Editing v0.34:Mining

{{Quality|Exceptional|21:32, 24 May 2013 (UTC)}}
{{Labor
| labor      = Mining
| skill      = * [[Miner]]
| tasks      =
* Dig
}}
{{av}}

'''Mining''' is an essential part of building a fort in Dwarf Fortress. There are several reasons you might want to mine, such as [[exploratory mining|searching]] for various [[stone|stone types]], [[ore]]s and [[gem]]s, or simply to create the basic tunnels and [[room]]s in your fort. Mining refers to either the [[skill]] that performs mining, the [[labor]] associated with it, or simply the task or job of performing said labor.

There are several types of jobs associated with this skill: 
* '''Mining''' removes the section of the wall while preserving both the ceiling and the floor.
* '''[[Channel]]ing''' removes the section of the wall, the floor, and if possible places a ramp one level below.
* '''[[Ramp]]s''' replaces the section with an upward ramp, also removing the tile and floor one level above.
* '''[[Stairs]]''' carves out upward and/or downward stairs.

Mining can only be done in pre-existing stone or soil.  Constructed [[wall]], [[stairs]] or [[ramp|ramps]] cannot be mined; these must be removed using the 'remove construction' option ({{K|d}}, {{K|n}})

== Making a dwarf a miner ==

# Specify your dwarf to be a miner via {{K|v}}iew, {{K|p}}ref, {{K|l}}abor.
# Select "Mining" using {{K|+}} or {{K|-}}, then press {{K|enter}}.
Dwarves can be miners or woodcutters, but they may not be both at the same time.  To start mining, a [[miner]] requires an available [[pick]].  A dwarf's agility and mining skill affect how quickly they mine.

Selecting the mining labor will disable the [[wood cutting]] and [[hunting]] labors, as they all involve the usage of different tools.

== Designating the area to be mined ==

# Press {{K|d}}esignate to bring up the [[Designations]] menu.
# Highlight the requested action by pressing:
#* {{K|d}} for mining
#* {{K|h}} for channeling
#* {{K|r}} for an upward ramp
#* {{K|u}} for stairs towards the upper level
#* {{K|j}} for stairs towards the lower level
#* {{K|i}} for stairs in both directions
# Move the cursor to the starting point, then press {{K|enter}}. You should see a green flashing cross symbol indicating that it's in Selection Mode.
# Move the cursor to another point to define the opposite corners of a rectangle, press {{K|enter}} again. A yellow area should now be highlighted, indicating the area to be mined. The opposite corner can also be placed on a different z-level, designating areas across z-levels for mining. Tiles can also be designated by using the mouse and left-clicking.

==Understanding digging==
Each layer in the three-dimensional Dwarf Fortress map consists of two parts: a wall-part, and a floor-part.  Digging a tunnel removes the wall-part but leaves the floor-part in place.  Channeling removes the floor-part as well, leaving open space above, and if a floor-part exists below, it becomes an upward ramp.
<!--We really need an updated image like the one on 40d:Mining -->

==Mineral production (profit!)==
When the wall-part is removed from a stone tile, there is a 25% chance that a single [[stone]] (also known as a boulder) will be left behind.  Minerals which are found in [[vein]]s have a 33% chance of leaving ore, and minerals found in [[vein|small clusters]] (or individual tiles) have a 100% chance of leaving a stone or rough gem behind. Finally, any "deep" material (i.e. [[adamantine]] or [[slade]]) has a 100% chance of leaving a usable stone (though the latter is normally undiggable).

When tunnels are dug in soil, nothing is left from the wall-part.  The floor-part will remain, if it wasn't channeled, and might be suitable for [[farming]] or [[sand]] collection.

In older versions, higher mining skill would lead to more boulders being dug out. As of v0.34.08, the standard drop rate for boulders is 25% and skill gain only decreases the amount of time it takes to mine each tile. Also as of v0.34.08, the [[mason's workshop]] creates four [[block]]s from one boulder instead of the previous one block. This means that for the purpose of constructions or buildings there is just as much stone available as before, although an extra processing step has been added. The same goes for ores, one piece of ore will produce 4 bars at a [[smelter]]. Tasks that use stone as a raw material, however, now have much fewer materials to work with (such as [[flux]] for [[steel]] production).

==Training mining==
Dwarves gain mining experience for each tile mined, be it stone, ore, gem, or soil. Soil is mined extremely quickly and is one of the fastest ways to train miners. Since the skill of mining also is used in combat, a dwarf with mining enabled that is carrying a pick will increase their mining skill through combat drills. This process is much faster than learning by digging through stone, but not nearly as fast as learning by digging through soil.

The fastest way to train mining is to first dig out upstairs, then remove the upstairs. Removing upstairs (even rock ones) is extremely quick and still provides mining experience.

==Mining warm and damp stone==
When designating any digging operation, warm and damp tiles will flash, indicating magma or water in adjacent tiles. Miners can dig these safely, provided there is an escape route ( ''"Safely"'' here implies only the short term survival of the digging dwarf, your fortress may well be flooded as a result, even many levels above the digging level, ''eventually'' killing your dwarf ).

Channeling and ramping designations involve two operations, and your dwarf will be submerged in the fluid when done. Unskilled swimmers can reach an exit ramp out of water if near enough, but magma will certainly cost your miner's life (the flow from either can knock dwarves off ledges, or, naturally, [[flood]] the fortress.)

Wall tiles ''above'' magma will flash 'warm', and designations will be cancelled even if an entirely safe tunnel is being dug. This is rather annoying when carving out rooms above the magma sea, although there is a way around it. Designating a channel two levels above the magma will mine out the warm wall immediately above the magma, and the designation won't be cancelled because it's not in the area of the warm stone.

==How to cancel a mining operation==
If you placed a designated area for mining but want to cancel the mining (for example if you approached [[damp stone]]) simply go to Designations {{K|d}} and select Remove Designation {{K|x}}. Then select the starting point of the area you want to cancel with {{K|enter}}, move to the ending point and confirm again with {{K|enter}}.

== Notes ==
To create a channel with no downward ramps, you have to mine out the area underneath the channel first, or manually designate the ramps created for removal afterwards {{K|d}} -> {{K|z}}. If you wish for these channels to be completely inaccessible from the outside, channel out the access-point (downward staircase). Another (more complicated) way of removing any access to the moat is to replace the dug out ramps with constructed ones and creating a cave-in with constructed floors. Rampless channels are an effective substitute for walls against melee enemies that cannot fly, and they can be dug out far faster than a wall can be built. However, channels offer no defense against archers or dragonbreath.

When digging or removing upward ramps, watch out for loose stone or other items that might be in the way, as falling objects can now injure the unfortunate miner.

== See also ==
* [[Map tile]]s &ndash; Different types of walled, floor and open spaces.
* [[Caverns]] &ndash; Large underground tunnel systems.
* [[Exploratory mining]] &ndash; Mining focused on finding valuable [[stone]].
* [[Soil]] &ndash; A list of soil types.
* [[Stone]] &ndash; A list of different types of stones and ores left behind from mining.
* [[Smoothing]] &ndash; Increase fortress value and dwarf happiness by improving the quality of your rough-stone mineshafts.

{{labors}}