Mining

Mining in Archean is the process of locating, collecting, and processing mineral resources found in the terrain of celestial bodies. It is the foundation of the crafting system — without ores, you can't build anything.

The complete mining pipeline is: Scan → Collect → Crush → Craft.

Locating Ores

Before collecting rocks, you should first identify where valuable ores are concentrated.

The Ore Scanner Tool is a handheld device that displays a real-time graph of ore density in the direction you're facing. Just equip it and look around — it's the fastest way to scout a location.

For automated scanning, the Ore Scanner component can be controlled via XenonCode and returns composition data as key-value text objects.

Collecting Rocks

Rocks are small objects scattered on the surface of celestial bodies. They vary in size, and a bigger rock gives more material when picked up.

By Hand

Without any tool equipped, press LMB to pick up a rock. You must click again for each rock.

Rock Rake Tool

The Rock Rake is the recommended way to collect rocks manually:

• Hold LMB: Continuously picks up rocks as you look at them
• RMB: Inspect a rock before picking it up — shows its composition and yield

Automated Mining — Mining Drill

The Mining Drill extracts rocks from the terrain automatically. It must be installed on an anchored build using a Ground Anchor.

The drill's efficiency decreases with depth — you should relocate it periodically when output drops. See the Mining Drill page for detailed specifications.

Rock Composition

Every rock has a composition — a set of elements with their respective densities, determined by its location on the terrain. Composition is represented as key-value text objects:

.Al{0.1500}.Fe{0.2000}.Si{0.6500} — meaning 15% Aluminium, 20% Iron, 65% Silicon.

Rocks with identical composition stack together in your inventory. Different compositions occupy separate slots.

Elements

Processing Rocks

To turn rocks into usable ores, you need to crush them. There are two ways to do this:

Avatar Processing (Early Game)

Your backpack has a built-in Item Processing Area (1 slot) accessible from the crafting interface. Place rocks in this slot and click Crush to convert them into ores directly from your inventory. This is slow but requires no infrastructure — it's how you get your first ores in Adventure mode.

Crusher Component (Automated)

The Crusher is a placeable component for large-scale processing. It converts rocks into ores proportionally to their composition. For example, crushing 10 Kg of rock with 20% Iron yields 2000 g of Iron ore.

When concentrations are very low, the Crusher accumulates fractional amounts across multiple rocks until it can produce at least 1 unit — nothing is lost.

The Crusher does not pull from its input — rocks must be pushed to it. See the Push & Pull page for more details.

Resource Distribution

Ore distribution varies by celestial body, altitude, and proximity to volcanic features. See Earth and Moon for details.

• Volcanoes boost Iron, Lead, and are the only source of Fluorite

Practical Tips

• Scout first: Use the Ore Scanner Tool to find a spot rich in the ores you need before placing infrastructure
• Typical setups: Mining Drill → Crusher → Container, or Mining Drill → Container → Conveyor → Crusher
• Sizing: 1 Crusher handles up to 4 Mining Drills at High Voltage
• Relocate drills when efficiency drops significantly
• Rock Rake for early game: Use it to gather your first Iron and craft your way to a Mining Drill
• Check composition: Right-click rocks with the Rock Rake to check what they contain before picking them up