining efforts.
- Empty the Ore Box: Place the Ore Box next to the machine and activate the “empty” function. The machine will automatically process the ores into sheets.
- Claim Your Points and Retrieve ID: Collect your points from the machine – these contribute to your job performance and can sometimes be used for special equipment. Don’t forget to take your ID card back!
- Grab Your Empty Crate: Take your now-empty Ore Box back to the mines for another run!
6. Distribute Your Wealth: Helping the Station
Mining isn’t just about points; it’s about supporting the station. Here’s where to deliver your mined materials to maximize their use:
- Phoron and Diamonds to Cargo: These are high-value and earn you points at the ore redemption machine in Cargo.
- Materials for Research & Development (R&D): Deliver 10-15 sheets of each material (except iron) to R&D. They need these to conduct research and develop new technologies.
- Materials for Robotics: Robotics needs a steady supply of materials to build and maintain robots and mechs. Deliver the rest of your materials here.
- Diamond Mining Drill from R&D: If R&D has diamonds, ask them to fabricate a Diamond Mining Drill for you. This advanced tool is much faster and more efficient for mining.
7. Repeat and Prosper!
Keep mining, refining your technique, and contributing to the station until your shift ends or the escape shuttle arrives. As you become more experienced, you’ll become an invaluable asset to the crew, and you might even find yourself enjoying the (mostly) peaceful work of a miner.
Mining Gear: Tools of the Trade
To be an effective miner, you need to know your equipment. Here’s a breakdown of the standard and more specialized mining tools available:
Default Mining Equipment:
- Material Scanner Goggles: See mineral deposits.
- Mining Scanner: Identify mineral types and locations.
- Pickaxe: Basic digging tool.
- Mining Satchel: Extra inventory for minerals.
- Shovel: Dig sand and clear paths.
- Mining Hardsuit/Voidsuit: Environmental protection.
- Breath Mask: Breathing in hazardous environments.
- Oxygen Tank: Air supply for hardsuit.
- Ore Box: Large capacity mineral storage.
Advanced and Vendor Equipment:
The mining vendor offers upgraded equipment for purchase using points earned from mining.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Control Module (10000 points): Description: Provides enhanced hardsuit control and interface.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Plasma Cutter (800 points): Description: A powerful cutting tool for clearing obstacles or accessing hard-to-reach ores.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Drill (5000 points): Description: Significantly faster mining than a pickaxe, especially useful for tougher ores.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Ore Scanner (1000 points): Description: Improved ore scanning range and accuracy.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Advanced Optics (1250 points): Description: Enhances vision in low-light conditions and improves mineral detection.
- Industrial Hardsuit – Maneuvering Jets (1250 points): Description: Allows for greater mobility and maneuverability in zero-gravity environments.
- Hardsuit – Intelligence Storage (2500 points): Description: Increases data storage capacity within the hardsuit, potentially useful for advanced scanning or data logging.
- Hardsuit – Smoke Bomb Deployer (2000 points): Description: Deploys smoke bombs for tactical cover or escaping dangerous situations.
Specialized Excavation Kits (For the Discerning Miner):
- Fine Excavation Kit – Chisels (500 points): For precise excavation, often favored by Xenoarchaeologists. Warning: May uncover dangerous artifacts!
- Fine Excavation Kit – Measuring Tape (125 points): A tool to assist with precise excavation using chisels.
- Fine Excavation Kit – Hand Pick (375 points): A smaller, slower pickaxe, often used for delicate work.
- Explosive Excavation Kit – Plastic Charge (1500 points): A mining explosive for quickly clearing large areas or breaking through tough rock. Safer than phoron-based explosives and doesn’t require scientist assistance.
Defense Equipment (For When Mining Gets Dangerous):
Mining areas can sometimes be home to hostile wildlife. Be prepared!
- Defense Equipment – Phase Pistol (400 points): Effective against wildlife, especially giant spiders. Uses energy projectiles.
- Defense Equipment – Smoke Bomb (100 points): Creates a smoke screen to break line of sight and confuse enemies, useful for escape or evasion.
- Defense Equipment – Razor Drone Deployer (1000 points): Description: Deploys a razor drone for combat assistance.
