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Mining Empire Earth Resources

 
Mining Empire: Earth Resources - Available Now!Oct 25, 2019 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/33980807/ca97ed234015a67a1e42acfa783e93e1f9449dd1.png We're glad to announce the release date of our game Mining Empire: Earth Resources! This mining simulator will be available on Steam this Friday. Thank you all for waiting! We promise that it wasn't the vain expectation and you really enjoy the game. And now let's remind you the main aspects of our game: Money literally lies beneath our feet, but only few are willing to make an effort to get it. You are one of those enthusiasts who are not afraid of hard work and possible risks. Run a big corporation whose task is to extract minerals to build a lunar station! Remember that here you are to take many aspects into account! Think about licenses to make your mining legal. Follow the statistics of extracted resources and take care of your reputation. If you'll find any bugs or issues, let us know, so we can do our best to fix them as soon as possible. And, of course, don't forget to write a review! Sneak Peek #23 - Oil products refining stagesJun 14, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/0738da63f3982e80823d557502cfb803819084fa.png Refining of oil products is a very complex process. After being delivered to the refineries, they go through several stages before turning into ready-to-use products. primary distillation preparation; primary oil refining (production of oil distillation products); oil and gas recycling (oil distillation product quality improvement); oil products received refining. _______________________________________________________________ Primary distillation preparation The oil wells products, extracted during drilling, contain impurities, which include water, salt, clay, soil particles, sand and APG (associated petroleum gas). The longer a mine is exploited, the more water and other impurities does the extracted raw material includes. To avoid this, raw materials are subjected to the complex processing of oil and gas (purification) process, mechanical in the first stage, and after that - fine. In addition, mining products are split in oil and gas separators at the preparatory stage. In order to increase the efficiency of further processing, the crude oil is dehydrated and desalted using special electrical desalting plants. Primary oil refining The purpose of primary refining is the split of oil and gases into separate hydrocarbon fractions. Such distillation allows to obtain a whole range of oil products and semi-finished products. The product of the crude oil distillation is called straight-run. This process is based on the difference in boiling points of various hydrocarbons groups. As a result, crude oil is divided into various light and dark fractions, which are straight-run oil products. Oil recycling Secondary refining is a thermal and catalytic effect on a straight-run oil refining product, which changes the hydrocarbons nature, contained in it. The main technologies of oil refining: Fuel. With the help of this technology, various highest-quality fuels are received; Fuel and lube. With this technology it is possible to get not only fuel, but also lubricating oils and, asphalt; Petrochemical. The technology that includes the greatest variety of end products: fuels, oils, synthetic rubber, detergents, alcohol and many other chemicals. Purification of the resulting oil products Removal of undesirable components (distillates and residues from the oil distillation) that adversely affect the performance properties of fuels and oils from the oil products. Such components include sulfur and nitrogen compounds, asphalt-resinous substances, etc.Sneak Peek #22 - Exposing of organic and biological materials in open space.Jun 7, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/25d0ca66c51dc05b7210ea1a4fbb0ef220f8abaa.jpg The EXPOSE-R is an European Space Agency experiment that was held on the outside of the Russian ISS segment for the 22 months. Its main aim was undertaking exobiological studies on the effects of the space environment (ultraviolet radiation, vacuum and ionizing radiation) on organic and biological materials. This would allow to explore the likelihood and limitations of the spread of life beyond the Earth on other planets in the Solar System, as well as provide a better understanding of the processes governing the interaction of life with the environment on Earth. During the experiment, the selective effect of hard cosmic ultraviolet radiation (with a wavelength of 200 nm) on the resting forms of various biological objects was first established. Spores of microorganisms, seeds of higher plants, dry crustacean embryos that survived in the absence of ultraviolet, exhibited in outer space, died influenced by it, but the spores of microscopic fungi (Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus versicolor) and the mosquito larvae (Polypedilum vanderplankii) partially maintained their vitality under these conditions.Sneak Peek #21 - Tardigrade: radiation resistance secretMay 31, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/203c29be8883ba45da045d5ada75ff5b03b8e18d.png In 2007, a little-known creature called the Tardigrade became the first terrestrial organism that survived in open space. This research was conducted aboard the Foton-M3 satellite, the launch of which was sponsored by the European Space Agency. The purpose of the experiment was to find out how terrestrial organisms endure the extreme conditions of cosmic radiation at the molecular level. The result exceeded all expectations: the Tardigrade endured the short-term effects of extremely low temperatures, cosmic radiation and an almost complete vacuum. Tardigrades (lat. Tardigrada) are widespread throughout the Earth, they could be found in the