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v0.31:The Non-Dwarf's Guide to Rock

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This article is about an older version of DF.


Wondering what that new kind of rock your dwarves just struck is good for? Possibly nothing, but when you're just getting started it can be tough to tell the trash from the treasure. The following table summarizes the types of stone and ore found in Dwarf Fortress; it does not include Template:Ls.

The Uses column lists any special uses or properties of this particular stone type; if no uses are listed, you can always use the stone for general construction and crafting. Note that many "low-value" materials are still very useful in a Dwarf Fortress. "Colors" are useful for color coding or creative aesthetic uses.

For more detailed and expanded information, see the Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, and Template:L pages, or the article on any particular stone, metal or ore.

During the game, you can press z and then navigate to "stone". The list there covers all types of rocks and ores, and tells you what rocks can be smelted into.

Table of Rocks

(Some materials are worth an additional comment; these are numbered, with footnotes below the table.)

Name Type Uses Appearance*
Template:L special ore1 Becomes Template:L1, by far the most valuable substance £ *
Template:L stone Low-value stone; used for making Template:L ^
Template:L high-value ore Smelt into Template:L, a high-value decorative Template:L ^ *
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone `
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone v
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone #
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone; only source of some high-value gems +
Template:L rare ore Ingredient of Template:L % *
Template:L stone Smelt into Template:L, flammable
Template:L stone Low-value stone `
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L stone Template:L, mid-value Template:L stone "
Template:L uncommon ore Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal; ingredient of Template:Ls; Template:L £ *
Template:L Template:L stone Template:L, mid-value stone
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone =
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone =
Template:L stone Low-value stone £ *
Template:L layer stone Low-value stone ,
Template:L stone Low-value stone £ *
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L low-value ore Smelt into useful Template:L; ingredient of Template:Ls; £ *
Template:L stone Low-value stone -
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone .
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L Template:L stone Template:L, mid-value Template:L stone `
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone; only source of some Template:Ls & Template:Ls
Template:L ore Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal, with a 50% chance2 for Template:L; Template:L £ *
Template:L uncommon ore Smelt into Template:L, a low-value Template:L metal £ *
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone =
Template:L ore Smelt into Template:L, a high-value Template:L £ *
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone; only source of some ores; relatively rich in content
Template:L stone Flammable o
Template:L stone Low-value stone; used for making Template:L #
Template:L ore Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L; Template:L £ *
Template:L ore Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal £ *
Template:L stone Low-value stone "
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone .
Template:L3 stone/water3 Frozen Water
Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone =
Template:L stone Low-value stone; only source of Template:Ls %
Template:L stone Smelt into Template:L, flammable *
Template:L Template:L stone Template:L, mid-value stone
Template:L high-value ore Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L £ *
Template:L high-value ore Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal; ingredient for Template:L; Template:L ~ *
Template:L low-value ore Smelt into useful Template:L; ingredient of Template:Ls; £ *
Template:L Template:L stone Template:L, mid-value stone
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone v
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L Template:L stone High-value Template:L stone; used to create stone Template:Ls;
signifies nearby Template:L if not a layer
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone; may contain Template:L %
Template:L stone Low-value stone -
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone %
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone ,
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone %
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone -
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone *
Template:L high-value ore Smelt into Template:L, a highest-value decorative Template:L £ *
Template:L stone Low-value stone Θ
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone -
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone ,
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone #
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone `
Template:L stone Low-value stone x
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone #
Template:L stone Low-value stone; used for making Template:L -
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone `
Template:L stone Low-value stone; used for making Template:L ;
Template:L stone Low-value stone
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone .
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L ore Smelt into Template:L, a mid-value metal £ *
Template:L special stone Not workable by dwarves *
Template:L Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L uncommon ore Smelt into Template:L, a low-value metal; ingredient for Template:L £ *
Template:L stone Low-value stone %
Template:L stone Low-value stone =
Template:L stone Low-value Template:L stone |
Template:L low-value ore Smelt into useful Template:L; ingredient of Template:Ls;
has a 20% additional chance2 of Template:L; smelt into Template:L
£ *
(* Each stone is one of 16 Template:L in the game. Different un-mined stone of the same color have a different symbol to distinguish between them. Once mined, the individual stones themselves can sometimes look identical if the color is the same. Use k to look at items or the terrain for specific information.)

Notes:

  1. Adamantine is not exactly like other metals, although it works almost the same. It has a value multiplier of x300 (yes, three hundred). See Template:L for a full discussion of this unusual and wondrous material.
  2. % chance for additional metals: when Template:L and Template:L are smelted, they produce (respectively) one lead or one copper bar, 100% of the time. They occasionally produce a second, additional bar of the second metal, with the percent chance as listed above.
  3. Ice has some very unusual properties in Dwarf Fortress, and can be disastrous if misused. See article on Template:L for a more complete discussion.

The Value of Rocks & Metals

You won't find the terms "low-value" or "highest-value" used in the game, but they're handy here for rough comparison. "Template:Ls" are all relative to each other, on a common scale. The "material value" number multiplies any final product that is created with that material by that number. An average generic statue (base value 25) is worth much more than an average generic throne (base value 10), but a throne carved from raw Template:L (10 x 30 = 300) will be worth far more than a common-stone statue (25 x 1 = 25). (Note - "Template:L" also factors in to total value of a final product, as do some other considerations, but those are outside the scope of this intro article). Bottom line - when in doubt, go for the more valuable stuff.

Common stones (the vast majority) have a value multiplier of x1, mid-value (all Template:L stones like marble) are x2, and high-value (Template:L only) is x3. This affects things like stone tables and doors, statues or stonecrafts - anything made from stone. Metal Template:Ls have varying values, from 2-40, and can either be treated as stone or smelted into bars of metal.

For metals, low-value (like copper or nickel) is x2. Mid-value (silver or iron) is around x10, high-value (gold, steel) is x30, and highest-value (platinum, aluminum) is x40.
Note that the raw mined ore and the smelted pure metal often have different value multipliers, but not always. Template:Ls like brass or bronze are often more valuable than the sum of their pure metal ingredients, and have a true spectrum of values between 3-23. (Alloy values are not listed in this article.)

Any metal can be crafted into decorations, furniture or buildings, but only copper, bronzes, iron and steel can make weapons, armour and picks.

(For comparison, all Template:L has a value of x1, equal to common stone.)


See also: