(0.5.4) Early automated mining machines based on ore produced from concentrated ore.
Preface
In the early game, a large quantity of ore is required for crafting machines and materials—especially once the Steam Age arrives, when massive steam-powered machinery demands copious amounts of bronze, driving up copper demand significantly. In GTNH, the Condenser has been significantly enhanced: producing a single mineral now consumes only 100 Magic Points. Consequently, after investing in magic lines to some extent, players can construct a Condenser Mine early on to meet their mineral needs.
Machine demonstration
Overall Machine Overview
As shown in Figure 1, the mining machine features a compact design measuring 14×5×11. It produces 9 raw ore per second and is equipped with eight multi-block chest containers for storage, capable of holding up to 294,912 ore units—enough to fill its storage in just nine hours, fully satisfying early mineral needs.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the main body of this mining machine can be divided into three modules: the stone production module, the ore conversion module, and the ore collection and storage module. The following sections will provide a detailed breakdown and explanation of each module.
Stone Production Module
The stone production module is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. It utilizes eight high‑pressure steam rock crushers to produce stones at a rate of exactly 9 blocks per second, powered by five high‑pressure steam solar boilers (a “Retired Solar Energy Reemployment Program” O.O). The Creative Tanks shown in the diagram are used for demonstration purposes only; when implementing this in a survival world, it’s recommended to use Super Cans paired with Wireless Fluid Transfer Covers. Of course, you can also opt for external piping for water supply—while external plumbing may not look as aesthetically pleasing, it’s generally more cost‑effective. In the top‑down view, the cupronickel pipes beneath the rock crushers are used to transport stones to the Super Cans (which serve solely as stone buffers; other storage blocks, such as drawers, are also viable options). The water‑laden bronze fluid pipes handle steam transport—be sure to enable the active transmission feature on your GTO pipelines. With that, the stone production module is fully assembled.
Ore Conversion Module
As shown in Figures 2 and 3 (repeated here for clarity), the Mineral Conversion Module’s recipe list is as follows: Piston ×9, Redstone Wire Pillar Relay Baseplate, Basic/Enchanted Spell Turrets ×2, Luminite Ore ×2, Magic Pool ×1 (the Eternal Magic Pool is used in the diagram for demonstration purposes), Redstone Repeater ×1, Wireless Redstone Repeater ×6 (Note: The Redstone Repeater from New Magic Arts is not translated as “Redstone Relay” in the emi mod). Also required are Hourglass ×1, Obsidian ×9, and any Half Brick ×9. The upper spell turret is configured as Touch → Place Block → Penetrate ×8; the lower spell turret is configured as Touch → Gravity → Penetrate ×8. The operating principle is as follows: When the Hourglass emits a Redstone pulse, it first activates both spell turrets via the wireless Redstone repeater on the right—allowing the upper spell turret to place blocks, while the lower spell turret converts ore into drop items. Simultaneously, after being delayed by the Redstone Repeater, the Redstone pulse is transmitted through the wireless Redstone repeater on the left, activating the piston above to eject the mineral. This cycle repeats continuously, achieving mineral conversion. The relay at the front bottom is connected to the two relays adjacent to the Hourglass, enabling the miner’s power on/off functionality by supplying a Redstone signal to this relay.
Mineral Collection Storage Module
As shown in Figure 3, mineral drops can be collected into a backpack via Funnel Flowers and then transported via pipelines to Multi-Block Chests for storage. However, since the Funnel Flowers’ collection radius far exceeds that of the mining machines—(Note: If there are other item drops near the mining machines, such as Magic Steel Conversion or Magic Stone Slab Charging, we strongly recommend equipping your backpack with Filter Upgrades and adding these items to the blacklist! Back then, when I was charging a Terra Pickaxe nearby, the Funnel Flowers simply picked it up—and I actually thought it had disappeared O.O)—the Multi-Block Chests are accessed through Storage Platforms, which happen to allow a single Book Dragon to access up to eight chests.
Conclusion
As this is my first time working with the GregTech modpack and my first attempt at writing a tutorial, I welcome any feedback or suggestions for improvement. Additionally, Flame Ore can also be processed in the Overworld; each ore block only requires 160 Magic Power to produce. Therefore, by using just the Mineral Conversion Module and the Mineral Collection & Storage Module—and supplementing with an external source of Nether Rock (a Magic Power Infusion Machine is highly recommended—you can create variations of this mining machine capable of processing other minerals. I hope this guide proves helpful for your gameplay experience.