Crystal Mine
The Crystal Mine extracts valuable crystalline minerals used for electronics and advanced technology.
Overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Production Building |
| Produces | Crystal |
| Requires | Energy |
| Prerequisites | None |
Description
Crystal is essential for electronic components, computer systems, and advanced ship technology. Crystal deposits are rarer than metal, making efficient extraction crucial for technological advancement.
Production
Crystal production is affected by both planet temperature and position in the solar system. These bonuses stack multiplicatively.
Base Formula
Production = 200 * Level * 1.1^Level * Temperature Modifier * Position Bonus * Universe Speed * Production Factor
Production Factor drops when your energy is negative.
Temperature Modifier
Temperature Modifier = (0.75 + 0.00321 * (MaxTemp + 130))
Crystal production increases linearly with temperature. Hotter planets produce more crystal.
| Temperature | Modifier |
|---|---|
| -130°C | 0.75x (minimum) |
| -40°C | 1.04x |
| 0°C | 1.17x |
| 65°C | 1.38x |
| 100°C | 1.49x |
| 150°C | 1.65x |
| 200°C | 1.81x |
| 260°C | 2.00x (maximum) |
Position Bonus
Planet position affects production based on typical temperature zones:
| Position | Bonus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.00x | Optimal - hot inner planet |
| 2 | 1.75x | |
| 3 | 1.50x | |
| 4 | 1.27x | |
| 5 | 1.23x | |
| 6 | 1.19x | |
| 7 | 1.16x | |
| 8 | 1.12x | |
| 9 | 1.09x | |
| 10 | 1.06x | |
| 11 | 1.02x | |
| 12 | 0.99x | |
| 13 | 0.86x | |
| 14 | 0.73x | |
| 15 | 0.75x | Cold outer planet |
Production Table
Base production at Level 10 (before modifiers): 5,190/hour
| Level | Base/Hour | At Optimal (4x) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 220 | 880 |
| 2 | 490 | 1,960 |
| 3 | 800 | 3,200 |
| 4 | 1,180 | 4,720 |
| 5 | 1,620 | 6,480 |
| 6 | 2,130 | 8,520 |
| 7 | 2,730 | 10,920 |
| 8 | 3,430 | 13,720 |
| 9 | 4,250 | 17,000 |
| 10 | 5,190 | 20,760 |
| 15 | 12,540 | 50,160 |
| 20 | 26,910 | 107,640 |
"At Optimal" assumes position 1 (2.00x) + temperature 260°C (2.00x) = 4.00x total
Construction Costs
Formula
Metal = 48 * 1.6^(Level - 1)
Crystal = 24 * 1.6^(Level - 1)
Cost Table
| Level | Metal | Crystal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48 | 24 |
| 2 | 77 | 38 |
| 3 | 123 | 61 |
| 4 | 196 | 98 |
| 5 | 314 | 157 |
| 10 | 3,225 | 1,612 |
| 15 | 33,111 | 16,555 |
| 20 | 339,939 | 169,969 |
Energy Consumption
Formula
Energy = 10 * Level * 1.1^Level
Same energy requirements as Metal Mine at equivalent levels.
Strategy
Optimal Planets
For maximum crystal production, look for:
- Position 1-3 - Best position bonuses (up to 2.00x)
- High temperature - Best temperature bonus (up to 2.00x)
- Combined optimal: up to 4.00x base production
Upgrade Priority
Crystal Mine is typically 2 levels below Metal Mine:
- Metal Mine: Level 15
- Crystal Mine: Level 13
Crystal Bottleneck
Mid-to-late game, crystal often becomes the limiting factor:
- Ships require significant crystal
- Research needs crystal
- Consider specializing planets for crystal on hot inner positions
Optimization Tips
- Hot planets - Build crystal colonies on inner positions (1-3)
- Research focus - Crystal drives technology
- Ship production - Major crystal consumer
- Trade options - Can trade metal for crystal
Comparison to Metal
| Aspect | Metal Mine | Crystal Mine |
|---|---|---|
| Base Production | 300 | 200 |
| Cost Growth | 1.5x | 1.6x |
| Best Temperature | 65°C (middle) | 260°C (hot) |
| Best Position | 9 (middle) | 1 (inner) |
Related Buildings
- Solar Plant - Provides energy
- Crystal Storage - Stores produced crystal
- Research Lab - Major crystal consumer