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[Number7]

So far i just had my best DF game ever. i hit 228 dwarves max (up from a max of around 70), i got pumps working (dwarf power though), i learned how to channel properly (without cave ins), i was breeding dogs and had a leather industry of sorts going (with bone carving on the side  ) and i made many, many more advancements and such, but the point is at the moment - Mining.

i use the mining on the wiki, the staircase every three blocks, which reveals every square. now it takes a lot of time and effort to mine a single level, so should i be mining width or depth when looking for new minerals? will z level x contain mostly all the same ores given in a sample section, therefore i should go on to examining x level y, or should i expand my search on z level x?

How do you forum goers do your mining when searching for new ores? (this was a major issue in my fort as i had an abundance of gold and iron, but no fuels or fluxes) (i found marble very late game but i had lost by then pretty much lol)

[Urist Imiknorris]

How do you forum goers do your mining when searching for new ores?

I just dig out a cross through the center of each embark tile - basically guaranteed to hit any large clusters or veins, and a pretty good number of small clusters too.

As for the mineral generation, each stone layer in a given biome contains the same ores throughout, so if you want to know what's in each stone layer you probably only need to mine through one level of each.

[FuzzyZergling]

I mine like this:

Code: [Select]

#_#########
#_________#
#_#########
#_#########
#_________#
#_#########
I know it's pretty inefficient dwarfwork-wise, but it's easy to designate.
Also, since most ore occures in long veins, you can get away with only revealing a small portion of tiles, then mining out the ore as you find it.

Ore type is based on biome. If your fortress area has several biomes, digging around a single z-level will reveal the types of ore each has. You can then look at where one biome ends and another begins, and isolate your digging to the biomes with ore that you want.

[NecroRebel]

I blatantly cheat, using DFHack's Reveal function to show me precisely where everything is, then just dig to them as I need to 

More to the point, stone happens to form strata, each typically 2-4 z-levels thick. The strata might be bent or folded, depending on the layout of the surface and how it's sloped, but the strata exist. Each stratum will have a particular set of minerals within it which varies depending on the site and what the layer stone the stratum is made from is. For instance, sedimentary strata can have magnetite and/or coal in them, but not every sedimentary strata will. On the other hand, no igneous or metamorphic strata will have those stone types. The up shot is that if you find a stratum that happens to have a stone type that you like in it, restricting your exploratory mining to that stratum is vastly more likely to be profitable than going to other strata.

Also, if you're getting annoyed at having to designate the exploratory mining by hand, you might consider making a macro to do it for you.

[Number7]

I have a macro set up for mining, its great . It's just taking ages to mine large areas, even with it xD.

I could really use a good site with sedimentary layers again like i had one game, i had steel and fuels and fluxes, it was really good, noob friendly site.

Is there any way to see what metals will be at an embark site? because it says 'Shallow metals' and 'deep metals' now.

[Garath]

i'd like to know that too. Cobaltite shouldnt be qualified as metal!

[Jelle]

Eh I tend to make one long vertical shaft and make a grid on the level I think might be interesting. When the new game version finally launches I'll be switching to multiple vertical shafts though, since it's more effecient whilst not impossible to do with new multi z level designtions.

[Aspgren]

I channel huge pits.

From these pits I dig exploration tunnels in all manner of directions. Once I find a vein I mine it out completely and then make more tunnels.
 Eventually I get a massive complex of tunnels.

[Sutremaine]

When the new game version finally launches I'll be switching to multiple vertical shafts though, since it's more effecient whilst not impossible to do with new multi z level designtions.

You can do multi-level designations with the mouse, as long as they're a single tile. If you designate something with the mouse and keep the button held down as you change levels, the designation gets applied to the new level.

[ancistrus]

Exploratory mining is sooo previous version.

In 31 stone layer either doesnt contain an ore or it contains insane amounts of it. If you remember the distribution of biomes on your site, then you should be able to discover what you have and what you dont have, with 100% certainty very quickly.

[jeffreyac]

Hmmm...  Maybe this is what I dont understand, then - I keep exploring huge empty layers, thinking "Well, maybe there could be ore way over in that far unexplored corner!" Sounds like my initial dig-a-big-cross-then-move-to-the-next-layer is the best after all.

[knutor]

I use SteelMod_31_25_13.zip to make DF more playable. 

- Adds Anthracite Coal to metamorphic layers.
- Allows the use of Graphite as a high quality source of carbon in steel making.

I still do a lot of exploration mining. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I am lazy and just CTL+ Arrowkey pinstripes, across the marble and granite regions, in no particular pattern.  In some areas I avoid caverns, others I tunnel right on through, fearless.  And connect the ends for the sake of hauling anything out, like Jewels.

Sincerely,
Knutor

[Garath]

i make huge sweeping grids. shift + any direction. I dont catch many gems or small clusters, but most of the time they are not what i'm after anyway. My gem industry is decidedly lacking since i now have 2 legendary cooks and a lot of giant panda, giant badger, dog and sheep meat, not to mention plant products and the occasional fish and eggs.... its a multimillion industry. I wish i could farm potatoes. fish, chips, eggs and sausage.... Shell, lead and bone crafts fill the gaps, my people are happy with silver statues and furniture