Guide to Mining

At the beginning of your shift, you'll find you and your fellow miners in the Mining Dock. Make sure to grab your equipment and head onto the mining shuttle. If it's your first time mining, it's always a good idea to grab a buddy. Lavaland can be pretty unforgiving to the unexperienced!

Equipment

Survival Medipen An emergency autoinjector for miners facing the harsh conditions of Lavaland. WARNING: Do not inject more than one in quick succession.
Mining Satchel A satchel which will automatically collect ores if set on your belt slot, in one of your hands, or in a pocket. Use the satchel in your hand to dump the ores.
Mining Voucher A single use voucher, used to buy a starting item at the Mining Equipment Vendor.
Seclite This seclite is attachable to guns such as the Proto-Kinetic Accelerator.
Survival Knife Attaches to a Proto-Kinetic Accelerator to act as a bayonet. You can remove it again with a screwdriver.
Marker Beacon You get 10 of these initially. Use them in your hand to set down a small light source where you're standing.

Items Available in the Lockers

Item	Description
Sandbags	You get 5 of these initially. Use them in your hand, and you can set them down as a climbable structure.
Shovel	Used for digging up volcanic ash/Sand and dirt.
Compact Pickaxe	A basic tool for mining ores. If you click on the ground with it, it will dig up Volcanic Ash/Sand, albeit slower than the shovel. It can be set on your belt slot.
Seclite	Another Seclite.
Plant Bag	Used for carrying plant-life found in the ashen caverns.
Mining Satchel	Another satchel for carrying ore.
Automatic Mining Scanner	Turn it on to see what minerals are around you. It can be stored in your bag. Use it while wearing an Optical Meson Scanner for optimal results.
Proto-Kinetic Accelerator	Your actual main tool for mining; allowing you to break rocks from a distance. Also used for fending off the local wildlife.
Optical Meson Scanner	Wear it to see the layout of your surroundings through walls and rocks.
Bluespace Shelter Capsule	Use it in your hand and then drop it to spawn a 5x5-tile shelter. Useful to hide in when an ash storm is going to happen. Make sure you have enough room when you activate it.

Proto-Kinetic Accelerator

The Proto-Kinetic Accelerator is a prototype mining tool/weapon. It uses bursts of energy to create a kinetic blast at the location it is aimed at. However, in order for the kinetic blast to have any effect, it needs to be in a very low pressure environment. In lower pressure environments the blast can mine rock quickly, kill animals, and even break the bones of other people.

On it's own, the PKA is a formidable tool, however you can bolster it with upgrades.

Proto-Kinetic Accelerator Upgrades

Upgrade	Description
KA Minebot Passthrough	Allows your proto-kinetic accelerator shots to pass through minebots. Pretty much required if you utilize minebots.
White Tracer Rounds	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator bolts to have a white tracer trail.
Adjustable Tracer Rounds	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator bolts to have a colored tracer trail. You can customize the color if you use it in your hand before installing it.
Super Chassis	Changes the proto-kinetic accelerator chassis to a yellow-orange color scheme. You can remove it with a crowbar.
Hyper Chassis	Changes the proto-kinetic accelerator chassis to an orange-red color scheme. You can remove it with a crowbar.
Range Increase	Increases the proto-kinetic accelerator's range by 1 tile. Occupies 24% of the KA's mod capacity.
Damage Increase	Increases the proto-kinetic accelerator's damage by 10. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity.
Cooldown Decrease	Decreases the proto-kinetic accelerator's cooldown by 2 seconds. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity.
Accelerator Rapid Repeater	Quarters the kinetic accelerator's cooldown on striking a living target but greatly increases the base cooldown. Occupies 50% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via necropolis chests found on lavaland.
Resonator Blast	Causes kinetic accelerator shots to leave and detonate resonator blasts. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via necropolis chests found on lavaland.
Offensive Mining Explosion	Causes the kinetic accelerator to destroy rock and damage mobs in an AoE. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via necropolis chests found on lavaland.
AoE Damage	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator to do AoE damage to mobs. Does not destroy multiple rocks at once. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via the Mining Vendor.
AoE Mining	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator to do AoE damage to rocks. Does not hurt multiple mobs at once. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via Science.
Death Syphon	Killing or assisting in killing a creature permanently increases your damage against that type of creature. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via necropolis chests found on lavaland.
Lifesteal Crystal	Causes kinetic accelerator shots to slightly heal the firer on striking a living target. Occupies 20% of the KA's mod capacity. Can only be obtained via necropolis chests found on lavaland.
Trigger Mod	Allows mobs with abnormal hands (such as golems) to utilize the PKA

Kinetic Crusher

The Kinetic Crusher is a more manual means of mining and fighting. You can smash things with large amounts of kinetic force from short range. Additionally, you can mark mobs from a distance and then hit them close up to deal larger amounts of damage. Killing mobs in Lavaland with the crusher will allow you to unlock crusher trophies that can upgrade your kinetic crusher.

