Mining Guild

Mining Guild

TheMining Guild, also known as theGalactic Mining Guild, was a powerful network ofminers thatharvested and controlled natural resources throughoutthe galaxy. Initially a part of theCommerce Guild, it was aligned with theConfederacy of Independent Systems during theClone Wars before collaborating withGalactic Empire during itsreign.

History[]

Creation and Clone Wars[]

The Mining Guild's early strongholds includedworlds likeEmpress Teta, a significant supplier ofcarbonite with ties to early hyperspace exploration. Through the exploitation (and sometimes, the instigation) of interplanetary upheaval, the guild expanded its influence over several millennia, eventually growing to controlthe galaxy's resources.^[6]Desler Gizh Outworld Mobility Corporation was part of the guild.^[16] The guild eventually became a part of theCommerce Guild.^[1]

By the start of theClone Wars, the Mining Guild exerted control over theTetan monarchy^[6] and dominated billions of young, nameless, metal-richplanets in the spiral arms ofthe galaxy.^[17] Along with various other galactic conglomerates, including the Commerce Guild, the Mining Guild chose to side against theGalactic Republic and with theConfederacy of Independent Systems, forcing its member worlds such as Empress Teta to follow in its footsteps.^[6] After the Separatists weredefeated and the Republictransitioned into theGalactic Empire,^[18] the guild escaped Imperial reprisals by swearing fealty toGalactic EmperorSheev Palpatine.^[6]

Imperial Era[]

During theImperial Era, the Mining Guild openly collaborated with theGalactic Empire, offering raw materials to the Imperial war machine at discounted prices.^[6] In exchange, the guild was permitted to use a modifiedvariant of the ImperialTIE/ln starfighter.^[20] The guild was also able to maintain control over its own mining operations instead of losing that control to the Empire.^[15] The Mining Guild protectedspicemining on the planetKessel, the origin point for most ofthe galaxy's spice supply.^[21] The mines themselves were worked byslaves of thePyke Syndicate^[22] or Empire, which also played a role in Kessel security.^[23]

In3 BBY,^[24] the Guild ran anAsteroid Belt Gas Refinery located on asmall planetoid, where they extractedClouzon-36 gas. However, that facility was discovered by theSpectres, a crew of anti-Empire freedom fighters, who stole its fuel for the rebellion and destroyed the complex.^[19] Despite the loss of that Clouzon-36 refinery, the Mining Guild remained powerful.^[14]

The Mining Guild sentagents to patrol and represent its interests in thespice mines on Kessel in order to make sure the it got its cut of the profits.^[25] In10 BBY,^[26] agentYorsh Manted^[25] was present during theRaid on Kessel and ensuing slave revolt.^[22]

The Mining Guild regularly patrolled theSereeda Waypoint, ahyperspace waypoint located in their claims territory.^[11] In2 BBY,^[27] the Spectres once again clashed with the Guild, this time in the Sereeda, as they had to momentarily come out ofhyperspace there and recalculate their jump. The Guild deployed two TIEs and demanded the rebels pay the hyperspace toll, however the Spectres destroyed the fighters and jumped back into hyperspace.^[11]

After being rejected by theBounty Hunters' Guild and theGrand Hutt Council,GeneralDavits Draven of theAlliance wrote toSenatorMon Mothma about being potential allies with the Mining Guild, claiming, that while the Mining Guild operated under the Empire, it was more of a convenient relationship, not an ideological one. At the time of the later, the Alliance was investigating Mining Guild operations onOrd Mantell,Raxus Prime,The Wheel,Vergesso, theRing of Kafrene,Smuggler's Run,Takodana, andNar Shaddaa.^[7]

Cloud City, atibanna gas mining operation in theatmosphere of theplanetBespin, was able to keep its activities small and avoid being part of the Empire or the Mining Guild. This was to the advantage of its customers, who did not want to gain attention.^[15]

Era of the Resistance[]

By the rise of theFirst Order and the creation of theResistance, the Mining Guild was still active, and, according to the Resistance, was not what it once was.Vice AdmiralAmilyn Holdo believed that this allowed the stronger possibility that the Mining Guild would accept a partnership with the Resistance.^[7]

By the time following theBattle of Crait during thewar between the First Order and Resistance, the guild had been mining themoon of Kyzring, which was rich withcarnium, foryears. The guild would take what it could use, andPoe Dameron recounted this information to fellow Resistance memberRey while on a training mission.^[9]

Equipment[]

Thanks to its association with the Empire, the Guild was allowed to use a specialvariant of the ImperialTIE fighter modified with a yellow color scheme and 2 notches out of the wings.^[20] For more security purposes, the Mining Guild also used yellowAurore-class freighters^[11] andX4 Gunships.^[7] OnLothal^[8] in around1 BBY,^[28] the Mining Guild utilizedore crawlers for the scouring of the terrain for raw materials,^[8] as well asMining Guild excavation drillers for large scale operations.^[29] For security on the crawlers, yellowIG-RM droids with weakaudio receptors were used.^[30] The Mining Guild also usedphase connectors.^[31]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]