Ore Factory Squad Mining Guide
Master Ore Factory Squad mining: procedural dig sites, shovel to dynamite progression, Copper through Diamond ores, and Modular Mining Lift setup.
Understanding Procedural Dig Sites
Every property in Ore Factory Squad hides a procedurally generated underground volume. Rock hardness, vein placement, and cavern size change per deed seed, so two Copper-focused properties still feel different to excavate. Surface markers and scout shafts reveal general ore presence, but exact vein geometry requires exploration — plan support columns and return paths before committing dynamite.
Depth correlates with resource tier. Copper and Iron appear in upper layers accessible with pickaxe and early jackhammer tiers. Gold veins sit deeper, often behind harder stone requiring upgraded jackhammers or efficient blast patterns. Diamond is rarest, typically at the lowest reachable strata before lift depth caps until you upgrade infrastructure.
The properties and digsites map guide compares surface build area versus typical depth profiles. Choose properties aligned with your contract board — there is little value digging Diamond if your active jobs only need Iron ingots.
Tool Progression: Shovel to Dynamite
You begin with a shovel for dirt and loose aggregate, switching to a pickaxe for ore nodes and medium rock. Pickaxe tiers reduce swing count and widen compatible block types. The jackhammer arrives as your first power tool — hold to chisel continuous faces faster than manual pickaxe swings, ideal for widening main tunnels toward lift shafts.
Dynamite clears clustered hard sections quickly. Place charges on marked blast points, retreat to a safe distance, and detonate. Co-op squads must call detonations over voice chat since Patch 7.0 voice integration. Excessive blasting without structural planning can bury ore drops or block lift access; carry spare shovel time to clear rubble.
Tool details and shop unlock order live on the tools and equipment page. Balance tool spending with conveyor purchases — a jackhammer starved squad mines fast but delivers slow if belts are missing.
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Ore Types and Processing Expectations
Copper is the teaching ore: common, low smelting time, frequent on early contracts. Iron scales mid-game production and feeds advanced assemblers. Gold pays well but mines slower due to depth and hardness. Diamond contracts offer high payouts but require reliable lift throughput and warehouse storage because units process slowly.
Raw ore can satisfy some early contracts; most mid-tier jobs want ingots or components from machines. Know your factory output before mining a rare vein dry — unprocessed Diamond in crates does not count toward refined-good deliveries. Link mining schedules with the automation guide so underground pace matches smelter capacity.
See the ores and resources reference for machine input ratios and contract frequency by material.
Modular Mining Lift and Vertical Design
The Modular Mining Lift is the backbone of deep mining in Ore Factory Squad. Install lift modules at a central shaft, connect surface conveyors to the lift exit platform, and configure underground collection bins at stop floors. Each upgrade increases travel speed, cargo capacity, or stop count depending on module tier.
Design shafts wide enough for crate carts and co-op players passing each other. Single-tile shafts become bottlenecks when jackhammer teams and lift operators collide. Leave maintenance alcoves for spare tools and dynamite storage away from active blast zones.
When lift queues backlog, ore piles underground while contracts expire topside. Signals that you need either faster lift cycles or additional smelters — not more miners. Our conveyor automation guide covers linking lift outputs to balanced processing lines.
Safety, Lighting, and Squad Roles
Dark tunnels hide drop-offs and unmarked blast zones. Place lighting fixtures along main routes and near ore veins scheduled for multi-session mining. One squad member can specialize as "shaft captain" — managing lift timing, lighting, and dynamite clearance while others focus on face mining.
Shared crate bins near lift stops reduce duplicate trips. Label areas informally (even verbally) so random ore dumps do not mix Copper scrap with Gold batches destined for different contracts. Warehouse robots later automate sorting, but early discipline prevents costly re-smelting.
For vehicle-assisted hauling from remote surface pits, read the vehicles and logistics guide after your first lift is operational.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool breaks which blocks in Ore Factory Squad?
Shovels handle soil and loose rubble. Pickaxes break standard rock and ore nodes. Jackhammers accelerate hard rock and large faces. Dynamite destroys marked explosive tiles in a radius — use for stubborn clusters, not routine node mining. Upgrade tiers expand compatibility on pickaxe and jackhammer lines.
How deep can I mine before upgrading the lift?
Base Modular Mining Lift modules cap how many underground stops and total depth you can service in one shaft. Upgrade lift components at the machine shop when jackhammer teams hit depth walls or when ore cart travel time exceeds smelting cycles. Each property deed lists approximate depth potential before purchase.
Is Diamond worth mining early?
Only if a contract or achievement explicitly requires it. Diamond nodes mine slowly and process slowly; chasing them without smelter capacity ties up lift bandwidth better used for Iron or Gold batches. Stockpile Copper and Iron first to fund automation, then dedicate a shaft to Diamond with squad agreement.
Does mining differ in co-op?
Ore node health is shared — anyone can contribute swings. Drops go to nearest valid storage or player inventory based on settings. Communicate vein assignments to avoid two players jackhammering the same node while another shaft goes untouched. Voice chat from Patch 7.0 helps coordinate dynamite and lift timing.
Can procedural maps block an ore type entirely?
Extreme outliers are rare but possible on low-tier deeds. If a required ore never appears at reasonable depth, consider selling the property (if supported) or buying a deed known for that resource. Scout contract boards before committing long-term infrastructure to one dig site.