Hi. I'm Vettlingr, you may know me from Vettlignr tileset or that other Domestic Dwarven creature mod.
I am also a geologist, and have a stark interest for rocks and other hard, rough, angular things.
Recently I have thought about how to add more authenticity and diversity to dwarf fortress portrayal of Geology.
If you haven't already, I suggest you try out the 3dveins plugin in DFhack, as it fixes the static geology as it is now.
With but editing the raws, I have set forth on representing aspects of geology not yet implemented in dwarf fortress.
It comes to no surprise that real geology is a lot more complicated than what DF is able to portray. In return, very few games really make an effort to portray geology in a realistic sense anyway, partly because only parts of geology is systematic, whereas minerals and ore get very complicated. The groundwork certainly is there, but DF geolgy miss a lot of features that makes it fall behind a lot.
Issues with DF geology:
- No geology cross z-planes, partly fixed with DFhack 3dveins
- No dikes <-- This one is huge t. Icelander
- No sills
- No differentiation between metamorphic layers
- Igneous intrusive are not intrusive, just the lowest king of rocks, which should be High-P High-T granulites/eclogites
- No metamorphic Iron
- Hydrothermal deposits, the main source of most ores, is totally absent.
Geology only goes through x-y dimensions, and large clusters appears as standarly sized globs in each unit on the map. A system like this does not allow for dikes of any kind. Dikes are very important, as most sulfide deposits, but also some iron ocide and secondary deposits depends on them, and sills, to form. Dikes are often mafic in nature, which means they oversaturate their surroundings with Magnesium, while absorbing a lot of silica, allowing for oxides to form. Contact metamorphism is also dependant on dikes.
Metamorphic layers, always have different grades. Greenschist- amphibolite - granulite is the most common series, which corresponding minerals if the original rock is a metapelite or mafic.
Metapelite - Metamorphic rock derived from sedimentary rocks (or sometimes felsic igneous intrusive rocks)
Metabasic - Metamorphic rock derived from mafic or ultramafic rocks
I've made a long mineral list of different ores, and where they are found:
Geology:
Hydrothermal deposits
Metasomatic Deposits
Eclogites
Sills and Dikes?
Migmatites?
Igneous: Inrusive
Pegmatites
- Tin, Tungsten, Bismuth
- Sapphire, Tourmaline, Topaz
Norite
- Nickel, Titanium, Platinum
Eclogite
- Diamonds, Almandine, Pyrope
Komatiite
- Nickel, Copper, Gold
Dunite
- Chromium, Nickel, Platinum
- Peridot
- Chrysotile (Asbestos)
Red Granite - Granite?
- Crocidolite (Asbestos), Greisen:Tin, Tungsten, Gold
White Granite - Granodiorite?
- Greisen: Tin, Tungsten, Gold
Extrusive:
Phonolite
- Contains nothing.
Sedimentary
Breccia
- Copper, Zinc, Lead
Argonite
- Cerussite, Siderite, Gypsum
Jaspilite
- Banded Iron, source of layer Iron ore.
Metamorphic:
Soapstone
- Iron, Magnesium.
Serpentinite
- Asbestos, Nickel, Chromium, Magnetite.
Iron:
Hematite (Ironglance) Sed, High redox
Ferroroseite (Roseiron) K-feldspar, quartz, Muscovite
Ochrite (Ironochre) Clay
Sanguinite (Bloodiron) Chalk
Renite (Kidney Ore) Calcerous deep Hematite
Specularite (Glimmeriron) Metasomatic, Chert/Jaspilite, Quartzite?
Magnetite (Lodestone) Sed, banded iron, beach sediments, metapelites, Calcerous sed and marble, Mafic rocks
Martite Weathered Metapelites, Chert, Jaspilite, Serpentinite?
Mushketovite Weathered Metapelites, gneiss
Siderite (Iron Spar) Sed; Clays, Shale, Coal, Metapelites, hydrothermal, Pegmatites, syenites.
Goethite (Needleiron) Sed, soil
Bog Iron Soil
Maghemite (Banded Iron) Sed, metapelites
Jacobsite (Ironmanganglance) Contact, hydrothermal, with manganeese
Vivianit Metasomatic, Hydrous
Copper:
Native Copper sed, basalt
Malachite (Copperspar) Carbonates, quartzite?, Arid, evaporites?
Tetrahedrite (Copperblack) hydrothermal, contact
Azurite (Copperblue) Carbonates, quartzite?, Arid, evaporites?
