Miner
A miner is a worker profession involved in the mining industry, extracting minerals such as iron, copper, titanium, uranium, and lithium from planets, moons, asteroids, and nebulae. They can be found on most planetary bodies, as well as onboard habitats and smaller stations. The minerals they mine are primarily used for construction or refinement into different types of alloys, but they are also consumed by lithoid species as sustenance. In a wider sense, mining can also refer to the extraction of gases, water, ice, and other materials, but minerals are the most common.
Historically, mining has been conducted by sapient species since their respective Stone Ages. Several of the terms scholars use to describe periods of pre-FTL development (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age) refer to those civilisations' abilities to extract and refine specific minerals from the ground. Prior to mechanisation, mining was conducted with manual tools such as pickaxes and shovels. The development of industrial-scale mechanised mining techniques drastically improved output, and is the basis of modern mining operations.
While the steretypical mine is a small shaft supported by beams with rails running through it, the most common type of mine in the galaxy is the surface mine. Massive excavators dig up material close to the surface on gigantic scales. Open-pit mines, quarries, high-wall mines, and mountaintop mining all fall under this category. Surface miners are typically vehicle operators, controlling excavators and transports, overseeing automated vehicles, or maintenance workers. Underground mining, on the other hand, is a much more dangerous and involved process. Once an ore vein has been identified via scanning (usually orbital or aerial), shafts and tunnels are dug with large drills and explosives to reach the ore. From there, miners use power drills to excavate the required minerals.
Working deep underground, sometimes to depths of dozens of kilometres, carries significant risk. Cave-ins are a constant risk, as are pockets of unbreathable or explosive gas. Dust and mineral fragments in the air can cause long-term health issues, as can the laborious nature of the work. Extreme depth mines can reach temperatures well above safe levels for many species, and require specialised equipment to survive. Due to the dangerous and difficult nature of the work, many societies prefer to use slaves to perform mining, rather than spending significant amounts on well-trained and equipped personnel. Behind soldiers, miner slaves have the second highest mortality rate of all professions in the galaxy.
Mining also takes place in deep space, extracting minerals or ice from asteroids. The zero-g conditions and hard vacuum mandate the use of specialists and expensive equipment, so slaves are less frequently employed as deep-space miners. Small asteroid mining stations are extremely common throughout the galaxy, and can be seen in almost every system as government-run, corporate, or wildcat mining operations. Habitat complexes often deploy deep-space miners to extract from asteroids at much larger scales than smaller mining stations. Mining stations and habitat complexes also mine uninhabitable worlds, which can range from barren worlds lacking atmospheres, to molten or toxic worlds that must be mined remotely. Autonomous drones are used more frequently in deep-space mining, as they can more easily maneuver in zero-g conditions than within cramped tunnels.
Historically, mining has been conducted by sapient species since their respective Stone Ages. Several of the terms scholars use to describe periods of pre-FTL development (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age) refer to those civilisations' abilities to extract and refine specific minerals from the ground. Prior to mechanisation, mining was conducted with manual tools such as pickaxes and shovels. The development of industrial-scale mechanised mining techniques drastically improved output, and is the basis of modern mining operations.
While the steretypical mine is a small shaft supported by beams with rails running through it, the most common type of mine in the galaxy is the surface mine. Massive excavators dig up material close to the surface on gigantic scales. Open-pit mines, quarries, high-wall mines, and mountaintop mining all fall under this category. Surface miners are typically vehicle operators, controlling excavators and transports, overseeing automated vehicles, or maintenance workers. Underground mining, on the other hand, is a much more dangerous and involved process. Once an ore vein has been identified via scanning (usually orbital or aerial), shafts and tunnels are dug with large drills and explosives to reach the ore. From there, miners use power drills to excavate the required minerals.
Working deep underground, sometimes to depths of dozens of kilometres, carries significant risk. Cave-ins are a constant risk, as are pockets of unbreathable or explosive gas. Dust and mineral fragments in the air can cause long-term health issues, as can the laborious nature of the work. Extreme depth mines can reach temperatures well above safe levels for many species, and require specialised equipment to survive. Due to the dangerous and difficult nature of the work, many societies prefer to use slaves to perform mining, rather than spending significant amounts on well-trained and equipped personnel. Behind soldiers, miner slaves have the second highest mortality rate of all professions in the galaxy.
Mining also takes place in deep space, extracting minerals or ice from asteroids. The zero-g conditions and hard vacuum mandate the use of specialists and expensive equipment, so slaves are less frequently employed as deep-space miners. Small asteroid mining stations are extremely common throughout the galaxy, and can be seen in almost every system as government-run, corporate, or wildcat mining operations. Habitat complexes often deploy deep-space miners to extract from asteroids at much larger scales than smaller mining stations. Mining stations and habitat complexes also mine uninhabitable worlds, which can range from barren worlds lacking atmospheres, to molten or toxic worlds that must be mined remotely. Autonomous drones are used more frequently in deep-space mining, as they can more easily maneuver in zero-g conditions than within cramped tunnels.
Type
Raw Materials Gathering
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