With the blessings of the shareholders and the chairman of the board of directors, the Causeway Mining Co. has purchased the area around Mount Kilichee, due to favourable reports from prospectors. The establishment of the Cluster Mine is expected to be a wise investment for the company, and (as is standard practice) a group of skilled and intelligent experts has been assembled to oversee the mine. Unfortunately the experts are you fellows, the fine inhabitants of Bay12. Try not to fuck up too horribly, okay?
Digging
Digging is pretty simple. Each turn you can dig a number of squares equal to the total digging power of whatever tools your miners are using. Blocks can be dug from whatever orthogonal squares your miners can reach (no diagonals!). Note that mining and construction are done at the same time, so you can dig a staircase downwards as far you want to.
Mining
Mining is slightly more complicated. Whenever you mine an ore tile, you gain a certain a number of ore, depending on the wealth of the ore tile.
o - 1d3
O - 2d4
o - 3d5
O - 4d6
When you mine ore you have to lug it back to the surface. Labourers are used to lug ore to the surface, and unless told otherwise will gp for the more valuable ores first.
Right now ore is sold automatically when it reaches the surface. That will change in the future.
Prospecting
As long as one prospector is working for you, all squares that he can reach will be checked for ores. How far the prospector can detect ore depends on what equipment he's using.
More mechanics will be added as the game progresses.
Sky: Empty space. Nothing important or useful about it.
Stone: The stuff you have to dig through to set up the mine and reach those valuable ores. Stone tile can contain ore inside of them, which can be mined by digging the stone tile.
Grass: Functionally identical to Stone tiles, and exists only as decoration. Is ignored for the purposes of prospecting. When dug out it turns into a sky tile instead of a mined tile.
Mined: Tiles that you have already dug out. Basically empty space.
Unknown: Tiles you haven't uncovered or prospected yet.
All workers cost $20 to hire and $50 a turn in salaries.
Labourers - Exactly what a Labourer does depends on what tool he's given. With a mining tool they can mine and dig out tiles, otherwise they'll lug ore around at a rate of three tons per labourer per turn.
Prospector - A cheerful chap who can use prospecting tools to automatically check for ores and other things around your mine. At this stage of the game you only need one prospector.
Mining Tools - The number given next to the price is how many squares can be dug in one turn. Mining Tools can be used by Labourers.
Pickaxe $5, 1 square.
Prospecting Tools - The number given next to the price is the radius of how far prospectors can see using these tools, including diagonals. Prospecting Tools can only be used by prospectors.
Sample Drill $5, 2 squares.
Constructions can be built in any sky or mined squares. Generally they help your labourers to reach ore and haul it away.
Platform (=, $5) - Counts as solid square for the purposes for digging and hauling ore, but also does not block movement when moving through the square.
Staircase (X, $10) - Allows your miners and labourers to move up and down vertical shafts. Also doubles as a platform if needed.
Dumin (D) - A cheap yet strong metal that is easily smelted. Used in tools, construction and, recently, shipbuilding.
Neumin (N) - A highly conductive metal used for wiring. With the development of power plants and home electricity, Neumin ore has shot up in price.
Armin (A) - An uncommon metal prized for its shininess and reflectivity. Used to make mirrors, tableware and jewelry.
Current Prices for Ores:
Dumin Ore - $100 a ton
Neumin Ore - $150 a ton
Armin Ore - $250 a ton.
((Tl;dr version: Steampunkish mining suggestion game, go! Also, you guys should obviously start mining ore ASAP to get some income.))