Staff a Mining Camp and mark blocks with the Mine Tool. An ore deposit is not enough on its own: miners need a valid target, a route and room for the extracted materials.
Based on the sources below. Planning suggestions are editorial guidance; this is not a claim of hands-on testing on the latest build.
Mark the material you intend to mine
The Mine Tool supports material filters. Check the active filter when a visible block is not being worked: an ore-only selection does not mean every nearby stone block is a valid task. Start with a small, reachable target so you can see the complete work cycle.
Maintain access as the excavation changes
A mining layout changes as blocks disappear. Follow the route from the camp to the working face and back to storage. Our suggested approach is to progress in controlled sections rather than marking a huge volume and assuming every target remains accessible.
- Confirm the camp has workers.
- Check that the marked blocks match the selected filter.
- Inspect access between vertical levels.
- Review output storage when mining stops.
Separate extraction from refinement
Ore and refined metal serve different roles. Before sending an entire deposit into a processing chain, inspect upcoming needs for research, construction and tax payment. Use the relevant building panels to decide where the material should go rather than treating all mineral stock as interchangeable.
Plan around the land you disturb
Mining and earthworks can leave rocky terrain that affects ordinary crops. If a future field is part of your plan, account for ground conditions after excavation. Reserve useful access corridors and avoid forcing every later supply route through the same narrow mine entrance.
Sources & version notes
Game updates and difficulty settings can change behavior. Where sources disagree, this guide avoids unsupported exact values and points you to the current in-game panel.