Sovereignty Module: Delve the Earth
Delve the Earth
Complete Mining, Ore Identification, Extraction, and Processing Guide
Complete Mining, Ore Identification, Extraction, and Processing Guide
Every metal tool, every glass pane, every concrete structure begins with minerals pulled from the earth. This campaign covers prospecting, mine construction, ore identification, extraction methods, and safety for small-scale mining operations.
Chapter 1: Common Ores and Minerals
| Mineral/Ore | Metal/Product | Appearance | Where Found | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hematite | Iron | Red-brown, heavy, metallic luster | Sedimentary layers, hillsides | Smelt in blast furnace with charcoal |
| Magnetite | Iron | Black, magnetic, heavy | Igneous/metamorphic rock, stream beds | Smelt (higher grade than hematite) |
| Bog iron | Iron | Brown lumps in swamps/streams | Wetlands, stream beds | Smelt in bloomery (lowest tech) |
| Malachite | Copper | Green, banded | Near copper deposits, surface | Smelt at 1,100C with charcoal |
| Chalcopyrite | Copper | Brass-yellow, metallic | Veins in igneous rock | Roast, then smelt |
| Galena | Lead | Silver-gray, cubic crystals, very heavy | Veins in limestone | Smelt at low temperature (easy) |
| Cassiterite | Tin | Brown-black, heavy | Stream gravels (placer), veins | Smelt with charcoal |
| Sphalerite | Zinc | Brown-yellow, resinous luster | With galena in limestone | Roast, then smelt |
| Bauxite | Aluminum | Red-brown, earite clay | Tropical weathered soils | Requires electrolysis (advanced) |
| Cinnabar | Mercury | Bright red, heavy | Volcanic areas | Heat to vaporize, condense |
| Native gold | Gold | Yellow, soft, very heavy | Stream gravels, quartz veins | Pan, sluice, or crush quartz |
| Native silver | Silver | White-gray, tarnishes black | With lead ores, quartz veins | Cupellation (melt with lead, oxidize lead away) |
| Limestone | Calcium carbonate | White-gray, fizzes with acid | Sedimentary layers (very common) | Burn for lime/cement |
| Clay | Ceramics, brick | Various colors, plastic when wet | River banks, hillsides | Fire in kiln |
| Sand (quartz) | Glass, concrete | Translucent grains | Rivers, beaches, deposits | Melt for glass (1,700C) or use in concrete |
| Rock salt | Sodium chloride | Clear/white crystals, salty taste | Evaporite deposits, springs | Dissolve and evaporate, or mine directly |
| Saltpeter | Potassium nitrate | White crust, bitter taste | Cave floors, aged manure soil | Leach with water, crystallize |
Chapter 2: Prospecting
| Method | What It Finds | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Visual survey | Outcrops, color changes, mineral veins | Eyes, hammer, hand lens |
| Stream panning | Gold, tin, heavy minerals (placer deposits) | Pan, shovel |
| Soil sampling | Trace minerals indicating buried deposits | Shovel, acid tests |
| Magnetic survey | Iron deposits (magnetite) | Compass (needle deflects near iron) |
| Acid test | Limestone (fizzes with vinegar/HCl) | Dilute acid |
| Streak test | Mineral identification | Unglazed porcelain tile |
| Hardness test | Mineral identification | Fingernail, copper coin, knife, glass, steel file |
Mohs Hardness Scale: 1-Talc, 2-Gypsum, 3-Calcite, 4-Fluorite, 5-Apatite, 6-Feldspar, 7-Quartz, 8-Topaz, 9-Corundum, 10-Diamond.
Chapter 3: Mine Types
| Type | Depth | Cost | Best For | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface (open pit) | 0-100 ft | Low | Wide, shallow deposits | Low |
| Placer (stream) | Surface | Lowest | Gold, tin, gems in gravel | Very low |
| Adit (horizontal tunnel) | Into hillside | Moderate | Veins exposed on hillside | Moderate |
| Shaft (vertical) | 50-500+ ft | High | Deep deposits | High |
| Room and pillar | Variable | High | Wide, flat deposits (coal, salt) | Moderate-high |
Chapter 4: Mine Construction
| Component | Purpose | Construction |
|---|---|---|
| Portal/entrance | Access point | Reinforced with timber or stone arch |
| Timbering (sets) | Prevents roof collapse | Vertical posts + horizontal cap + lagging boards |
| Ventilation shaft | Fresh air supply | Second opening, natural draft or bellows/fan |
| Drainage | Removes water | Ditches, pumps, or gravity drain (adit below workings) |
| Ore car/rail | Transport ore out | Small rail track, hand-pushed cart |
| Ladder/hoist | Vertical access | Wooden ladder or windlass with bucket |
| Magazine | Explosive storage (if used) | Separate, ventilated, locked |
Timber set spacing: 4-6 feet in stable rock, 2-3 feet in loose ground. Always install support BEFORE advancing the face.
Chapter 5: Extraction Methods
| Method | Equipment | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand tools (pick, chisel, hammer) | Basic hand tools | Slow (1-3 ft/day in hard rock) | Small scale, any rock |
| Fire-setting (heat rock, quench with water) | Wood, water | Moderate | Hard rock (ancient method) |
| Drilling and blasting | Drill, black powder or dynamite | Fast (3-10 ft/blast) | Hard rock, large scale |
| Hydraulic (water jet) | High-pressure water, nozzle | Fast | Placer deposits, soft ground |
| Panning/sluicing | Pan, sluice box | Moderate | Placer gold, tin, gems |
Chapter 6: Ore Processing
| Step | Method | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Crushing | Stamp mill, jaw crusher, or hammer | Reduce rock to small pieces |
| Grinding | Ball mill, arrastra (drag stone) | Reduce to powder |
| Concentration | Gravity (jig, table, sluice), flotation, magnetic | Separate ore from waste rock |
| Roasting | Heat in air | Drive off sulfur, convert sulfides to oxides |
| Smelting | Heat with charcoal/coke in furnace | Reduce oxide to metal |
| Refining | Cupellation, electrolysis, or chemical | Purify metal to usable grade |
Chapter 7: Safety
| Hazard | Prevention | Emergency Response |
|---|---|---|
| Roof collapse | Proper timbering, don't undercut pillars | Rescue team, timber cribbing |
| Bad air (CO, CO2, methane) | Ventilation, canary/flame test | Evacuate immediately, ventilate |
| Flooding | Pumps, drainage adits, avoid aquifers | Pumps, evacuation routes above water level |
| Dust (silicosis) | Wet drilling, ventilation, masks | Long-term: no cure, prevention only |
| Explosives | Trained personnel only, proper storage | First aid, evacuation |
| Falls | Ladders secured, safety lines | First aid, rescue |
Canary test (or flame test): A candle flame that dims or goes out indicates oxygen depletion. A flame that burns taller/brighter indicates methane (explosive). Either condition: evacuate immediately.
Reference Card
- Bog iron (brown lumps in swamps) is the easiest iron source: smelt in a simple bloomery
- Malachite (green) = copper; galena (silver-gray cubes) = lead; hematite (red-brown) = iron
- Always ventilate mines: bad air kills silently (use candle flame test)
- Install timber supports BEFORE advancing the working face
- Placer mining (panning/sluicing streams) is the safest, lowest-tech extraction method
- Ore processing chain: crush, grind, concentrate, roast (if sulfide), smelt, refine
- Black powder for blasting: same formula as ammunition (75/15/10) but coarser granulation
- Two exits minimum for any underground mine (ventilation and emergency escape)
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