Calcocite (Copperglance) hydrothermal, contact
Chalcopyrite (Copperkies) hydrothermal, contact
Bornite (Peacock Ore) hydrothermal, contact
Silver
Native Silver
Chlorargyrite (Horn Silver) hydrothermal, carbonate, with cerrusite/malachite
Tetrahedrite hydrothermal, contact
Galena hydrothermal, contact
Achantite/Argentite (Silverglance) hydrothermal, contact
Gold
Native Gold Sed, riversed, lakesed
Sylvanite (Sylvan Ore) low temp hydrothermal
Nickel
Garnierite/Neupite (Nickelgreen) New Caledonia, associated Lizardite
Nickeline (Nickeline) Hydrothermal, Arsenide, Calcerous
Millerite (Nickelkies) Sulfide, calcite, quartz, evapories, Hydrothermal
Tin
Cassiterite (Tinstone) Pegmatite, Granite, Porphyry quartz, intr veins throug sed
Stannite (Tinkies) Granite, porphyry quartz.
Lead
Galena (Leadglance) All
Cerussite (White Lead Ore) Sandstone, Arid, evaporites?
Zinc
Sphalerite (Zincblende) Hydrothermal, Carbonates
Schalenblende Evaporite
Wurtzite (Zincglance) Sedimentary
Zincite (Red Zinc Ore) Marble.
Smithsonite (Zincspar) Carbonates, Sedimentary
Other Metals
Vanadium
- Vanadinite Galena
- Cavansite igneous extrusive
Thorium
- Thorianite igneous, pegmatite
- Thorite igneous extrusive
Tungsten
- Wolframite Granitic Pegmatites, alluvial, eluvial, hydrothermal
Sulphur (For later Gunpoweder Mod)
Brimstone Ingneous Extrusive, Gypsum
Orpiment Ingneous Extrusive
Realgar Ingneous Extrusive
Marcasite Kaolinite
Pyrite Hydrothermal, greenschist, Serpentinite
Other:
Cinnabar Igneous Extrusive, Shale, Quartzite.
Cobaltite (Cobaltglance) Igneous_All, Metamorphic
Bismuthinite (Bismuthglance) Granite
Stibnite (antimonglance) Igneous Extrusive
Ilmenite (Titanstone) Gabbro
Rutile (Titanglance) Metamorph, granite
Chromite (Chromeglance) Olivine
Pyrolusite (Manganglance) Igneous_ALL, Hydrothermal, In sedimentary Deep sea.
Coal:
Lignite Sedimentary
Jet Sedimentary
Bituminous Sedimentary
Anthracite Metapelitic
With all this info, which took a lot of reading and looking up, I intend to finally compose and release a geology overhaul mod. Though for proper geology to work, we would need a very complicated DFhack command for generating geology, or a complete rework by toady if he is ever up for it. A university would pay big money though for a 3d simulator of geology that can generate and predict ore minerals though, so there is lot of incentive ;)
If you got any of that, I am guessing most of you ain't so interested in geology, but rather would like to see what I can come up with.
Most scientific names of geology makes it hard to know what type of rock is being refered to, that is why I have added some traditional names to the ores, to make them a little more clear, see spoilers.
Also, I never knew that learning german in school would have been so useful when looking up information and articles on ore and minerals until now. Auf wiedersehn!
In the last 5 days, I've skimmed through tens of articles, books and mineralogy websites to get a better grip on Ore Genesis.
Previous DF threads about new geology:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=82309.0 - Informative about DFs shortcomings regarding Sedimentary Layers.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=147428.0 - Fun Stone and Mineral Expansion mod, though misguided.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=139640.0 - Proposal by Urist McUser to expand DF geological simulation.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=143206.0 - Masterwork addon for Minerals and Rocks, misguided, though very well made.
Soil 60% Done
Soil layers stay much the same, though non-pottery clay has been renamed to "mud", to lessen confusion.
Some ore such as Lignite and Bog Iron can be found as small clusters in most soils and as veins in peat, as well as Mangan Nodules in Ocean Sediments.
Clay will appear as large Clusters in soil, rather than whole layers, and most embarks will probably have clay as a result. Further more, Laterite/Bauxite Clusters in soil may be a way to add certain oxide ore in soil. Gypsum Clusters in sand, is another way to find carbonate ore in soil layers.
Soil
Loam ░. ≈
Gravel ▒. ≈
Peat ░. ≈
Till ░. ≈
Sandy loam ░. ≈
Silt ▓. ≈
Mud ░. ≈
Silt loam ▒. ≈
Silty mud
Muddy loam
Sandy mud loam
Sandy mud
Tephra - New, Volcanic Ash.
