DWARVEN CRAFT WISE
Dwarves are master crafters. Dwarven mastercraftsmen spend multiple human lifetimes on their chosen trade, and practice secret techniques developed over millennia. Only the elves can be said to rival the achievements of Dwarven-kind.
Dwarves favor stonework, metalwork, engraving, and sculpture. Dwarven Clay is molded into shape then Forge-fired until it is as hard as stone, and nearly indistinguishable from such to an outsider. Orichalchum, or Dwarven Steel, is a unique alloy made from gold and iron.
MINE WISE
There are many kinds of mines, and many mining techniques. Some useful things that can be mined for are iron, coal, salt, gold, silver, gems, and other precious metals.
Quarrying involves digging a deep layered pit, each layer narrower than the one above it, making a reverse ziggurat shape. Lodes are extracted, and the remaining stone is shipped out and used as building materials.
Drift Mining uses Adits, or horizontal shafts dug into the side of a hill or mountain. Drift Mining is often combined with Hushing. A reservoir is built above the intended mine site and filled with water, then is opened into the mine complex. The shafts slope upwards slightly so water flows out of the mine, along with sediment and weaker rock, leaver more valuable fundaments behind.
Another use for water in mining is Hydraulic Mining, which uses highly pressurized jets of water to break up rock formations. It is theorized that this could be expanded on a larger scale to pump heated sand into the earth to create a massive, mineable site, but Dwarvenkind have yet to implement this.
Fire-Setting involves igniting fires near stone, then dousing the rock with cold water. The thermal shock results in fractures, making the stone easier to mine.
Shaft Mining uses vertical shafts, used to reach materials only found deep underground. A cage and winch system is installed to allow the miners to traverse up and down the shaft. Shaft Mining is extremely difficult, but can be very rewarding.
Slope Mining uses diagonally downward slopes to get the benefits of Shaft Mining, but with some easier access to lower levels.
Stoping is the process of mining upwards when one finds a lode from the bottom. It is a more efficient process than mining downwards.
Retreat Mining is a process where one digs out a room with support pillars, and then collapses the support pillars, partially caving in the empty space with the intent of revealing more lodes.
Ventilation is very important in a mine! Coal fumes can be noxious and air has difficulty getting in, and methods like Fire-Setting create a lot of smoke. Many mines have extra shafts specifically for ventilation.