- Defense Equipment – Sentry Drone Deployer (1500 points): Description: Deploys a stationary sentry drone for area defense.
- Defense Equipment – Steel Machete (500 points): A melee weapon effective against smaller creatures when ammunition is scarce.
Understanding Ores and Materials: Your Mineral Compendium
Knowing the different types of ores and their uses is crucial for efficient mining. Here’s a comprehensive table detailing various ores, their refined forms, and their value:
| Unmined Ore | Raw Ore | Compressed Sheet | Smelted Coin | Door Material | Point Value | Name | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hematite | N/A | Iron | Coin | Door | 1 | Hematite | A fundamental material for alloys and construction. |
| Silver Ore | N/A | Silver | Coin | Door | 20 | Native Silver | Used in advanced technologies like mechs and bluespace machinery. |
| Gold Ore | N/A | Gold | Coin | Coin | 20 | Native Gold | Essential in electronics and valuable components. |
| Platinum Ore | Osmium | Platinum | Coin | Door | 20 | Platinum | A versatile material for alloys, high-tech devices, and export. |
| Lead Ore | N/A | Lead | Coin | Door | 40 | Lead | Used for radiation shielding and resistant technologies. |
| Uranium Ore | N/A | Uranium | Coin | Door | 20 | Pitchblend | Radioactive but safe in sheet form, used in reactors and research. |
| Carbon Ore | Graphite | Plastic | N/A | N/A | 5 | Carbon | Primarily used for alloying, also as plastic. |
| Marble Ore | Marble | N/A | N/A | N/A | 20 | Recrystallized Carbonate | Used for decorative elements like tables and counters. |
| Sand | Sandstone | Glass | N/A | 1 | Sand | The base for glass production, vital for windows and equipment. | |
| Diamond Ore | Diamond | N/A | Door | Door | 40 | Diamonds | Used in high-strength components and advanced tools. |
| Copper Ore | N/A | Copper | Coin | Door | 1 | Copper | A basic metal used in electronics and wiring. |
| Tin Ore | N/A | Tin | Coin | Door | 1 | Tin | A simple metal, used in alloys like bronze. |
| Aluminum Ore | N/A | Aluminum | Coin | Door | 5 | Bauxite | A lightweight and useful structural material. |
| Rutile Ore | N/A | Titanium | Coin | Door | 20 | Rutile | A strong, lightweight, and sturdy material for advanced applications. |
| Phoron Ore | Phoron | N/A | Coin | Coin | 40 | Phoron Crystals | Critical for research and chemistry. Valuable for station and CentComm. |
| Verdantium Ore | Verdantium | N/A | N/A | N/A | 60 | Verdantite | Used in advanced power manipulation devices. |
| N/A | Metallic Hydrogen | N/A | N/A | N/A | ? | Hydrogen | Extracted by drilling, primarily used in Research. |
Alloy Creation:
| Raw Ores | Product | Name | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | Metal Sheet | Steel | A widely used material for construction and various station tasks. |
| Carbon Ore | Metal Sheet | Plasteel | Tougher than steel, used in reinforced constructions and mech parts. |
| Carbon Ore + Diamond Ore | Alloy Sheet | Durasteel | Exceptionally durable, protects AI cores, reflects lasers. |
Slag: Improper smelting or compression can result in slag, a useless byproduct. Avoid mistakes to maximize efficiency!
Departmental Needs: Who Wants What?
While you can directly deliver ores, knowing which departments need specific materials streamlines the supply chain and makes you a more effective miner:
- Cargo: Accepts Phoron and Diamonds for points and processing.
- Research & Development (R&D): Requires various materials (especially rarer ones like Platinum, Gold, Silver, Uranium) for research projects.
- Robotics: Needs a consistent supply of most metals and materials to construct and maintain robots and mechs.
- Engineering: Benefits from Iron, Aluminum, and other common metals for station maintenance and repairs.
- Science: Uses Phoron, Uranium, and other specialized materials for various scientific experiments.
By understanding these needs and efficiently delivering resources, you’ll be contributing significantly to the success and smooth operation of the entire space station. Happy mining!