sea, freshwater ponds and on land. Their body is less than 1 mm long and they look like bears, although biologically they are very primitive organisms. Over millions of years of evolution, the Tardigrades have learned to hibernate in adverse conditions, when almost all the functions of their vital activity are suspended. This condition is called cryptobiosis. It is believed that this ability allows Tardigrades to survive in outer space. X-ray resistance is a side effect of the Tardigrades adaptation to dehydration. According to scientists, severe dehydration causes damage to living organisms at the molecular level, it can even break the DNA chain, as X-rays do. Scientists began exploring the capabilities of the Tardigrade using the genome sequencing of the Ramazzottius varieornatus Tardigrades species, whose cells are particularly resistant to external influences. As a result, it was found that a protein known as Dsup prevents the destruction of the DNA. It allows the Tardigrade to get through dehydration and radiation. Scientists have also found that human cells with the Tardigrade DNA elements can reduce the damage from x-rays by about 40%. Thus, on the basis of research, it is possible to develop mechanisms for protecting people from X-rays while undergoing treatment or under extreme conditions, including a long space flight. The study of Tardigrades is actively continues. Scientists believe that the Tardigrade is the key to understanding of how earth life in general adapts to the conditions of a long stay in outer space.Sneak Peek #20 - Space radiation and ways of protecting from itMay 17, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/52384a18cab7d7d58c84785c30c2cbae4f68107e.jpg Radiation is one of the main negative biological factors of outer space. There are two types of radiation that poses potential threats: solar flares cosmic rays. Solar flares are rather powerful radioactive impulses capable of killing in a very short time. Cosmic rays are a set of various particles that have a high linear energy transfer, because of what they are called densely ionizing radiation. In today's strategy for improving human radioresistance, there are the following areas: Radioprotective transgenes Such transgenes can be obtained from many organisms with a high degree of radioresistance. If we identify the genes and molecular mechanisms responsible for increased radioresistance, they can be transferred to people with the help of gene therapy. Radioprotectors These are medical supplies that increase the body's radiation protection. They inhibit the body's radiochemical reactions, as well as increase the reactivity of the body's protective mechanisms. Hibernation Hibernation causes all slowing down of processes in the human body. In the course of the experiments, it was proved that in this state resistance to extreme factors increases: temperature decrease, fatal doses of radiation, overloads, and so on. The problem of the radiation safety of space missions' participants belongs to the class of very complex problems that impede the conquest of space and solutions are sought immediately.Sneak Peek #19 - Earth observation from spaceMay 8, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/fee980bf25521a9ccaf914bb7afcf914798aa3a3.jpg It is well known that usage of the global space-based information helps to monitor either fast-moving (fires, flooding) or slow-moving processes (deforestation and burnings overgrowing, desertification), covering vast areas. Monitoring can be described as a complex system of observation for keeping the state of the environment under review, making estimates and projections of changes in its state under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. The use of space materials for monitoring is reduced to the comparison of multi-temporal data for identifying both short-period and multi-year changes. The effectiveness of the monitoring system depends on the equipment measuring parameters and data processing algorithms. Satellite monitoring allows controlling the state of the atmosphere, detecting technogenic emissions, hazardous processes and natural phenomena that are sources of emergency situations in order to meet the challenges of warning and organizing disaster response.Sneak Peek #18 - The "Biohazard" complex of studiesApr 26, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/da7c7bf7cbe71b6c77a493ea51406039a12b27c4.jpg The "Biohazard" complex of studies has been developed due to the problem of the space hardware environmental safety. It studies influence of outer space to the "bacterium-substrates" systems and their work under conditions of the planet quarantine. These microbiology industry systems contain different micro-organism cultures and substrates, intended for the more efficient mining. However, under constant influence of such factors as: energetic electrons and ions flows, cold and hot space plasma, solar electromagnetic radiation, particulate matter of synthetic origin and others, the systems are prone to wear and tear. With the help of these studies, carried out within the "Biohazard" complex, it is possible to access the "bacterium-substrates" system's work stability and its maximum resilience under the most extreme environments, without extensive support. On the basis of these studies, it is also possible to identify the most preferable micro-organisms and substrates, suitable for mining under different conditions.Sneak Peek #17 - Subsoil Use LicenseApr 19, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/eaca39c16f1d65fcb19f0a2c27eb1699943a5c5f.png Subsoil Use License is a document certifying the right to use a potion of subsoil issued by the licensing body. Since subsoil and the resources therein are state property, they can not be bought or inherited. Therefore, an interested person can be given the right to use subsoil only for a certain period of