Miners grab their pickaxes and head into the tunnels and caves that comprise the mines, often staying within for several nights. Working in the resource-rich Gusgen Mines is a man named Fox, who seems to lose himself in his digging. It has been said for many years that miners often "uncover" things besides ore in this mine; one's concerns can quickly shift from monocline to monster-find. Fox is unconcerned, continuing to fund his adventures and his life through mining. Even as we spoke, Fox didn't rest, his pickaxe continuing to strike the rock in front of him. He paused just long enough to let a smile spread across his face when his pickaxe revealed something shiny in the rock. He'd found something! Of course, not every day is this lucky. There have been slow times with no lucky finds. Such dry spells often lead miners to consider changing professions. Returning to the city to sell the ore at auction, Fox savors the feeling of accomplishment--and is motivated to continue in this line of work. The next day will take him back to the mines. Even today, Fox is most likely working a nearby mine. Another who spoke to me about mining was a wise-looking, bearded man named Atla. He started mining to meet his adventuring expenses. He has since advanced to the point where he can estimate the presence of ore by simply looking at the rock face. He's also begun studying what happens to the ore once it has been mined. Because of this, he understands market trends--and when to sell which ores to whom and for how much. He also knows what other miners are going to be buying and selling in the near future. All of this helps him to get just a little bit extra for his ore. " Ore that doesn't sell is just rock, " he says, looking at the future of Vana'diel in the glittering stones next to his pickaxe.