Crusher Trophies

Megafauna Trophies
Trophy	Description
Legion Skull	A dead and lifeless legion skull. Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator to recharge 0.3 seconds faster
Goliath Tentacle	A sliced-off goliath tentacle. Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator to do more damage to marked tarkets. (2 damage for every 10 health you are missing)
Ancient Goliath Tentacle	A HUGE goliath tentacle, sliced off from an Ancient Goliath. Suitable as a trophy for a kinetic crusher. Twice as effective as regular variant.
Watcher Wing	A wing ripped from a watcher. Marked mobs when attacked lose some of their abilities for 0.5 seconds.
Magma Wing	A still-searing wing from a magmawing watcher. Attacks deal 5 more damage.
Ice Wing	A carefully preserved frozen wing from an icewing watcher. Attacks deal 8 more damage.
Eye of the Blood Drunk Miner	Its pupil is collapsed and turned to mush. Mark detonation to grant stun immunity and 90% damage reduction for 1 second
Ash Drake Spike	A spike taken from an ash drake's tail. Mark detonation to deal 5 damage to nearby creatures and push them back.
Demon Claws	A set of blood-drenched claws from a massive demon's hand. Slayer of Bubblegum. Melee hits to do 5 more damage and heal you for 1 with 5x effect on mark detonation
Blaster Tubes	The blaster tubes from a colossus's arm. Mark detonation to make the next destabilizer shot deal 15 damage but move slower.

Resonator

Miners preparing to go down to Lavaland at the start of their shift

A handheld device that creates small fields of energy that resonate until they detonate, crushing rock. It can also be activated without a target to create a field at the user's location, to act as a delayed time trap. It's more effective in a vaccuum.

This is another form of mining equipment that is commonly used by Free Golems. It is only acquirable from the golem shuttle or by purchasing it from the mining vendor. The default resonator is not a powerful device, instead the super resonator should be used instead. It can create unlimited fields at once and mines quicker.

Mining Vendor

There is a mining vendor located in the Mining Dock as well as on the Mining Base. After dropping off your ore into the ORM, you can receive mining points. These mining points can be spent on a variety of items that are available in the mining vendor. They can range from comfort items such as space cash or even valuable items such as jetpacks.

GearConsumablesKinetic AcceleratorDigging ToolsMinebotMiscellaneousKits

Item	Cost	Description
Advanced Scanner	800	A scanner that automatically checks surrounding rock for useful minerals; it can also be used to stop gibtonite detonations. Wear meson scanners for optimal results. This one has an extended range.
Explorer's Webbing	500	Used to hold shelter capsules, medipens, and marker beacons.
Fulton Beacon	400	When placed down, can be targeted by a Fulton Extraction Pack.
Mining Conscription Kit	1500	Everything in the Mining Conscription kit, available for only 1500 mining points
Advanced Jetpack Module	2000	Use this on a MODsuit to install it with a jetpack; allowing you to control your flight if you end up in the void of space. It uses the MODsuit's charge in order to function. Learn how to install modules into your suit here.
Jump Boots	2500	Allows you to dash forward 5 tiles; meaning you can clear a 4-tile gap. Presumably helpful for jumping over chasms. Can be used to store a knife inside.
Lazarus Capsule	800	Use it on creatures revived by a lazarus injector to capture them and register them as yours. You can then release them, and they will fight hostile mobs for you.
Lazarus Capsule Belt	200	Stores lazarus capsules. You can hold six.
Mining MODsuit	3500	A Nanotrasen mining suit for on-site operations, fit with accreting ash armor and a sphere form. A built-in ore bag can later be acquired from Robotics. You equip it on your backpack slot, deploy the parts and then activate it. Learn more about MODsuits here.
Asteroid MODsuit Skin	1000	Apply to your Mining MODsuit to make it space proof. Learn more about MODsuits here.
Tracking Implant Kit	600	Contains 3 tracking implants; an implanter; an implant modifier, and an implant locator.
Mining Charge Detonator	150	Use it on a mining charge to link it. Linked mining charges start their detonation timer only when you use the detonator.

