Overview[edit]
Silicon Mines extract silicon from large asteroids, processing it into Silicon Wafers. They will shut down without a constant supply of Energy Cells.
Encyclopedia Entry[edit]
Silicon Mines are built around small asteroids which are analysed before for their richness in silicon minerals. The mineral is usually found just below the surface. It is mined using an open-cast technology where the surface of the asteroid is literally scraped away by great land moving machines, revealing the rich bands of silicon beneath.
These are then dug and collected by specialised prospector robots. The Silicon is processed into thin wafers that provide the raw materials for the manufacture of many technical products.
Production Time Yield Equation[edit]
Mining production times are dependent on asteroid yield.
Race-specific attributes[edit]
Availability[edit]
Mines are unusual in that their Yield dictates their product cycle time. This is important for product flow rates, but not for product extraction efficiency.
Silicon mines are the core of any self-sustaining factory complex, as they are needed to produce energy cells, a commodity essential for producing food and almost anything else. Since the amount of silicon available limits the amount of energy cells available, the maximum size a complex can reach to independently produce all it can possibly produce is limited by its silicon supply.
