Wanted: Ideas For Large Scale Mining Operation

Discussion in 'Community Discussion' started by bitfed, Jan 13, 2012.


  1. Hello everyone,

    The servers are quite empty since the update.. and in the meantime I've been considering some things.

    I'm a miner, I enjoy mining, I can stay down for weeks at a time, but I've learned a few things about low-level mining and what we could call Minecraft geology, and am starting to wonder what large-scale low-level mining could accomplish.

    I've got room to build a HQ on my property on SMP3, and will start it soon if interest garners.

    Depending on how feasible, our work force will receive training and tips in advanced mining, and we hope if all goes well, good pay.

    So if you're interested, please reply to this thread with the following info:

    Your in-game username: ________
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): ________
    Your time zone:
    Times of day you are generally available:
    You mainly interested in (Choose one): Profits / Mining / Group Work

    And even if you're not interested in participating just yet, please feel free to submit any ideas you have about the most effective ways to mine as a group.
    DarkOogaBloop and clintwards like this.
  2. S_R_L_B
    SMP1
    Austrlian Eastern Standard Time?
    Literally. Random :/ Mostly 1-9???
    Profits! :p
  3. Your in-game username: BioHuman
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): SMP4 - 8657
    Your time zone: GMT - 2:00
    Times of day you are generally available: 1h ~ 9h
    You mainly interested in : I am very interested in Mining, but Group Work is awesome.
  4. Branchmining :D
  5. I'm looking for techniques or ideas that would lend advantage specifically to group mining.
  6. Branchmining work for both solo-digging or group.
    I'll get u picture of it of how it can be done in group.
  7. There is also another group mining technique, this will require at least 3 miners.
    lemme show you how it works:

    1st miner: makes a tunel at level 10
    2nd miner: following the 1st start making a tunel that goes 10 blocks deep each 3 blocks of the 1st miner's tunel to the right

    3rd miner: the same as the 2nd one but to the left

    the 10 blocks deep reason is because that way you won't need a lot of torches to mine, also the 3 blocks of difference between each side tunnel is to find as much ores as possible.

    I will post a pic in a sec
  8. It depends on what you want to dig for, if you want lots of stone you could make a quarry, just dig out a massive hole in the ground to bedrock. The great thing about massive holes in the ground, is you could then use that massive hole to make a mob farm, then cover over the top to make it look nice and less of a hazard to wandering adventurers.
    DarkOogaBloop likes this.
  9. ... sounds alot like branch mining.
    Crazy1080 likes this.

  10. Ok. here's what i mean about branchmining
    The red&yellow is the area that you can cover.
    A larger scale are able to completely strip a whole chunk of ore. (If not completely, it would be at least 99%) or if dig for 160 block long 160wide 60 tall. will strip the whole 100 chunk out of ore.

    If u have a big group. just dig it all out. 1person/1hole
  11. gwormn
    smp1
    Eastern Standard Time
    Everyday
    Mining

    My friend Hash98 would also like to to sign up his list is:

    Hash98
    smp1
    Eastern Standard Time
    Most Days
    Mining

    Plus, I'm still confused on the whole "branch mining." Could you explain better?
  12. Your in-game username: CaptainXander
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): SMP3, but I am willing to work on any server.
    Your time zone: Mountain Standard
    Times of day you are generally available: 4-9 except Tuesdays and from 8am on wards on the weekends.
    You mainly interested in (Choose one): Group Work (And Profits :) )
  13. Your in-game username: Natfan
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): SMP1
    Your time zone: GMT
    Times of day you are generally available: 3:00PM to 5:00PM, and 6:00PM to 8:00PM. Might be interrupted for homework etc.
    You mainly interested in (Choose one): Group Work
  14. I like to , in search of diamonds, make a 1 wide straight line, about t layer 13. Every 4
    3 to 7 blocks, I dig into the wall, no making a tunnel, just mining I. A stagingine, until your pick can't reach farther, mine out any diamonds you may see. I don't ry use this way on EMC, just because, if you don't lime traveling days from spawn like me, and closer up the ground is riddled with tunnels. Crossing into other tunnels is a real issue, as you may not be able to proceed from that point. If you are willing to go away from spawn a ways, unlike me, than it will work for you very well. In abot an hour, assuming you didn't really stop, you can get about a half stack , maybe even two, if you worked at an averageish pace.
  15. Your in-game username: Clintwards
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): SMP 2, but I will happily work on any server
    Your time zone: US Pacific Standard Time
    Times of day you are generally available: 4-12 PM (Weekdays) Varies (Weekends)
    You mainly interested in (Choose one): Mining
  16. takemikawa
    smp3
    US pacific time
    usually sometime after 4-5 PM
    profits
  17. Your in-game username: skullz730
    Your main 'home' server. (SMP1, SMP2, etc): SMP4
    Your time zone:US Pacific time (PST, -8)
    Times of day you are generally available: Anytime
    You mainly interested in (Choose one): Group Work
  18. Staggered branch mining in this way wouldn't seem to offer any added benefit to having multiple people on a crew. While I agree that covering lots of area will yield the largest amount of stones, it doesn't give any incentive to mine in a group as opposed to doing it on ones own.

    Mining in a group adds complications and therefore extra work: Surveying, Setup, Training, Arranging compensation for the workers, Transport of mined materials, and Providing food and tools in a cost effective and loss-proof way.

    I'm having trouble, logistically, thinking of a way to make running this worthwhile, because as it stands, traditional mining techniques seem to benefit a single miner the most.

    So to recap, some of the issues I'm trying to focus on and want suggestions for:
    • Surveying
    • Site setup
    • Training
    • Worker compensation
    • Large scale mining methods (As opposed to single-miner methods)*
    • Transportation of mined materials
    • Providing food
    • Providing tools
    • Loss-prevention - People stealing mined materials and/or tools
    *Problem is as follows:
    1. 1 miner working for 1 hour = 1 man hour
    2. 3 miners working for 1 hour = 3 man hours plus the amount of time it takes to survey, setup, train, feed and equip 3 workers.
    So basically, the group would have to be more effective as a collective than they would be individually.
  19. Here comes a chance to go on a bigscale mining trip with everyone, and I updated. This sucks.
    I'm DarkOogaBloop
    Smp4
    Time zone is.. sydney - australia - daylight savings (forgot the official 'timezone'
    I try and get on EMC whenever I can, and it is currently school holidays, so that's alot :)
    I would love to go on a massive mining trip with ya'll, but I updated!! :mad::mad::oops::oops::(:(
  20. haha, don't worry, SO MANY people did that there's not anything going on on the server yet.

    Also, I'm planning this carefully, and hoping it will be a permanent venture in the wild, so you haven't missed out yet.
    DarkOogaBloop likes this.