TFCGyres-OreHints in All the Mods - Gravitas

TFCGyres-OreHints makes finding mineral veins in TerraFirmaCraft much easier. Metal ores already give you small nuggets on the surface as a clue, and this mod gives mineral veins the same kind of clue with hint rocks. The pack includes version 1.5.^[1][2][3]

A hint rock generates in the world above a mineral vein. When you see one on the surface where it doesn't belong, there's likely a mineral vein underneath. Each mineral has its own hint rock. Diamond is hinted by chalk, graphite by claystone, and sulfur by shale.^[3]

Vein tweaks

Adding hint rocks meant changing the mineral vein definitions, so the mod also improves them. Some of the original veins were too small and too rare. Coal veins are now much larger horizontal discs with fewer inclusions. Most other mineral veins are larger and more common, but they still occur at the same depths.^[4]

The mod also adds new veins below y-level 0 for all metamorphic and igneous intrusive ores: metal, mineral, and diamonds/emeralds. These veins may be larger, denser and purer. In the mountains, new dense iron, copper and sulfur veins spawn too. Ore veins are enriched, especially at the top and bottom of the world.^[2][4]

Who it's for

If you're prospecting in TerraFirmaCraft and tired of guessing where minerals are, this mod is for you. Keep an eye out for out-of-place rocks while you explore, and head deep or high up when you want richer veins.^[2][3][4]

Unverified Where the mod fits in the pack's progression is not confirmed by the sources. It is not on the ATM Star path, and no quests in the pack involve it.

The first steps with this mod are about exploring, not crafting. It adds hint rocks to the world, and they show you where TFC mineral veins are, much like small nuggets do for metal ores.^[2][3]

Your first steps

1. Walk around on the surface and look for rocks that don't belong in the area. Hint rocks generate above mineral veins, just like small nuggets do for metal ores.^[3]
2. When you spot one, match its rock type to the cheat sheet below to see which mineral is probably underneath.^[3]
3. Dig down below that spot and look for the vein. Coal veins are now much larger horizontal discs with fewer inclusions.^[4]
4. Once you're comfortable, try the deeper and higher parts of the world. Ore veins are enriched there, especially at the top and bottom.^[2]

Hint rock cheat sheet

Here is which rock points to which mineral vein.^[3]

• Basalt: Bituminous Coal or Lignite.^[3]
• Marble: Kaolinite.^[3]
• Claystone: Graphite.^[3]
• Gneiss: Cinnabar.^[3]
• Slate: Cryolite.^[3]
• Diorite: Saltpeter.^[3]
• Shale: Sulfur.^[3]
• Dolomite: Sylvite.^[3]
• Chert: Borax.^[3]
• Andesite: Lapis Lazuli.^[3]
• Quartzite: Gypsum.^[3]
• Phyllite: Halite.^[3]
• Chalk: Diamond.^[3]

Once you're ready to go deeper

Most other mineral veins are larger and more common than before, but they still occur at the same depths. New veins now exist below y-level 0 for all metamorphic and igneous intrusive ores, including metal, mineral, diamonds and emeralds. These can be larger, denser and purer. In the mountains, new dense iron, copper and sulfur veins spawn.^[4]

Unverified The sources here do not show any recipe or quest for this mod, so whether there is a crafting step to start with is unverified. Check the pack's quest book and recipe viewer in game. This site does hold All the Mods - Gravitas's own recipes, read from the pack itself: look the item up in the item browser.

This mod doesn't add machines, multiblocks or power systems. What the sources describe is world generation: how mineral veins reveal themselves on the surface, and how the pack changes the veins themselves.^[2][3][4]

How hint rocks work

Mineral veins now have hint rocks, the same way metal veins have small nuggets. Hint rocks generate in the world above mineral veins, just like the small metal nuggets from metal ores.^[2][3]

To use them, look for rocks on the surface that don't belong there. If you spot one, there's likely a mineral vein beneath it.^[3]

Which rock points to which ore

• Bituminous Coal: Basalt^[3]
• Lignite: Basalt^[3]
• Kaolinite: Marble^[3]
• Graphite: Claystone^[3]
• Cinnabar: Gneiss^[3]
• Cryolite: Slate^[3]
• Saltpeter: Diorite^[3]
• Sulfur: Shale^[3]
• Sylvite: Dolomite^[3]
• Borax: Chert^[3]
• Lapis Lazuli: Andesite^[3]
• Gypsum: Quartzite^[3]
• Halite: Phyllite^[3]
• Diamond: Chalk^[3]

Changes to vein generation

Because hint rocks touched the mineral vein definitions, the veins were reworked too. Some of the existing veins were too small and too rare. Most other mineral veins are now larger and more common, but they still occur at the same depths.^[4]

Coal veins are now much larger horizontal discs with fewer inclusions. Ore veins are also enriched, especially at the top and bottom of the world.^[2][4]

Deep and high veins

New veins now exist below y-level 0 for all metamorphic and igneous intrusive ores. That covers metal, mineral, and diamonds/emeralds, and these veins may be larger, denser and purer. In the mountains, new dense iron, copper and sulfur veins spawn.^[4]

Unverified The sources don't cover exact vein sizes, spawn rates, or any configuration options for this mod, and no config files for it are included in the pack. Those details can't be confirmed here.

This mod doesn't add a tier ladder of its own. It changes how you find TFC mineral veins, so it helps with every stage of progression instead of gating one. Think of it as a prospecting upgrade that makes the mineral hunt faster.^[2][3]

Unverified The material available for this guide shows no quests and no crafting recipes for this mod, and it isn't on the main quest path. Nothing here unlocks, or is unlocked by, a quest. I can't confirm any official tier order beyond what's described below.

Learn to read hint rocks

Mineral veins now have hint rocks, just like metal veins have small nuggets. These rocks generate on the surface above a mineral vein. If you spot a rock where it doesn't belong, there's likely a mineral vein underneath.^[2][3]

Each mineral has its own hint rock. These are the pairings in the pack:^[3]

• Bituminous Coal and Lignite: Basalt^[3]
• Kaolinite: Marble^[3]
• Graphite: Claystone^[3]
• Cinnabar: Gneiss^[3]
• Cryolite: Slate^[3]
• Saltpeter: Diorite^[3]
• Sulfur: Shale^[3]
• Sylvite: Dolomite^[3]
• Borax: Chert^[3]
• Lapis Lazuli: Andesite^[3]
• Gypsum: Quartzite^[3]
• Halite: Phyllite^[3]
• Diamond: Chalk^[3]

Expect bigger, easier veins

Adding hint rocks meant changing the mineral vein definitions, so the pack also reworked veins that were too small and too rare. Coal veins are now much larger horizontal discs with fewer inclusions. Most other mineral veins are larger and more common, but they still occur at the same depths.^[4]

Ore veins are also enriched, especially at the top and bottom of the world.^[2]

Go to the extremes

Exploring the depths and heights of the world is more rewarding now. New veins exist below y-level 0 for all metamorphic and igneous intrusive ores: metal, mineral, and diamonds/emeralds. These veins may be larger, denser, and purer.^[4]

In the mountains, new dense iron, copper and sulfur veins also spawn.^[4]