Tervok
A mining moon in the Nuilean system with concentrated deposits of rare earth elements. Supplements Korvus’s mining operations with materials unavailable locally.
Overview
Korvus has extensive mining operations for common industrial metals (iron, nickel, aluminum), but it lacks sufficient rare earth deposits. Tervok fills that gap. These elements—neodymium, dysprosium, lanthanum, and others—are essential for electronics, superconductors, and specialized alloys.
Even though Nuilea imports high-end components from Atruna, they still need raw materials for domestic production. Tervok provides them.
Population: ~8 million
Operations
Strip Mining
Large-scale surface extraction. Automated excavators tear into mineral-rich deposits, processing ore on-site to reduce transport mass. The landscape is scarred with open pits and tailings.
Refining
On-site refining separates rare earth elements from ore. This is dirty, energy-intensive work—but shipping raw ore to Korvus would be wasteful. Refined materials are more valuable per kilogram.
Quality Control
Rare earths are inputs for precision manufacturing. Quality matters. Tervok facilities maintain strict standards despite harsh conditions.
Character
Dust everywhere—in the air, on surfaces, in lungs despite filtration. Mining operations run constantly. Workers rotate through extraction, processing, and maintenance in grueling shifts.
Tervok is considered a hardship posting. Pay is good, but conditions are rough. Many workers are contract laborers serving fixed terms before returning to more comfortable assignments.
Strategic Significance
Rare earth independence reduces Nuilea’s vulnerability to supply disruptions. If Atruna or Mesulea squeezed rare earth exports, Nuilea could fall back on domestic production—less elegant, but available.