An essential infrastructure for acquiring essential commodities including metals, organics, and Rapidium is provided by mining outposts in The Alters. These materials are essential for expanding your base, crafting tools, and producing consumables that aid in surviving and progressing through the game. While surface-level deposits provide a one-time supply, the real key to long-term resource generation lies in tapping into deep deposits—accessible only through mining outposts.
This guide will walk you through every stage of setting up and operating mining outposts to collect materials efficiently. Whether you're just getting started or looking to maximize your resource flow, understanding this system will give you a major advantage in maintaining a steady supply of essential materials. Z2U provides cheap The Alters accounts, allowing players to quickly start the game experience while saving you money.
Locating Deep Resource Deposits with the Polygonal Scanner
The first step in the process is identifying where deep deposits are located within the highlighted search zone on your map. This is done using the Polygonal Scanner, which can be selected through your equipment wheel (accessed by pressing LB or L1).
Once active, you can deploy up to six probes. These probes must be spaced within 2.5 meters of each other and arranged to form a connected perimeter on the terrain. If set up correctly, the scanner will reveal subsurface structures using contour lines. By pressing X (or Square), you'll emit a scanning pulse, which points out the direction of the deep deposit in relation to your first probe. Keep in mind that using the scan wave consumes suit energy, so manage your power levels carefully.
After determining the exact location of the deposit, you can use the same equipment wheel to go back to Building Mode and position a mining outpost over the allocated circle that shows up on the ground.
Establishing a Connection Between the Outpost and Your Base
After placing the mining outpost, it won't start working until it's connected to your home base. To do this, you'll need to lay down pylons that transmit power and data. In Building Mode, select pylons and begin placing them in sequence, moving from the outpost back toward your base.
Each pylon can cover a maximum range of 40 meters. As you walk, the game will display a number indicating how far the next pylon can be placed. It's best to drop a new one when this number nears single digits to ensure a stable connection. Continue this until your network reaches the main base.
Pro Tip: Once a mining outpost has been established, it can be used for fast travel and serves as a suit charging station—helpful if you've been using tools like the Polygonal Scanner frequently.
Activating and Managing Resource Extraction
With the outpost now connected, head back to it and interact with the control panel on its front. Contrary to what some players may assume, resource extraction isn't automatic. Instead, you must initiate it manually at the outpost itself.
When you begin extraction, you'll notice a pink ring starting to fill and a countdown timer running alongside it. Once the cycle completes, a small amount of the selected resource—organics, metal, or Rapidium—will be collected and added to your inventory. Each deposit provides an ongoing source of material, so revisiting outposts regularly is crucial.
To streamline the process, you can assign one of your Alters to operate the outpost. They will handle extraction in the background, freeing you up to focus on other tasks. Alters can be assigned or removed via the Assignments menu whenever needed.
Final Thoughts
Mining outposts in The Alters are indispensable for long-term survival and progression. Unlike shallow deposits that offer limited yields, deep deposits—though requiring more setup—grant an endless supply of resources. By learning how to scan effectively, build connections, and manage extraction cycles, players can ensure a steady influx of critical materials. Assigning Alters to operate these facilities further enhances efficiency and allows you to expand your operations even faster.
With the right setup and some thoughtful planning, you'll never run short of the materials needed to upgrade your gear, expand your base, and push forward in your mission. If you're just starting out and haven't unlocked or developed strong Alters yet, you can buy The Alters account at reduced price from Z2U.