This tutorial introduces the steps in mining and refining metals.

1 - Start Tutorial 7 - Mining Vehicles and Structures.

2 - Select the Robo-Surveyor at coordinates 48,25.

3 - Move the cursor to the Mining Beacon at coordinates 54,32. Mining Beacons that have not been surveyed appear as a single flashing white bar of metal.

4 - Click the beacon to command the Robo-Surveyor to move to it. Since the beacon is part of your simulated computer overlay it does not exist on the terrain itself. Thus, when the Robo-Surveyor arrives, it will appear underneath the beacon.

5 - When the Robo-Surveyor arrives it will automatically take a core sample and analyze it. When it is finished it will move away from the beacon. The beacon's appearance will change to show you the results of the core sample analysis. The number of bars (one, two, or three) indicates the yield (low, medium, or high) that would be produced if a mine were built at this location. The color of the bars indicates the type of ore available at this site: orange for Common and yellow for Rare.

6 - Select the Robo-Miner at coordinates 50,26. Move the cursor to the right-most button in the top row of Command Icon buttons. This button, which looks like a construction crane, is the Build button. The Status Bar indicates that you can BUILD MINE OR MAGMA WELL. Click the button. A Robo-Miner can always be deployed on surveyed Common Ore Beacons, and can also be deployed on surveyed Rare Ore Beacons or on Magma Vents after the appropriate research has been completed.

7 - Move the cursor into the Detail Pane. The cursor has changed to the Build cursor, and there is a red rectangle underneath it. This is the “building footprint” of the mine to be deployed. It is red because it is not in a valid location for you to deploy a mine or Magma Well.

8 - Move the cursor over the beacon you surveyed. The rectangle will change appearance to a blue-gray outer rectangle and a yellow inner rectangle. This indicates that you are in a valid deployment location. Click to order the Robo-Miner to move to that location and begin construction.

9 - The Robo-Miner will move to the location and deploy itself into the correct kind of mine for the beacon.

10 - Click on the Common Ore Mine and look at the Command Pane to see the yield of the mine.

11 - Group-select the Cargo Trucks and have them begin hauling ore from the mine to the smelter with the Set Route command.

12 - Select the Common Ore Mine. As each truck loads with ore, the yield listed in the Command Pane changes.

13 - Wait for several more loads and watch the yield change. The yield will increase for a period of time after the mine is deployed until it reaches a maximum as the richest parts of the vein are discovered and mined. Then the yield will begin to decline, eventually reaching a minimum level as the vein runs out. Once the mine reaches the minimum level, its yield will remain constant.

14 - Select the Common Ore Smelter. Click IDLE. The Command Pane asks you to confirm the Idle command. Click YES. 15 - Idling any structure orders it to shut down all of its functions and secure all equipment. When a smelter is idled it can no longer take in ore and refine it. It also is no longer able to store metals. If you have storage facilities, the metal slurry will be pumped to them until they are full. Any remaining metals will be lost. Be very careful about Idling your smelter.

This is the end of Tutorial 7.

• Go Back to Tutorial 6 - Continue on to Tutorial 8
• Go Back to The Tutorials Page