How to Cancel Mining in Dwarf Fortress

In Dwarf Fortress, you’ll be ordering a lot of mining. And I mean a whole lot. You can, and probably will, unearth whole mountains and delve deep underground. So expansive will your mining be, that you will simply order the clearance of whole swathes of mountainside without a worry. However, if you change your mind, then how do you stop the dwarves from striking the earth? Here is how to cancel mining orders in Dwarf Fortress.

How to cancel mining in Dwarf Fortress

Mining in Dwarf Fortress is an easy task. Simply select the mining tool, or press ‘m’, and you can either order squares to be mined or use the brush mode to select exactly where you want to mine for more delicate procedures.

As soon as you start mining orders, your mining dwarves will immediately go do perform the task at hand. You will see them scurry through with their pickaxes held high. As soon as something is mined, it can never be unmined, or replaced. A permanent breakage, you will need to be careful when you perform your mining orders.

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Thankfully, another tool exists, the eraser, which allows you to select and remove orders that have not yet been carried out. Simply select it from the menu, or press ‘x’ (as long as you are not in another menu) to wield the tool.

You can use the eraser in the same ways that you can mine, however instead of establishing mining orders, you’ll be getting rid of all unfinished orders. You can use this tool in cases of accidents, so you don’t mine right through damp stone or into a wall.

Just remember that this tool can only rid you of waiting orders. Once a dwarf has mined through that earth, it is already too late for you.

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