Item	Cost	Description
10 Marker Beacons	100	Prism-brand path illumination device. Used by miners to mark paths and warn of danger.
Brute First-Aid Kit	600	Contains 1 brute automender, 1 healing patch, 1 autoinjector and a health analyzer.
Fulton Pack	1000	Use it in your hand to link it to a placed Fulton Beacon first, then use it on any unbolted object or person to extract them to that point.
Jaunter	750	Wear it on your belt slot to save yourself from death if you happen to fall into a chasm.
Lazarus Injector	1000	Revives small animals and Lavaland monsters, making them docile. The Head of Personnel will usually ask for this if somebody kills Ian.
Mining Charge	150	A weak explosive charge that destroys rocks a short time after being placed on them, unless first linked to a detonator.
Industrial Mining Charge	500	An explosive charge that destroys rocks a short time after being placed on them, unless first linked to a detonator.
Point Transfer Card	500	A card preloaded with 500 mining points. Swipe your ID over it to claim it.
Shelter Capsule	400	Use it in your hand and then drop it to spawn a 5x5-tile shelter.
Stabilizing Serum	400	Stabilizes regenerative cores, allowing them to be used at a later time.
Survival Medipen	500	An emergency autoinjector for miners facing the harsh conditions of Lavaland. WARNING: Do not inject more than one in quick succession.

Item	Cost	Description
Proto-Kinetic Accelerator	750	A miner's favorite. Allows rocks to be broken from a distance and works well as an offensive weapon in a low-pressure environment.
KA Adjustable Tracer Rounds	150	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator bolts to have a colored tracer trail. You can customize the color if you use it in your hand before installing it.
KA AoE Damage	2000	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator to do AoE damage to mobs. Does not destroy multiple rocks at once. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity.
KA Cooldown Decrease	1000	Decreases the proto-kinetic accelerator's cooldown by 2 seconds. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity.
KA Damage Increase	1000	Increases the proto-kinetic accelerator's damage by 10. Occupies 30% of the KA's mod capacity.
KA Hyper Chassis	300	Changes the proto-kinetic accelerator chassis to an orange-red color scheme. You can remove it with a crowbar.
KA Minebot Passthrough	100	Allows your proto-kinetic accelerator shots to pass through minebots. Pretty much required if you utilize minebots.
KA Range Increase	1000	Increases the proto-kinetic accelerator's range by 1 tile. Occupies 24% of the KA's mod capacity.
KA Super Chassis	250	Changes the proto-kinetic accelerator chassis to a yellow-orange color scheme. You can remove it with a crowbar.
KA White Tracer Rounds	100	Causes the proto-kinetic accelerator bolts to have a white tracer trail.

Item	Cost	Description
Diamond Pickaxe	2000	Stronger than the silver pickaxe.
Proto-Kinetic Accelerator	750	A miner's favorite. Allows rocks to be broken from a distance and works well as an offensive weapon in a low-pressure environment.
Kinetic Crusher	750	Melee weapon. Mark a mob with the destabilizing force, then hit them in melee to activate it for extra damage. Extra damage for backstab.
Resonator	800	A device creating small fields of energy that eventually detonate. Works better in a low-pressure environment.
Silver Pickaxe	1000	Stronger than the regular pickaxe.
Super Resonator	2500	The same as the normal resonator, but this one can have 5 fields active.
Mecha Grenade Launcher	2500	A weapon for a mech able to fire mining bombs stronger than the ones supplied in the Mining MODsuit.

Item	Cost	Description
Nanotrasen Minebot	800	A little drone to help you with mining.
Minebot AI Upgrade	1000	Offers the mining drone sentience. Save points to buy one of these for Science, as it boosts their research levels.
Minebot Armor Upgrade	400	Increases the mining drone's health by 45.
Minebot Cooldown Upgrade	600	Decreases the mining drone's shooting cooldown by 20.
Minebot Melee Upgrade	400	Increases the mining drone's melee damage by 7.

Item	Cost	Description
Absinthe	100	Almost potent enough to make you forget the ash in your lungs.
Alien Toy	300	A facehugger toy.
Cigar	150	A premium cigar for a premium price.
GAR Mesons	500	Same as any other Optical Meson Scanner, but more fashionable.
Laser Pointer	300	To make presentations more interesting. Or to shine it in someone's eyes.
Luxury Shelter Capsule	3000	Spawns a needlessly luxurious shelter. Requires a 7x7 clearing.
Soap	200	A cheap bar of soap.
Space Cash	2000	A stack of 200 credits. Can be placed into an ATM to transfer it to your bank account.
Whiskey	100	The true reward for your endeavors.
HRD-MDE Project	3500	A grenade that enrages megafauna, granting them increased stats and new abilities. Only use this if you have the fighting skills for it.

