How to Mine Faster in RimWorld

Mining Efficiency in RimWorld
If you’re an avid RimWorld player, you know that time is of the essence. Managing resources effectively is critical, and mining is one of the most resource-heavy tasks in the game. Whether you're building underground bases or searching for precious materials, the ability to mine quickly can make or break your colony. But how do you ensure your colonists are mining as fast as possible?

Mining speed in RimWorld is influenced by several factors, and understanding how to optimize these can drastically improve your colony's productivity. This guide will take you through actionable tips, broken down into a detailed analysis of colonist traits, skills, and equipment that will help you mine faster in RimWorld.

1. Optimizing Colonist Selection: The Right Pawns for the Job

Not all colonists are equally adept at mining, and knowing who to assign to this task is the first step to success.

Mining Skill

The most obvious factor that impacts mining speed is a colonist's Mining skill. Each level in the Mining skill increases mining speed by 12%. A level 20 miner works significantly faster than someone with no experience. You should prioritize assigning high-skill miners to resource extraction tasks.

Passion for Mining

Look for pawns with a burning passion or at least an interest in mining. Colonists with a passion will gain experience faster and will also be happier while working, which prevents the mental breaks that can halt progress.

Traits That Boost Mining Speed

Certain traits directly impact mining speed:

• Industrious: This trait increases work speed by 35%, which includes mining. An industrious pawn will work almost a third faster than normal.
• Hard Worker: A more moderate +20% boost to work speed, still beneficial.
• Undergrounder: Although this trait doesn’t boost mining speed directly, it can make colonists happier while working in caves or underground, keeping their mood stable.

Negative Traits to Avoid

Steer clear of pawns with the Lazy trait, which reduces work speed by 20%, or the Slothful trait, which slows it by 35%. These traits can be particularly detrimental when trying to mine large areas quickly.

2. Skill Training and Optimization: How to Level Up Mining Quickly

Once you have the right colonists for the job, you can still speed up their progress by helping them level up their Mining skill faster.

Mining Soft Stone First

Stone types like Limestone and Sandstone are easier and faster to mine than harder types like Granite or Slate. Assigning your lower-skilled miners to soft stone ensures they level up quicker without wasting time.

Continuous Training

Ensure your miners are continuously working on mining tasks. If you don't have enough mining jobs in your base, consider setting up a quarry or designating areas of the map to dig out for no other purpose than skill training.

3. Equipment Upgrades: Tools That Boost Efficiency

Colonists mine faster with better tools and equipment. Here are the key upgrades you can prioritize to ensure maximum mining efficiency.

Drills and Better Weapons

Once you have researched Deep Drilling, you can build deep drills that speed up mining. These machines extract materials far faster than manual mining.
Equipping colonists with melee weapons like Pickaxes or Plasteel tools (via mods) will further improve mining speed.

Bionics

Consider upgrading your miners with Bionic Arms or Archotech Arms. These prosthetics increase manipulation, which directly translates to a faster work speed, including mining. Bionic arms boost manipulation by 125%, while Archotech arms give an impressive 150% boost.

Quality of Clothing

Certain types of clothing can reduce fatigue, allowing colonists to work for longer stretches without needing rest. Look for high-quality Power Armor or specialized modded mining suits that protect your colonists and increase their work speed.

4. Work Prioritization: Maximizing Time Spent Mining

Managing your colonists' work schedules and priorities can make a world of difference in how much mining gets done each day.

Manual Prioritization

Manually prioritize mining for your best miners by using RimWorld's work tab. Set mining to priority 1 for your top miners so they don’t waste time on less important tasks like hauling or cleaning.

Work Zones and Restrictions

Use work zones to restrict your miners to specific areas, ensuring they spend more time in the mines and less time walking across the map. You can create temporary zones that confine miners to a close vicinity to the mining areas, cutting down on travel time and improving overall efficiency.

5. Environmental Considerations: Impact of Terrain and Weather

The environment plays a crucial role in mining efficiency. Colonists mine different terrains at different rates, and the weather can impact their speed and mood.

Rock Types

Harder rock types like Granite take longer to mine than softer rocks like Limestone. Plan your construction or resource-gathering projects around these factors. Digging into soft stone areas will yield faster results.

Temperature Effects

If your miners are working in extreme temperatures, their speed may decrease due to penalties from heatstroke or hypothermia. Ensure they are well-equipped with temperature-appropriate clothing to maintain their productivity.

Lighting

Colonists work slower in the dark. Providing adequate lighting, either through torches, standing lamps, or modded mining lights, can help boost their mining speed. A well-lit mine can significantly increase work speed, especially in enclosed spaces where natural light doesn't reach.

6. Using Mods to Enhance Mining Speed

For those willing to modify their gameplay experience, several mods can enhance mining speed in RimWorld.

Mining Tool Mods

Mods like MiningCo. Mining Helmet or Pickaxe Mod introduce specialized mining equipment that boosts mining speed. These tools can give your colony the edge it needs in resource gathering.

Deep Storage Mods

Managing the materials after mining can be cumbersome. Using mods like Deep Storage Unit allows for more efficient material handling, reducing the time colonists spend hauling mined materials back to base.

Mining Mods

There are also mods that outright increase mining speed by tweaking game mechanics. Mods like Faster Mining or Mining Speed++ can make your colonists extract materials quicker than in the vanilla game, but be careful—such mods may imbalance gameplay.

7. Mood and Health: Keeping Miners in Top Shape

The mood and health of your miners directly influence their work speed.

Mood Buffs

Make sure your miners are happy. Give them decent living quarters, access to recreation, and good food to keep their mood high. A colonist in a good mood works faster and avoids mental breaks.

Health Optimization

If your miner suffers from injuries or illnesses, their manipulation and movement speed will be affected, thus lowering their mining speed. Use bionics or proper medical care to keep them in top condition. Ensuring they’re not suffering from things like muscle parasites or bad backs is crucial.

Conclusion: Maximize Mining Efficiency for Colony Success

In RimWorld, mining faster can mean the difference between a thriving colony and one that struggles to survive. By carefully selecting the right colonists, using advanced equipment, optimizing work schedules, and leveraging mods, you can significantly improve your mining operations. Keep your miners healthy and happy, and watch as they dig their way to victory.