time. The conditions under which an interested person is granted a license are determined by the type of operation, for expample, geological studies, the extraction of commonly occurring mineral resources, the construction and operation of underground facilities not related to mining. Research test sites, nature reserves and recreational areas also need a permission to use the subsoil. The license is not required if only the natural resources located within the site are to be extracted for non-commercial use. Happy Cosmonautics Day!Apr 12, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/924e88808dcf0151ed88dd40999d194e66b4da31.png Dear earthlings! Happy International Aviation and Cosmonautics Day! This is a special day - the day of the triumph of science and all those who work in the space industry. We are enjoying the beauty of the Moon and waiting for you to come! And today, on April 12, to celebrate the holiday, we will organize all kinds of events on the moon - conferences, scientific and educational lectures and seminars, film screenings and much more. After all, this is a common holiday, connecting the past, present and future of the people of Earth and the Moon. Let's remember the the most remarkable events in cosmonautics history of the last century: On April 12, 1961, the USSR pilot-cosmonaut Yury Alekseevich Gagarin made the world's first flight into space. On July 20, 1969, American astronauts landed on the Moon. Three American astronauts participated in that famous expedition: Neil Armstrong, Edward Aldrin and Michael Collins. The first internationally crewed space mission in the history of cosmonautics took place on July 15, 1975. It involved a Soviet Soyuz-19 and an American Apollo spacecrafts. And we are determined to continue! We will keep exploring the space!. Today, our Constellation lunar rover will take an honorary lap across the Moon's surface. Hooray!Sneak Peek #16 - The colonization of the MoonApr 4, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/105ecc953f907b9043db1739aef426cac7c0021e.png The colonization of the Moon is one of the main strategic goals of astronautics. The lunar base is a unique place for maintaining scientific experiments in the field of planetology, astronomy, cosmology, space biology, and other disciplines. The study of the lunar crust is vital for tracing both the evolutionary history of the solar system and the emergence of life. The absence of the atmosphere allows building optical and radio telescopes on the lunar surface, which are able to get much more detailed images than with using terrestrial telescopes. An important reason for the colonization of the Moon is also the presence of minerals on it, the reserves of which are coming to an end on the Earth (helium-3) or the delivery of which to the orbit is too expensive (iron, aluminum, titanium). On the Moon there are deposits of water ice - a source of water, oxygen, hydrogen. In some cases, it is easier to use lunar material than to deliver it from Earth. According to the experts' assessments, the Moon contains at least 1 million tons of helium-3, which will fully provide the thermonuclear energy of mankind for a period of more than 1000 years. Today it takes approximately 30 tons of helium-3 to supply the entire population of the Earth for a year. The extraction of helium-3 and the change-over to thermonuclear energy is especially important, given the fact that the hydrocarbons reserves on Earth will dry up in about 50-90 years. The deep vacuum and the availability of cheap solar energy open up new horizons for electronics, metallurgy, metalworking and materials science. In fact, the conditions for the processing of metals and the creation of microelectronic devices on Earth are less favorable because of the large amount of free oxygen in the atmosphere, which deteriorates the quality of casting and welding, making it impossible to produce ultra-pure alloys and chip substrates at huge volumes. Due to its impressive landscapes and exoticism, the Moon will most likely be a viable space tourist destinations, which can attract a significant amount of funds for its development, contribute to the popularization of space travelling, encourage many people to study the lunar surface. Space tourism will require certain infrastructure solutions. Infrastructure development, in turn, will contribute to a more extensive lunar penetration.Sneak Peek #15 - Placer miningMar 29, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/502c0333646de64c63b71f6ee574913ddc17f03b.png Placer mining, ancient method of using water to excavate, transport, concentrate, and recover heavy minerals from alluvial or placer deposits. Examples of deposits mined by means of this technique are the gold-bearing sands and gravel that settle out from rapidly moving streams and rivers at points where the current slows down. Placer mining takes advantage of gold’s high density, which causes it to sink more rapidly from moving water than the lighter siliceous materials with which it is found. Though the basic principles of placer mining have not altered since early times, methods have improved considerably. Specific placer mining equipment is needed for each of the methods which can be classified according to the several methods of excavating and transporting the gravel, or they may be designated to correspond with the various ways of saving the gold. The actual moving of the gravel from place is always the principal concern of the miner, and often the gold-saving is entirely incidental to the working of the deposit. The following classification, therefore, seems the most logical and is the one generally used by placer miners: hand-shoveling; ground-sluicing; hydraulicking; excavating by teams or power equipment; dredging; drift-mining. Sneak Peek #14 - Lunar-orbit space stationMar 22, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/81702c4b9976eb7f2c17572c9b1acc93751d90b1.png