Ocean Floor Tile
Pelagic mud ░. ≈
Siliceous ooze ▒. ≈
Calcareous ooze ▒. ≈
Sand Tile
Sand (tan) ░≈ ≈
sand (black) ▓≈ ≈
sand (red) ░≈ ≈
sand (white) ▓≈ ≈
sand (yellow) ▓≈ ≈
Clay Tile
Clay ▓. -> Terracotta - Earthenware
Clay loam ▒. -> Ochre Clay - Earthenware
Sandy clay ▒. -> Yellow Clay - Earthenware
Silty clay ▓. -> Dark Clay - Earthenware
Ball Clay - Earthenware
Fire clay ▓. - Stoneware
Flint clay ▓. - Stoneware
Clinker clay - Stoneware
Layer Stone
The aim here is to provide a few new geodomes for minerals to appear in, that are each part of a mineralogical family.
If to rocks are essentially very similar in composition and what it contains, they should generally be regarded as the same, ex. Norite & Gabbro or Thoelite and Basalt.
Large Clusters in Layer stone
To add reaction environments such as skarns, weathering, gossam, intrusions etc. the following are hypothetical inclusions in layer stone.
not all of the minerals shown will make the final cut, but I've included them to create a scope of possible outcomes.
Cluster
Hornfels (Hornfels) large clusters only in Metamorphic, - Contains Hydrothermal Ore
Microcline (Tealspar) large clusters only in pegmatite, Granite - Bone Ceramics to Porcelain
Orthoclase (Feldspar) large clusters only in pegmatite, Granite - Bone Ceramics to Porcelain
Mica large clusters only in pegmatite and schist - Aquamarine, schorl, spessartine, smoky quartz
Obsidian large clusters only in igneous extrusive - Sharp Blades
Halloysite large clusters only in igneous extrusive - Porcelain
Flourite large clusters only in marble and Serpentinite - Flux, Humite, Hydrothermal Ore
Skarn large clusters only in metamorphic - Iron, Copper, Gold, Silver, Sulfides
Gague large clusters only in metamorphic - Lead, Zinc, Tin Sulfides
Anorthocite (Plagioclase) large clusters only in Gabbro, Diorite, Norite - Corundum, Ilmenite
Eclogite large clusters only in igneous intrusive - Diamonds, Almandine, Pyrope, Rutile
Amphibolite large clusters only in Granite, Diorite - Garnet, Gold, valuable stone.
Blueschist large CLusters only in metapelites - Garnet, Rutile, Amosite Asbestos.
Pyroxenite large CLusters only in gabbro, norite - Magnetite, Ilmenite and Chromite layers.
Olivine large clusters only in Dunite - Valuable stone, Platinum, Chromite
Carbonatite large clusters only in igneous intrusive - Flux, Thorium, Vanadium, Copper, Siderite
Komatiite large clusters only in igneous all - Nickel, Copper, Gold
Dolerite large clusters in all stone - Magnetite veins
Spilite large clusters only in igneous extrusive - Basaltic rock weathered by seawater, Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cinnabar?
Bauxite Large clusters in sediments - iron ore and kaolinite
Laterite Large Clusters in sediments, soil? - most ore
Kaolinite Large clusters in sediments - chalcopyrite, siderite
Flint Large clusters in carbonate sediments - Sharp blades, found in Carbonates
Gypsum Large clusters in sediments, sand? - Plaster, light rock. Sulfate ore.
Gossam Large clusters in soil - Sulfate ore, higher oxides.
Visual:
Orbiculite (orbicular granite) Large clusters only in Granite, Diorite - Valuable Stone
Non ore veins
Calcite veins in all rocks
Quartz veins in all rocks
Minerals and ore:
I've Dug about the Mineral books to find nearly all commersial ores that are used today, and added a small note to each one where to find them.
Most common environments are still skarns and sulfide enrichment zones. It will be a challenge to incorporate it all into a working system in DF, and some of the minerals will probably not make the cut, to reduce bloat. Most of all, the list is a guide to which environment I should focus on, i.e. Carbonate skarns/gauge, laterite, hydrothermal deposits, Porphyry deposits, ultra mafic enrichment environments, evaporites and so on.
Iron:
Hematite (Ironglance) Sed, High redox, laterite
Ferroroseite (Roseiron) K-feldspar, quartz, Muscovite
Ochrite (Ironochre) Clay
Sanguinite (Bloodiron) Chalk
Renite (Kidney Ore) Calcerous deep Hematite
Specularite (Glimmeriron) Metasomatic, Chert/Jaspilite, Quartzite?
