Mining Mining was the process of extracting resources , usually mineral , from bodies like planet s and asteroid s . Mining operations were an important part of the economy of civilizations throughout the galaxy . Earth and United Earth . The American town of Carbon Creek operated a mine in the 1950s . ( ) At some point a mine shaft was constructed near the Presidio in San Francisco . ( ) By 2024 Human s had begun to mine the sea floor on Earth . ( ) United Earth operated off - world mining colonies , including the Orpheus Mining colony on the moon , a private business set up by John Frederick Paxton ' s father . These facilities often did not have artificial gravity , as it was not practical . ( ) In 2154 , Starfleet briefly secured an alliance with Harrad - Sar for mining a planet rich in magnesite , but this proved to be a scam . ( ) Mining in the Federation . 23rd century . By the 23rd century , the Federation operated several large mining colonies . Some people even spent the majority of their lives underground in mines . For example , the mining operation on Janus VI discovered some of the richest deposits of many sought - after ore s in all of the Federation , including uranium , cerium , platinum , and pergium . ( ) The Federation member world Ardana was the only known source of zenite . A lithium mine was located on Rigel XII . ( ) The Federation also mined non - member planets through concessions . In 2267 , the Federation competed with the Klingon Empire for the right to mine recently discovered supplies of topaline on Capella IV . In the end , the mining rights went to the Federation . A request to mine the Halkan homeworld , however , was disapproved by the Halkans . ( ) The Merchant Marine sometimes performed geological surveys for mining companies , for example on Alpha Carinae II . ( ) Criminals could be sentenced to mining borite for the rest of their lives . ( ) Despite the major role of mining in the Federation , founding member had no mining interests in the 2360s . Mining disputes were a major factor in the admission of Coridan to the Federation . Vulcan Ambassador Sarek accused the Tellarite s of conducting illegal mining operations on the planet . ( ) 24th century . By the 24th century , Federation starships like the were often autonomous enough to extract materials they needed themselves . Nonetheless , mining continued to be important for the Federation . Among the diplomatic training scenarios on the was a mining dispute . ( ) In 2364 , an accident devastated a mining operation in the Sigma III system . ( ) . A mine on Dytallix B , exploited by the Dytallix Mining Company , was abandoned at some point before 2364 . ( ) In 2369 , Doctor Farallon was attempting to develop a radical new method of mining on Tyrus VII called the Particle Fountain Project . ( ) In the 2370s , sulfur mines existed on one of Jupiter ' s moons . ( ) . By 2378 , many EMH Mark I s were re - purposed for dilithium mining . ( ) Between the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole and the beginning of the Dominion War , the Federation also started mining operations in the Gamma Quadrant . In 2372 , a Vulcan expedition mining bakrinium in the Gamma Quadrant discovered remnants of the Hur ' q civilization . ( ) In early 2373 , Captain Benjamin Sisko led a team to the Gamma Quadrant planet Torga IV to see if the cormaline was worth mining . ( ) Quatal Prime had a lucrative mining operation in 2373 . ( ) The Reman homeworld of Remus had numerous dilithium mines . ( ) Klingon Empire . The Federation believed over mining of Praxis was the cause of its spectacular destruction . The Empire also maintained dilithium mines on Rura Penthe . ( ) . Klingons were known to employ morally questionable practices from time to time . In the 2150s a deuterium mining colony operated by an unknown species was intimidated by a Klingon crew into giving them part of its deuterium each year . ( ) . In 2370 , the Duras sisters illegally mined a rich magnesite deposit in the Kalla system , which was under Pakled control . ( ) Cardassian Union . During the 24th century , the Cardassian Union devolved into fascism after resources on Cardassia Prime were depleted , and decided to occupy Bajor so that it could be intensively mined . They employed strip mining and changed the course of the Glyrhond River to assist their mining operations . Also , a mining accident at Gallitep fostered an outbreak of Kalla - Nohra Syndrome on the planet . ( ) Mining rights were a talking point in peace treaty negotiations between the Cardassian Union and Bajor in 2371 . ( ) Volan III , a Federation colony where mining occurred , was turned over to Cardassia under the Federation - Cardassian Treaty . The who assumed Raymond Boone ' s identity operated a ladarium mining sluice on the planet . ( ) In the mirror universe , Dahkur Province was the site of a mining operation . ( ) Other mining operations . By the 22nd century the Tellarite Mining Consortium was engaged in mining firesalt . They operated freighter s to transport the mineral . In 2153 the freighter " Tezra " was captured while hauling a load of firesalt near Klingon space . ( ) Also during the 22nd century an Andorian Mining Consortium may or may not have existed . ( ) Vulcan had a mining agreement with Coridan in 2151 . ( ) The Paraagan s operated a mining colony at Paraagan II . ( ) In 2153 the visited a trellium mining planet in the Delphic Expanse which was operated by thirty - one different species . ( ) By the 24th century the Romulan Star Empire was dependent on dilithium mining on Remus . ( ) They also used large mining vessel s such as the " Narada " for spacefaring operations . ( ) There was a mining operation on Koralis III that had been abandoned by 2375 . ( ) The Tigan family ran a large pergium mining operation in the Sapporo system . ( ) Telfas Prime also had a mining community . ( ) Delta Quadrant . Countless mining colonies were operated by many species across the Delta Quadrant . Often trade with these colonies proved invaluable for the during its odyssey through the quadrant . For example , in 2372 " Voyager " acquired needed materials from a mining colony on Hemikek IV , the rights to which were owned by a consortium of non - aggressive people . ( ) At the border of the Nekrit Expanse was a support outpost for mining and trading ships . A map dealer on the station sold coordinate charts for all the local mining colonies . ( ) The Talaxian s were also active in mining . Neelix worked at a mining colony for some time . The Talaxians also operated a mining colony on Prema II . Additionally , a group of aliens targeted a Talaxian asteroid colony for mining in 2378 , forcing the residents to fight them off . ( ) Automated Personnel Unit s created by the Pralor species used asteroid mining pod s to mine asteroids . ( ) A Sakari mining colony in the Nekrit Expanse was attacked by the Borg some point before 2373 . Afterward , the miners decided to retreat into the mines , hiding their society . ( ) A Garan mining colony was infected by macrovirus es in 2373 . ( ) A colony on Telsius Prime served as a bolomite mine . ( ) An unnamed class Y planet was governed by the Ord ' mirit Mining Treaty . ( ) The Gammadan Mining Facility suffered an accident in 2377 . ( ) A Nuu ' Bari mining consortium made use of holograms , which brought them into conflict with Iden and his followers . ( ) On the Bronze Age planet of the Takarian s , trade in mining futures existed . ( ) The Waters , an artificial planetoid composed entirely of water , was at last report being gradually destroyed by the mining plants of its inhabitants , the Monean s . ( )