The biggest step of the Moon as well as near-lunar space exploration program is the construction of a moon-orbiting space station, brought within a few thousand kilometers of the lunar surface. It is intended to serve as a solar-powered communications hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module, and holding area for rovers and other robots. With its help, mankind will be able to colonize the Moon and launch flights to other planets, such as Mars. The station will have four main modules: habitat module, the module to generate electricity, modules that'll help to control the whole station and conduct experiments, and also docking and spacewalks modules. The technologies needed to develop not only the Moon, but also deep space, will be tested on board the station. In particular, it will provide an opportunity to explore the lunar surface using the lunar rovers and landing stations.Sneak Peek #13 - Geologic preliminary investigationMar 15, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/cf5c0da43ff2842300d48a9e8e46555548f1fc98.png Preliminary investigation a survey of the subsoil conducted by an engineering geologist in conjunction with a civil engineer. Typically, the footprint of the structure is established on the proposed building site and trenches up to fourteen feet deep are dug both outside, and more importantly, inside, the proposed footprint using the bucket-end of a backhoe. In extreme cases, a larger, more powerful tracked excavator is used. The geologist is looking for potential failure planes, expansive clays, excessive moisture, potential for proper compaction, and other variables that go into the construction of a solid foundation. Materials are also gathered to determine the maximum compaction value of the subsurface. Preliminary investigations should always be conducted prior to the construction of any permanent structure. The general principle of investigation is the integrated works, which means that along with the investigation and exploration of the main types of minerals, all accompanying mineral components and the possibilities for their utilization are also being examined, as well as hydrogeological, mining, geotechnical and other issues. Climatic, geoeconomic, socioeconomic and economic-geological perspectives and risks are also being studied.Sneak Peek #12 - Oil refineryMar 7, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/a70ecc287118b9f99490823a68789f6c4d288534.png Oil refinery is an industrial enterprise whose main function is the processing of oil into gasoline, jet fuel, fuel oil, diesel fuel, lubricating oils, lubricants, bitumens, petroleum coke, raw materials for petrochemistry. The refinery's production cycle usually consists of the preparation of raw materials, the primary distillation of crude oil and the secondary processing of petroleum fractions: catalytic cracking, catalytic reforming, coking, visbreaking, hydrocracking, hydrotreating and mixing of the components of finished petroleum products. Refinery Profiles Fuel profile At the refinery of the fuel profile, the main products are various types of fuel and carbon materials: motor fuel, fuel oil, combustible gases, bitumen, petroleum coke, etc. A set of installations includes: mandatory - oil distillation, reforming, hydrotreating; supplementary - vacuum distillation, catalytic cracking, isomerization, hydrocracking, coking, etc. Fuel and oil profile In addition to various types of fuel and carbon materials, the refinery of the fuel and oil profile produces lubricants: petroleum oils, lubricants, and solid paraffins. A set of installations includes: installations for the production of fuel and installations for the production of oils and lubricants. Fuel and petrochemical profile In addition to various types of fuel and carbon materials, petrochemical products are fabricated at the refinery of the fuel and petrochemical profile: polymers and reagents. A set of installations includes: installations for the production of fuel and installations for the production of petrochemical products (pyrolysis, the production of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, reforming, aimed at the production of individual aromatic hydrocarbons). Sneak Peek #11 - THE SHEARERFeb 22, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/0a5e3c7eb8665696fe83ba83b929cac22406564e.png The shearer is a combined mining machine that mechanizes technological operations in the longwall, separating the mineral from the reservoir mass and loading it onto a transport machine. The main functional elements of modern shearers are: the executive body, which destroys (separates the mineral from the reservoir mass) and loads it on the bottomhole conveyor; hydro insert and one or two feeders to move the combine along the face room; drive consisting of one or two electric motors, main (right and left) and rotary gearboxes that transmit a torque from the engines to the shafts of the executive bodies. On the rotary gearboxes and augers there is a nozzle irrigation system. The main gearboxes are connected to the motor housing by bolts and studs. The shearers are classified by: the power and angles of incidence of removable reservoirs; the width of the executive body; the design of the executive body and the supply system - by type of energy to drive combines. The executive bodies of the shearers in design can be: auger, drum, crown, disk, chain and combined. The following basic requirements are imposed on executive bodies: ensuring the highest possible performance under given mining-geological and mining conditions; destruction of minerals with minimal energy intensity and degree of grinding; implementation of the unloading of minerals from the work area of the executive body and loading it onto the haul truck (when the shearer is working on flat and inclined surfaces); the possibility of