Magnetite (Lodestone) Sed, banded iron, beach sediments, metapelites, Calcerous sed and marble, Mafic rocks
Martite Weathered Metapelites, Chert, Jaspilite, Serpentinite?
Mushketovite Weathered Metapelites, gneiss
Siderite (Iron Spar) Sed; Clays, Shale, Coal, Metapelites, hydrothermal, Pegmatites, syenites.
Goethite (Needleiron) Sed, soil, Laterite
Bog Iron Soil, Peat
Maghemite (Banded Iron) Sed, metapelites
Jacobsite (Ironmanganglance) Contact, hydrothermal, with manganeese
Vivianit Metasomatic, Hydrous
Pyrrothite (Ironkies) Igneous_ALL, low grade.
Telluric Iron (Native Iron) Igneous Extrusive, Ultramafic. Basalt, Trachyte
Copper:
Native Copper sed, basalt
Malachite (Copperspar) Carbonates, quartzite?, Arid, evaporites?
Tetrahedrite (Copperblack) hydrothermal, contact
Azurite (Copperblue) Carbonates, quartzite?, Arid, evaporites?
Calcocite (Copperglance) hydrothermal, contact
Chalcopyrite (Copperkies) hydrothermal, contact
Bornite (Peacock Ore) hydrothermal, contact
Silver
Native Silver Gneiss, Granite, Shale.
Chlorargyrite (Horn Silver) hydrothermal, carbonate, with cerrusite/malachite
Tetrahedrite (Fahlerz) hydrothermal, contact
Galena (Leadglance) hydrothermal, contact
Achantite/Argentite (Silverglance) hydrothermal, contact, Shale
Gold
Native Gold Sed, riversed, lakesed, Pegmatite, granite
Sylvanite (Sylvan Ore) low temp hydrothermal
Nickel
Garnierite/Neupite (Nickelgreen) New Caledonia, associated Lizardite, Laterites, Serpentinites
Nickeline (Nickeline) Hydrothermal, Arsenide, Calcerous, Carbonate
Millerite (Nickelkies) Sulfide, calcite, quartz, evapories, Hydrothermal
Tin
Cassiterite (Tinstone) Pegmatite, Granite, Porphyry quartz, intr veins throug sed
Stannite (Tinkies) Granite, porphyry quartz.
Lead
Galena (Leadglance) All
Cerussite (White Lead Ore) Sandstone, Arid, evaporites?
Anglesite (Lead Vitrriol) Upper lead deposits, oxidized zone
Zinc
Sphalerite (Zincblende) Hydrothermal, Carbonates
Schalenblende Evaporite
Wurtzite (Zincglance) Sedimentary
Zincite (Red Zinc Ore) Marble.
Smithsonite (Zincspar) Carbonates, Sedimentary
Aluminium
Native Aluminium Oxygenabsorbing rocks such as Igneous extrusive.
Bauxite Laterites
Other Metals
Vanadium
- Vanadinite Galena
- Cavansite igneous extrusive
Thorium
- Thorianite igneous, pegmatite
- Thorite igneous extrusive
Tungsten
- Wolframite Granitic Pegmatites, alluvial, eluvial, hydrothermal
- Scheelite Hornfels
Sulphur (For later Gunpoweder Mod)
Brimstone Ingneous Extrusive, Gypsum
Orpiment Ingneous Extrusive
Realgar Ingneous Extrusive
Marcasite Kaolinite
Pyrite Hydrothermal, greenschist, Serpentinite
Other:
Cinnabar Igneous Extrusive, Shale, Quartzite.
Cobaltite (Cobaltglance) Igneous_All, Hight temp, Metamorphic
Skrutterudite (Cobaltblende)
Bismuthinite (Bismuthglance) Granite
Stibnite (antimonglance) Igneous Extrusive
Ilmenite (Titanstone) Gabbro
Rutile (Titanglance) Metamorph, granite
Chromite (Chromeglance) Olivine
Pyrolusite (Manganglance) Igneous_ALL, Hydrothermal, In sedimentary Deep sea.
Coal:
Lignite (Brown Coal) Sedimentary
Jet (Pitch Coal) Sedimentary
Bituminous (Black Coal) Sedimentary
Anthracite (Stone Coal) Metapelitic
Metals
I removed most of the Alloys to make room for more metals. Some metals are beyond Medieval technology and some hvae fantasy names, but are based on real alloys/superalloys. Only Vanadine and Thorium have unrealistic fantasy values, with real vanadium being super hard but brittle, and thorium being a very terrible radioactive metal.
