v0.31:The Non-Dwarf's Guide to Rock

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Wondering what that new kind of rock your dwarves just struck is good for? Possibly nothing, but when you're just getting started it can be tough to tell the trash from the treasure. The following table summarizes the types of stone and ore found in Dwarf Fortress; it does not include Template:Ls.

The Uses column lists any special uses or properties of this particular stone type; if no uses are listed, you can always use the stone for general construction and crafting. Note that many "low-value" materials are still very useful in a Dwarf Fortress. "Colors" are useful for color coding or creative aesthetic uses.

For more detailed and expanded information, see the Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, and Template:L pages, or the article on any particular stone, metal or ore.

Table of Rocks

(Some materials are worth an additional comment; these are numbered, with footnotes below the table.)

Name	Type	Uses	Appearance*
Template:L	special ore1	Becomes Template:L1, by far the most valuable substance	£ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone; used for making Template:L	^ ●
Template:L	high-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a highest-value Template:L	^ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	` ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	∞ ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	v ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value Template:L stone	# ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone; only source of some high-value gems	+ ●
Template:L	rare ore	Ingredient of Template:L	% *
Template:L	stone	Smelt into Template:L, flammable	☼ ☼
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	` ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	stone	Template:L, mid-value Template:L stone	" ●
Template:L	uncommon ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal; ingredient of Template:Ls; Template:L	£ *
Template:L	Template:L stone	Template:L, mid-value stone	░ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value Template:L stone	= ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	= ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	£ *
Template:L	layer stone	Low-value stone	, ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	£ *
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	∞ ●
Template:L	low-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal	£ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	- ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	. ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	░ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Template:L, mid-value Template:L stone	` ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	▓ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value Template:L stone; only source of some Template:Ls & Template:Ls	▒ ●
Template:L	ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal, with a 50% chance2 for Template:L; Template:L	£ *
Template:L	uncommon ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value Template:L metal	£ *
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	= ●
Template:L	ore	Smelt into Template:L, a high-value Template:L	£ *
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone; only source of some ores; relatively rich in content	▓ ●
Template:L	stone	Flammable	o ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone; used for making Template:L	# ●
Template:L	ore	Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L; Template:L	£ *
Template:L	ore	Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal	£ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	" ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	. ●
Template:L3	stone/water3	Frozen Water	. ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	░ ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	= ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone; only source of Template:Ls	% ●
Template:L	stone	Smelt into Template:L, flammable	* ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Template:L, mid-value stone	▓ ●
Template:L	high-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L	£ *
Template:L	high-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L; Template:L	~ *
Template:L	low-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal	£ *
Template:L	Template:L stone	Template:L, mid-value stone	▓ ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	v ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	≈ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	High-value Template:L stone; used to create stone Template:Ls; signifies nearby Template:L if not a layer	▒ ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone; may contain Template:L	% ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	- ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	% ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	, ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	% ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	- ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	* ●
Template:L	high-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a highest-value Template:L	£ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	Θ ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value Template:L stone	- ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	, ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	# ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	` ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	x ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value Template:L stone	# ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone; used for making Template:L	- ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	` ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone; used for making Template:L	; ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	≈ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	. ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	ore	Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal	£ *
Template:L	special stone	Not workable by dwarves	░ ●
Template:L	Template:L stone	Low-value stone	% *
Template:L	uncommon ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal; ingredient for Template:L	£ *
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	% ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value stone	= ●
Template:L	stone	Low-value Template:L stone	| ●
Template:L	low-value ore	Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal, with a 20% additional chance2 of Template:L; smelt into Template:L	£ *

(* Each stone is one of 16 Template:L in the game. Different un-mined stone of the same color have a different symbol to distinguish between them. Once mined, the individual stones themselves can sometimes look identical if the color is the same. Use k to look at items or the terrain for specific information.)

Notes:

1. Adamantine is not exactly like other metals, although it works almost the same. It has a value multiplier of x300 (yes, three hundred). See Template:L for a full discussion of this unusual and wondrous material.
2. % chance for additional metals: when Template:L and Template:L are smelted, they produce (respectively) one lead or one copper bar, 100% of the time. They occasionally produce a second, additional bar of the second metal, with the percent chance as listed above.
3. Ice has some very unusual properties in Dwarf Fortress, and can be disastrous if misused. See article on Template:L for a more complete discussion.

The Value of Rocks & Metals

You won't find the terms "low-value" or "highest-value" used in the game, but they're handy here for rough comparison. "Template:Ls" are all relative to each other, on a common scale. The "material value" number multiplies any final product that is created with that material by that number. An average generic statue (base value 25) is worth much more than an average generic throne (base value 10), but a throne carved from raw Template:L (10 x 30 = 300) will be worth far more than a common-stone statue (25 x 1 = 25). (Note - "Template:L" also factors in to total value of a final product, as do some other considerations, but those are outside the scope of this intro article). Bottom line - when in doubt, go for the more valuable stuff.

Common stones (the vast majority) have a value multiplier of x1, mid-value (all Template:L stones) are x2, and high-value (Template:L only) is x3. This affects things like stone tables and doors, statues or stonecrafts - anything made from stone. Metal Template:Ls have varying values, from 2-40, and can either be treated as stone or smelted into bars of metal.

For metals, low-value (like copper or nickel) is x2. Mid-value (silver or iron) is around x10, high-value (gold, steel) is x30, and highest-value (platinum, aluminum) is x40. Note that the raw mined ore and the smelted pure metal often have different value multipliers, but not always. Template:Ls like brass or bronze are often more valuable than the sum of their pure metal ingredients, and have a true spectrum of values between 3-23. (Alloy values are not listed in this article.) Metal can be crafted into weapons, armour or tools, decorations, furniture or even buildings.

(To be complete and for comparison, all Template:L has a value of x1, equal to common stone.)

See also:

• Template:L