infinitely variable height adjustment (according to the thickness of the extracted mineral reservoir); high mechanical efficiency, reliability and durability.Sneak Peek #10 - OVERBURDEN MININGFeb 15, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/853b842b9adc76ca90b91137abbf7d4daadafa6c.png OVERBURDEN MINING - the removal of rocks that cover minerals during open pit mining. Overburden mining includeы the preparation of rocks for excavation and loading, transportation and dumping. Overburden mining is to create the initial mining front during the construction of quarries and during the operation to preserve and develop this front. Overburden rocks that do not contain useful components are removed to external or internal dumps. If overburden rocks are suitable for use as building mineral raw materials (for example, clays, sands, limestone, chalk, etc.), then they are exposed to further processing (crushing, sorting, etc.) The excavation and loading of loosened overburden rocks from the bottom-hole are performed, as a rule, by excavators, earth moving and transporting (wheeled scrapers, bulldozers) and loading and transporting (single-bucket loaders, etc.) machines. Excavators of cyclical action, or single-bucket excavators, perform work on the excavation and movement of the soil cyclically: fill the bucket with soil, turn it over, unload it into the dump or other transport, return the bucket to its original position. This type of model is widely distributed due to its versatility. With the help of interchangeable equipment, the single-bucket excavator can perform not only earthworks, but also loading and unloading operations. Sneak Peek #9 Drilling machineFeb 8, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/dac4e8504cebb65cfab5346ca066c15b23179cc0.png A drilling machine is a stationary or self-propelled unit for drilling wells in rocks of various strengths for underground and open-pit mining of mineral resources. There are machines for different purposes: for drilling exploration, mining, including explosive, as well as special wells (degassing, for descent materials, etc.). According to the method of rock destruction, there are percussion rotary and rotary drilling machines. These machines drill wells with a diameter from 100mm to 1000mm to a depth of 200m. Diamond drilling machines used for drilling wells during clearing and exploration in solid and very solid rocks, they have a high frequency of rotation of the drill rod (from 2000 rotations/min and more). In medium-heavy and heavy self-propelled machines, all working mechanisms and equipment are installed on the platform. Self-propelled drilling machine includes a caterpillar platform, a pneumatic engine or a car, a mast, a rotational-feed mechanism with a drill rod, a compressor, an oil tower, various drive motors with starting equipment, instrumentation and drilling process control equipment, pneumatic transport systems and dust absorption, jacks for machine installation. Mobile (portable) drilling machines have a working body with a drive, brace columns for its installation in the underground workings, a frame on which all parts of the machine are mounted, and a control panel.Sneak Peek #8 - PumpjackJan 25, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/d4a3f5003df89610445e5e6763a0bbd40a3bc147.png A pumpjack is the overground drive for a reciprocating piston pump in an oil well. It's used in the oil-producing industry to drill wells up to 4,000 meters deep. A typical installation may have a length of 7 m, and a width of about 2-2.5 m. The mass usually exceeds 10 tons. The general principle of the operation of the equipment is similar to the function of a syringe, which in this case is provided by sucker-rod pumps. Also, as an indispensable element, the pumpjack is equipped with columns of compression tubes. Through these channels the lifting and transmission of oil is realized. The pumpjacks operate in a circular-based way, allowing the oil to concentrate around the well to ensure efficient pumping. In addition, this principle of maintenance minimises deterioration of the parts of a drive. Operators control the lifting of oil, and technical staff also monitor the operating performance of the mechanisms in terms of maintaining their function within peak-load tolerances. The most common pumpjack in the pump-drive operations is designed for pile-supported mining. With the help of this unit, wells can be drilled in permafrost environments.Release date delay of Mining Empire: Earth ResourcesJan 22, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsHello, dear friends! We are in a hurry to announce that the release date of our new game Mining Empire: Earth Resources was postponed to the end of April! We apologize for the inconveniences. Thank you for being with us. Sneak Peek #7 - OPEN-PIT MININGJan 18, 2019 - Community Announcementshttps://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/33980807/afe1b6ffe3be98f74367bd85d590a8db54f482fa.png OPEN-PIT MINING is a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. This method is characterized by a high degree of minerals extraction from the depths. Open-pit mining is divided into several periods: • Preparatory period: the territory preparing (deforestation, stumping, rivers diversion, field drainage, highways transfer, construction of warehouses and structures); • Mining and construction period: the construction of capital and split trenches, drainage works, the installation of the main mining, transport and technological equipment; • Field exploitation period is the longest one. Systematic excavation and movement of rocks are provided with a mountain transport and auxiliary equipment complex. The mechanization ensures the continuity of transport communications from bottoms to offloading points; • The final period is a disturbed land restoration and returning it for beneficial use.