The alloys build on the steel industry mostly, reducing the ammount of steps for normal steel, but adds a few steps for higher grade steel, with thematic rather than realistic names, i.e. Rune Steel and Mithril.
Metals
Pure Elements:
Copper
Iron
Tin
Lead
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Aluminium - Maybe Remove, is very rare.
Bismuth - Maybe remove? used only in small quantities in some pewter/bronze alloys
New:
Antimony - Used for Pewter
Titanium - Armor grade, light, hard
Chromium - Used for Mithril
Vanadine - Used for Vanadine
Thorium - Used for Thorium
Mangan - Used for Mirror Iron
Molybdenum - Used for Mirror Iron
Cobalt - Used for Mithril
Tungsten - Used for heavy stuff, very magma safe
Alloys:
Weapon Grade
Mithril - 2 Cobalt, 1 Chromium, 1 Rune Steel, 1 Flux, 1 Fuel
Rune Steel - 2 Steel, 1 Mirror Iron, 1 Flux, 1 Fuel
Steel - 2 Iron, 1 Flux, 1 Fuel
Bronze - 1 Copper, 1 Tin
Monel (Cupronickel) 1 Copper, 1 Nickel
Special "Divine" Metal
Vanadine - Vanadium Ore + Bronze + Monel + Soap
Thorium - Thorium Ore + 2 Rune Steel + Raw Clear Glass
Cosmetic/Reagent
Mirror Iron - 2 Iron, Mangan/Molybdenum/Cobalt/Chrome, 1 Flux
Billon - 1 Silver, 1 Copper
Electrum - 1 Gold, 1 Silver
Rose Gold - 1 Gold, 1 Copper
Brass - 1 Copper, 1 Zinc
Pewter - 1 Tin, 1 Antimony
- 1 Tin, 1 Bismuth
- 1 Tin, 1 Lead
- 1 Lead, 1 Antimony
- 1 Lead, 1 Busmuth
Amalgam - 1 gold, 1 Cinnabar = 5 Amalgam bars
- 1 silver, 1 Cinnabar = 5 Amalgam bars
Removed:
Sterling SIlver
Bismuth Bronze
Black Bronze
Pig Iron
Nickel SIlver
Workshops
To incorporate all the minerals, alloys and metal, and reduce smelter reaction bloat, I'm going to add the following workshops.
Workshops:
Alchemist's Vat
- Make Bone Porcelain from Bone Ash + Clay
- Make Lead Crystals for crystal glass
- Make Amalgam
- Make Pewter
Metalurgist's Crucible
- Make Mithril
- Make Rune Steel
- Make Steel
- Make Mirror Iron
- Make Bronze
- Make Brass
- Make Monel
- Make Billon
- Make Electrum
- Make Rose Gold
Infernal Forge
- Make Adamantine
- Make Thorium
- Make Vanadine
New Reactions for existing workshops:
Wood Furnace
- Make Bone Ash
- Extract Coke from Lignite
- Extract Coke from Jet
- Extract Coke from Bituminous Coal
- Extract Coke from Anthracite
Planned:Gunsmaker's Booth, bowery?
Screenshots of mineral biomes:
Ultramafic Igneous Intrusive is very green since they contain large quantities of Mg-Olivine
Here you can find Iron, Nickel, Platinum and Chromium
(https://i.postimg.cc/MpxPnx50/Skjermbilde-2021-08-28-kl-14-05-45.png)
Next up is Felsic Igneous intrusive, mostly consisting of quartz rich rocks such as granite, syenite and pegmatite
Here you find your tin, tungsten and cobalt
(https://i.postimg.cc/zB9p813g/Skjermbilde-2021-08-28-kl-14-06-59.png)
Metamorphic Amphibolite is rich in garnet and certain minerals, shown below are Manganspar (Rhodochrosite) cutting through a low temperature hydrothermal Tetrahedrite deposit
(https://i.postimg.cc/HLvBvMg3/Skjermbilde-2021-08-28-kl-14-09-19.png)
The following two images show ultra high pressure eclogite facies
This is where you find Titanium and sometimes diamonds. Kimberlite xenolith veins cut through the second picture.
(https://i.postimg.cc/k4Vw05MC/Skjermbilde-2021-08-28-kl-14-15-50.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/qvLmnYDP/Skjermbilde-2021-08-28-kl-16-36-53.png)