Build:Mining Equipment
Mining Laser
A typical mining laser is a combination of a laser, tractor beam, and mineral processing system capable of lasering portions of material from a source location (such as an asteroid or planetary mine), tractoring it into an initial processing unit, in its unrefined form, for later extraction processing. The average mining laser rig is capable of blasting out 0.1 metric tons of ore per round (5 seconds), with only a percentage of that ore representing the intended resource.
Table
| Class | SU | Range | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A | 5 | 2/5,000/15,000/50,000 | "22nd century" |
| Class B | 7 | 3/6,000/18,000/70,000 | "late 22nd century" |
| Class C | 9 | 3/7,500/23,000/75,000 | "early 23rd century" |
| Class D | 12 | 4/10,000/30,000/80,000 | "mid to late 23rd century" |
| Class E | 13 | 5/13,000/40,000/125,000 | "early 24th century" |
Note: the ranges and the years need to be better defined and are based on the rapid adoption of the originating fanon rules.
Ore Extractor
Cost: Size + 5 for processor, +10 for a fully automated systems, +2 for (mandatory) computer monitoring
The purpose of the ore extractor is to separate as much of the resource(s) from the naked rock in which it was mined, for easier storage and transporting (to a refinery). In a given location (asteroid, mine), a set percentage of the raw ore mined will contain resource materials. Roll 1d100, modified by the values in the below table, to determine that percentage:
- Normal metals: n/a
- Special metals (pergium, topalin, ryetalyn, etc): -35
- Radioactives (uranium, etc): -20
- Gem stones (diamonds, rubies, flame gems, etc): -30
- Industrial crystals (dilithium, special silicates, etc): -45
A final value can be 0, indicating that the targeted category does not exist in the specific location.
Ore Processor/Refinery
Cost: Rating + 12 for base processor, +20% (minimum 2 SU) for additional product produced, +10 for a fully automated system, plus storage capacity for all materials (raw and processed).
Crew: 4 per total SU (for one 8-hour shift) for manual processors, 2 for automated units
Not all stations are designed for glamorous military mission, nor do the majority of the remainder operate as bastions of scientific research. Some are working stations, and ore processing is one example of a more commercial design. The item being processed and refined can be most anything, from raw mineral ore to rare gases to animal and plant sources being processed into edible products.
A processor/refinery unit can be built to any required size, reflected as a Rating amount. Each unit of Rating allows for the processing of 1 kg of raw product each round (5 seconds), which accounts for 720 kgs per hour or about 17.25 mt per 24-hour period. There is no upper limit to a Rating, allowing for small portable processors, processor units aboard ships or stations or massive refineries on an asteroid or planetside.
The refining process removes a percentage of the delivered raw product as impure waste. The pure percentage can be determined by the Narrator or rolled randomly (not to exceed 90%) and can differ, depending upon the varying sources (some run more pure than others). The remaining amount is waste product.
- Ex: Twenty-five metric tons of raw uridium ore are delivered from a vein that has been determined to be 86% impure (or 14% pure). After all 25 mts have been processed, 3.5 mts of pure uridium have been separated from the 21.5 mts of impure waste.
As a side effect of the processing, some portion, usually no more than 10% (roll 1d10) of the waste materials, can be considered hazardous to some degree and are to be separated and segregated, until disposed of. Similarly, another portion of the waste product, usually no more than 20%, can be processed by the same refinery as a secondary useful product.
- Ex: Of the 21.5 mts of impure processed waste remaining, 8% is determined to be hazardous and 17% of the waste material can be processed into pure feldomite. If the processing unit had a secondary feldomite refinery capacity, then -all told- the total refinery unit would have processed 3.5 mts of uridium (25 mt x 14% = 3.5), 3.655 mts of feldomite (21.5 mt x 17% = 3.655), 1.72 mts of hazardous materials (21.5 mt x 8% = 1.72) and 16.125 tons of waste material (21.5 mt - 3.655 mt - 1.72 mt = 16.125).
The resulting materials, primary & secondary products, hazardous and waste materials, have to be stored, as well, until shipped away. Take into account raw material storage and segmented storage for the three to four processed materials.
Due to the hazardous and unhealthy conditions associated with manual operation of ore processing, most Federation industrial concerns invest in automated processors, which do not require manual labor, instead requiring only two workers per SU, usually operating the advanced computer monitoring systems and providing maintenance.
The cost of a complete unit is equal to its Rating, plus an additional 12 SU for superstructure and computer monitoring. The capacity to refine a secondary product from the waste material costs an additional 20% of the base cost (a minimum of 2 SU) and automated processors cost an additional 10 SUs.