Mining was the process of extracting resources, usually mineral, from bodies like planets and asteroids. The mining of asteroids was called asteroid mining. Mining was performed by miners. Mining operations were an important part of the economy of civilizations throughout the galaxy. Strip and gouge mining were two destructive forms of mining that were often to extract as much material as possible with little regard to the surrounding environment.
Earth and United Earth[]
The American town of Carbon Creek operated a mine in the 1950s. (ENT: "Carbon Creek") At some point a mine shaft was constructed near the Presidio in San Francisco. (TNG: "Time's Arrow, Part II")
By 2024 Humans had begun to mine the sea floor on Earth. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I")
United Earth operated off-world mining colonies, including the Orpheus Mining Complex on the moon, a private business set up by John Frederick Paxton's father. These facilities often did not have artificial gravity, as it was not practical. (ENT: "Demons") In 2154, Starfleet briefly secured an alliance with Harrad-Sar for mining a planet rich in magnesite, but this proved to be a scam. (ENT: "Bound")
Mining in the Federation[]
23rd century[]
By the 23rd century, the Federation operated several large mining colonies. Some people even spent the majority of their lives underground in mines. For example, the mining operation on Janus VI discovered some of the richest deposits of many sought-after ores in all of the Federation, including uranium, cerium, platinum, and pergium. (TOS: "The Empath", "The Devil in the Dark")
The Federation member world Ardana was the only known source of zenite. A lithium mine was located on Rigel XII. (TOS: "The Cloud Minders", "Mudd's Women")
The Federation also mined non-member planets through concessions. In 2267, the Federation competed with the Klingon Empire for the right to mine recently discovered supplies of topaline on Capella IV. In the end, the mining rights went to the Federation. A request to mine the Halkan homeworld, however, was disapproved by the Halkans. (TOS: "Friday's Child", "Mirror, Mirror")
In the mirror universe the Terran Empire intended to mine the planet nonetheless.
The Merchant Marine sometimes performed geological surveys for mining companies, for example on Alpha Carinae II. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer") Criminals could be sentenced to mining borite for the rest of their lives. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
Despite the major role of mining in the Federation, founding member Vulcan had no mining interests in the 2360s. Mining disputes were a major factor in the admission of Coridanite to the Federation. Vulcan Ambassador Sarek accused the Tellarites of conducting illegal mining operations on the planet. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")
24th century[]
By the 24th century, Federation starships like the Intrepid-class were often autonomous enough to extract materials they needed themselves. Nonetheless, mining continued to be important for the Federation. Among the diplomatic training scenarios on the USS Voyager was a mining dispute. (VOY: "Q2")
In 2364, an accident devastated a mining operation on Quadra Sigma III. (TNG: "Hide And Q").
A mine on Dytallix B, exploited by the Dytallix Mining Company, was abandoned at some point before 2364.(TNG: "Conspiracy")
In 2369, Doctor Farallon had attempted to develop a radical new technology for mining on Tyrus VII called a particle fountain. (TNG: "The Quality of Life")
In the 2370s, sulfur mines existed on one of Jupiter's moons. (VOY: "Life Line").
By 2378, many EMH Mark Is were re-purposed for dilithium mining. (VOY: "Author, Author")
Between the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole and the beginning of the Dominion War, the Federation also started mining operations in the Gamma Quadrant.
In 2372, a Vulcan expedition mining bakrinium in the Gamma Quadrant discovered remnants of the Hur'q civilization. (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless")
In early 2373, Captain Benjamin Sisko led a team to the Gamma Quadrant planet Torga IV to see if the cormaline was worth mining. (DS9: "The Ship")
Quatal Prime had a lucrative mining operation in 2373. (DS9: "For the Uniform")
The Reman homeworld of Remus had numerous dilithium mines. (Star Trek Nemesis)
Klingon Empire[]
The Federation believed over mining of Praxis was the cause of its spectacular destruction. The Empire also maintained dilithium mines on Rura Penthe. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).
Klingons were known to employ morally questionable practices from time to time. In the 2150s a deuterium mining colony operated by an unknown species was intimidated by a Klingon crew into giving them part of its deuterium each year. (ENT: "Marauders").
