Random Minehole ?

[MagicManICT]

Given that you can drop a minehole anywhere and then wall it up--better to build the wall first, imo--I'd either find the best place near by with minerals to drop it or put it inside your village with a bit of extra security (read brick wall it as soon as you can, maybe even double brick wall). You can reasonably dig to any minerals close by without supports if you are very careful.

Just my opinion, though. Anything you do, plan with security in mind. Raiders can dig into any minehole or cave you have inside your village walls.

[Sevenless]

Given that you can drop a minehole anywhere and then wall it up--better to build the wall first, imo--I'd either find the best place near by with minerals to drop it or put it inside your village with a bit of extra security (read brick wall it as soon as you can, maybe even double brick wall). You can reasonably dig to any minerals close by without supports if you are very careful.

Just my opinion, though. Anything you do, plan with security in mind. Raiders can dig into any minehole or cave you have inside your village walls.

Yep. I'd still vote on dropping it on a mineral node for beginners though. No chance of it being in your village, and a lot less hard work for players who are unlikely to have the stats/resources to make it go quickly (ie wine, good tool, str etc)

[Girlinhat]

Mining itself is heavily affected by industry. A full nature has 4% chance of getting a bar from ore, while full industry has 20% chance. This percentage is decided at the moment of mining, so have a full industry miner, and a full nature person put ore into the smelter, will give full industry metal results. A failed smelting will yield stone of similar quality as bars produced. On a batch of 25 ore, we do pretty good with 6 bars of metal and 19 rocks. Gotten 8 bars from one smelt before, that was pretty hot.

Also, placing a mine hole can be useful for cheese or additional storage. Once you've got some beehives, low q hardened leather isn't that difficult, and you should be able to stock a mine hole's worth of cheese racks or cupboards, or hell, even build a timber house underground and place stuff in it! For good cheesing, it can be worthwhile just to add a mine hole for the storage and racks, and stock it with curding tubs, a few cupboards and barrels, and of course racks.