Kit	Contents
Minebot Kit	1x Mining Drone Cube 1x Upgraded Welding Tool 1x Welding Helmet
Survival Capsule and Explorer's Webbing	Explorer's Webbing 1x Bluespace Shelter Capsule
Resonator Kit	1x Resonator 1x Pocket Fire Extinguisher
Extraction and Rescue Kit	1x Fulton Extraction Pack 1x Extraction Beacon Signaller 30x Marker Beacons
Crusher Kit	1x Proto-Kinetic Crusher 1x Pocket Fire Extinguisher
Plasma Cutter	1x Plasma Cutter
Jaunter Kit	1x Wormhole Jaunter 1x Adv. Burn Kit
Mining Explosives Kit	5x Lesser Mining Charges 3x Industrial Mining Charges 1x Mining Detonator
Mining Conscription Kit	1x Survival Medipen 1x Mining Satchel 1x Mining Voucher 1x Seclite 1x Survival Knife 10x Marker Beacon

Mining

When you're geared up and ready to go, head to the airlocks to your west. Buckle up, then use the Mining Shuttle Console and send the shuttle to the lavaland mine.

If you head down and west from where you dock, there is a break room should your character get hungry. There is also a small medical bay in case you get injured, and then a storage room with five more lockers and an equipment vendor for additional miners.

Once the shuttle docks, head straight east. You'll immediately see the EVA equipment room.

Equip an explorer suit, an explorer breath mask and take a GPS from the suit storage units. GPS can come handy should any kind of accident happen to you. If you click on it while it is in your hands, you can set your own tag. Make sure to put the hood up on your suit to protect yourself from the scorching heat of Lavaland.
Dispense an Oxygen Tank from the Tank Storage Unit.
Grab an Ore Box from anywhere on the station and pull it after you (with control-click). You'll be emptying your mining satchel into it frequently, as the satchel itself can't hold much.

Working in the Mines

To mine a rock, click it with your Proto-Kinetic Accelerator or with a pickaxe in your hands. You can mine multiple tiles at once with the pickaxe. If you use the shovel or the pickaxe on the ground, you will mine Volcanic Ash/Sand, which is needed to make glass. Keep this in mind, as Robotics and R&D use a boatload of it over time, and they will very likely start screaming at you to get some if they need it.

Keep the satchel in your pocket and walk over the ores to collect them. If the satchel is full, empty it into the ore box you are dragging with you.

The Ore Redemption Machine (ORM)

The ORM is what turns your ores into sheets, making them usable by Engineers, Roboticists, Scientists, and whoever else gets access to it.

Whenever you are done with mining, return to the Cargo Office. The ORM is in the northeast room. Place the ore box right above it, right click the ore box and empty it. Then swipe your ID card and claim your points. These are the points you can use at the #Mining Equipment Vendor.

Surviving The Wastes

Lavaland will kill you if you do not tread carefully. Your PKA or Crusher will be your best friend in keeping you alive for the most part. The general rule of thumb is to keep distance and avoid getting hit by fauna. If you do not think you can take a mob on, it is best to leave it alone and go find somewhere else to mine. The atmosphere on Lavaland is burning hot as well, so you need to put on full protective gear, such as an explorer suit or a MODsuit and to keep your hood on.

Make sure to utilize your emergency injector and possibly invest in a brute medkit/fulton extraction kit for when you inevitably take serious brute damage. Always keep an active GPS on your body in case you die. Communication is also a key here - letting your fellow miners know that you are going down increases chances of being found dramatically.

If you encounter an ash storm (which you will), it's imperative that you throw down a bluespace shelter or find a place to shelter under before the storm comes. Chances are if you don't, you will not survive for very long.

If you want to learn more about the horrors that await you in lavaland, see the Guide to Lavaland.

You and R&D

Ripley Mech

One of your biggest partners in your and stations success is Research and Development. They require all the ores you can mine on lavaland and can use said materials to produce awesome items. They will rely on you to provide materials so make sure to at least take up 1-2 loads of ore before messing around and dying.

R&D can provide your KPA with upgrades for free and also give you upgraded mining satchels and equipment. Robotics may even be able to supply you with a Ripley APLU mech that is impervious to ash storms and can instantly mine out 1x3 areas of rock. (Note: Firefighter APLU are Lavaproof)