Balancing · Economy
Raw mining and extractor levels
Each extractor level adds a fixed production step for its raw resource. Density, energy, research, and ore affinity multiply that step - until the planet's geological ceiling clamps the total.
Raw resources do not trickle in on their own. Pig iron, crystal, frubin, orizin, frurozin, and gold only rise when the matching extractor is powered and online.
Before you spend an upgrade, you want to know what the next level is worth. The colony UI shows current rates; this page documents the live formula and the per-level deltas so you can preview the jump yourself.
Numbers on this page come from the same mining rules the game uses. When balancing changes, the table and chips update with the code.
Production formula
For one raw stockpile, every matching extractor contributes mining units from its level. Those units are scaled by a global bonus, planet density, energy delivery, research efficiency, and ore affinity - then capped by the world's extraction ceiling.
rate = mine level × coefficient × 0.008 × density × energy × research × affinity (then clamp to planet max)
- Bonus / mining unit
- 0.008
- Homeworld density
- 1
- Research / level
- +1.5%
Advanced material extraction adds 1.5% mining efficiency per research level. Energy below 100% scales the mine's contribution linearly.
Next-level preview (example)
On a homeworld-density world (density 1), full power, no research bonus, and affinity 1, a single pig-iron mine upgrades like this:
- Level 5
- 720/h
- Level 6
- 864/h
- Gain from upgrade
- +144/h
Orizin, frurozin, and gold extractors use a smaller coefficient - each level adds about 28.8/h under the same assumptions.
Per-level gain by extractor
Uncapped gain from raising one extractor by one level at density 1, full energy, no research or affinity bonus. Richer density tiers multiply these figures; planet caps can still clamp the total.
| Extractor | Raw resource | Δ / hour | Δ / second |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig iron mine | Pig iron | +144 | +0.04 |
| Crystal field | Crystal | +144 | +0.04 |
| Frubin collector | Frubin | +144 | +0.04 |
| Orizin synthesizer | Orizin | +28.8 | +0.008 |
| Frurozin collector | Frurozin | +28.8 | +0.008 |
| Gold mine | Gold | +28.8 | +0.008 |
Multiple extractors of the same type stack - their levels add before the formula. Early ores (pig iron, crystal, frubin) use coefficient 5; orizin, frurozin, and gold use coefficient 1.
What changes the result
Level is only one lever. These live multipliers sit on top of the per-level table.
Planet density tier
Density scales mining output. Homeworld and moderate sit at 1; barren worlds pull less, rich and pinnacle worlds pull more.
Energy delivery
Underpowered extractors contribute a fraction of their nominal units. A level-10 mine at 50% energy behaves like 5 mining units before the bonus.
Ore affinity
Each world's geology weights which ores run hot. Affinity below 1 softens the rate even when the mine is fully powered.
Extraction research
Advanced material extraction multiplies all mining. Orizin and frurozin research unlock their extractors - they do not change the per-level coefficient once built.
Geological ceiling
Every world has a hard max extract per second per raw. Extra mine levels past the ceiling spend build cost without raising the live rate until something else changes.
See planet density tiers for peak extraction ceilings by tier.
Coming to the colony UI
This reference page answers the next-level question in public docs. In-game upgrade previews are still on the roadmap.
Next-level production preview
Show projected raw rate after the upgrade on the mine tile or upgrade confirm - so you do not need this sheet for every pad.
Next reads
Density and caps set the ceiling. Refinement turns raw stacks into compounds.
Per-level deltas assume density 1, full energy, research multiplier 1, and affinity 1 - then multiply by those factors in play.
Homeworld peak extraction on the dominant vein is 3,000 raw per hour - extra mine levels past that ceiling do not raise the live rate.
Roadmap items in the yellow panel are not live UI yet.