Quick answer
The Lead Mine unlocks when a ship with a Naval Gun cost becomes available or when you unlock the Medium Gun Tower. Build it on a Lead Ore deposit, supply four Greenhands, and plan for 8 Lead Ore per minute.
Trigger the unlock
- Progress the Compass toward a ship that requires Naval Guns or the Medium Gun Tower.
- Confirm the Lead Mine appears in the build menu.
- Locate a Lead Ore deposit inside or near usable Pirate Camp range.
- Reserve 40 Planks and 20 Stone Blocks.
- Prepare housing and Stew for four Greenhands.
Do not spend Compass points on unrelated Lead Mine boosters expecting them to create the base building. The acquisition trigger comes from the ship or tower requirement.
Build the remote camp before the mine
A distant deposit can require more than the mine itself. Plan the camp, connection, housing, food, drink, storage, and export route before assigning workers.
Balance Lead Ore and smelting
One Lead Mine produces 8 Lead Ore per minute and can serve two Lead Smelters at the current rates. Start with one mine and one smelter, confirm transport, then add the second smelter when the ore buffer grows.
Common mistakes
- Looking for a fixed Compass node named only for the base mine.
- Building on a deposit outside practical camp support.
- Forgetting four Greenhands and their Stew upkeep.
- Adding two smelters before the ore route works.
- Hauling basic food and drink through a costly island-wide warehouse chain.
What success looks like
The Lead Mine appears after the ship or tower trigger, four Greenhands work the deposit, Lead Ore reaches storage, and one or two Lead Smelters run without starving the remote camp.