In 2370, the Duras sisters illegally mined a rich Magnesite deposit in the Kalla system, which was under Pakled control. (TNG: "Firstborn")
Cardassian Union[]
During the 24th century, the Cardassian Union devolved into fascism after resources on Cardassia Prime were depleted, and decided to occupy Bajor so that it could be intensively mined. They employed strip mining and changed the course of the Glyrhond River to assist their mining operations. Also, a mining accident at Gallitep fostered an outbreak of Kalla-Nohra Syndrome on the planet. Being sent to work in the mines was considered a death sentence. (DS9: "The Storyteller", "Duet", "The Collaborator", "Indiscretion")
Mining rights were a talking point in peace treaty negotiations between the Cardassian Union and Bajor in 2371. (DS9: "Life Support")
Volan III, a Federation colony where mining occurred, was turned over to Cardassia under the Federation-Cardassian Treaty. The Cardassian agent who assumed Raymond Boone's identity operated a ladarium mining sluice on the planet. (DS9: "Tribunal")
In the mirror universe, Dahkur Province was the site of a mining operation. (DS9: "Resurrection")
Other mining operations[]
The Malurians were secretly mining the Akaali homeworld for veridium isotope using drilling equipment saturated with tetracyanate 622. The mining team was led by Garos, who was disguised as an Akaali shopkeeper most of the time. The entrance to the mine was accessed through a secret stairwell in Garos' curio shop. (ENT: "Civilization")
By the 22nd century the Tellarite Mining Consortium was engaged in mining firesalt. They operated freighters to transport the mineral. In 2153 the freighter Tezra was captured while hauling a load of firesalt near Klingon space. (ENT: "Bounty") Also during the 22nd century an Andorian Mining Consortium may or may not have existed. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
Vulcan had a mining agreement with Coridan in 2151. (ENT: "Shadows of P'Jem")
The Paraagans operated a mining colony at Paraagan II. (ENT: "Shockwave")
In 2153 the Enterprise visited a trellium mining planet in the Delphic Expanse which was operated by thirty-one different species. (ENT: "The Xindi")
By the 24th century the Romulan Star Empire was dependent on dilithium mining on Remus. (Star Trek Nemesis) They also used large mining vessels such as the Narada for spacefaring operations. (Star Trek)
There was a mining operation on Koralis III that had been abandoned by 2375. (DS9: "Chimera") The Tigan family ran the fifth largest pergium mining operation in the Sapporo system. (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter") Telfas Prime also had a mining community. (VOY: "Alliances")
Delta Quadrant[]
Countless mining colonies were operated by many species across the Delta Quadrant. Often trade with these colonies proved invaluable for the USS Voyager during its odyssey through the quadrant. For example, in 2372 Voyager acquired needed materials from a mining colony on Hemikek IV, the rights to which were owned by a consortium of non-aggressive people. (VOY: "Investigations")
At the border of the Nekrit Expanse was a support outpost for mining and trading ships. A map dealer on the station sold coordinate charts for all the local mining colonies. (VOY: "Fair Trade")
The Talaxians were also active in mining. Neelix worked at a mining colony for some time. The Talaxians also operated a mining colony on Prema II. Additionally, a group of aliens targeted a Talaxian asteroid colony for mining in 2378, forcing the residents to fight them off. (VOY: "Blood Fever", "Basics, Part II", "Homestead")
Automated Personnel Units created by the Pralor species used asteroid mining pods to mine asteroids. (VOY: "Prototype")
A Sakari mining colony in the Nekrit Expanse was attacked by the Borg some point before 2373. Afterward, the miners decided to retreat into the mines, hiding their society. (VOY: "Blood Fever")
A Garan mining colony was infected by macroviruses in 2373. (VOY: "Macrocosm") A colony on Telsius Prime served as a bolomite mine. (VOY: "Live Fast and Prosper") An unnamed class Y planet was governed by the Ord'mirit Mining Treaty. (VOY: "Course: Oblivion")
The Gammadan Mining Facility suffered an accident in 2377. (VOY: "Critical Care") A Nuu'Bari mining consortium made use of holograms, which brought them into conflict with Iden and his followers. (VOY: "Flesh and Blood") On the Bronze Age planet of the Takarians, trade in mining futures existed. (VOY: "False Profits")
The Waters, an artificial planetoid composed entirely of water, was at last report being gradually destroyed by the oxygen mining plants of its inhabitants, the Moneans. (VOY: "Thirty Days")
Mined materials[]
- Bakrinium
- Bolomite
- Cerium
- Cormaline
- Deuterium
- Dilithium
- Firesalt
- Gallicite
- Iridium
- Ladarium
- Magnesite
- Pergium
- Platinum
- Topaline
- Uranium
- Vokaya
- Zenite