Which is more important when seeking ore veins, trace levels or terrain?

[ToothedMammal]

I found a spot on the map that measures Very High for Native Copper, but it's on the coastline which makes mining there a huge pain, I've dug like 11 holes downward prospecting for a vein and found nothing, it is immensely frustrating.

Am I having bad luck, or is it harder to find Ore in lower elevation/flat areas compared to mountainous areas? My map is pretty hilly so most of my previous pre finds have been in mountains.

[Zane Mordien]

Native copper and a v high reading and nothing in 11 bore holes? Something is wrong. Are you using the node search mode of the prospecting pick? If you did node searches as you bore down you have to find something at very high. 

 

Flat vs mountain makes no difference except the ore vein will match the upheaval of the terrain above the vein. Meaning it will go up and down the same as the surface. 

Edited March 6, 2025 by Zane Mordien

[ToothedMammal]

I am using the node search mode, and I'm prospecting frequently as I head down. I started with spiral staircase holes but then switched to using water elevators to try and save my last pickaxe.

I haven't counted how deep my bore holes are but I'm consistently getting low enough that my temporal stability gear starts spinning backwards.

[Maelstrom]

Be sure to dig way, WAY down.  Even if your stability is dropping like a rock with concrete shoes.  I have an area that has ultra high sphalerite but also has lots of copper that is slightly unstable on the surface.  By the time I get to the zinc and copper the gear is spinning half as fast as when standing in a rift.

[Steel General]

If your sea level is default (110), then from that layer you'll have to dig 44 blocks down before copper has a chance to appear.

Stability varies like an invisible landscape, spinning your wheel faster the further you are from its invisible surface. In some places that invisible surface can be deep underground, allowing easy exploration to the depths, and in some places that invisible surface is well above the ground level, making the ground-level an unsafe place to stay - it's not a reliable depth gauge.

[ToothedMammal]

Ooookay that makes sense, I wasn't going down deep enough. I'll return to my old bore holes and keep digging, see if I find something.

[Zane Mordien]

2 hours ago, ToothedMammal said:

Ooookay that makes sense, I wasn't going down deep enough. I'll return to my old bore holes and keep digging, see if I find something.

That makes sense now. I was wondering how you were not just stumbling into the copper vein at very high readings. Using ladders is way easier than stair cases. Just go straight down putting a ladder every other block.

[ToothedMammal]

On 3/6/2025 at 10:19 AM, Zane Mordien said:

Just go straight down putting a ladder every other block.

LADDERS CAN WORK EVERY OTHER BLOCK?

That saves me so many ladders holy moly