The Ether Mine is an area beneath Colony 6 in Xenoblade Chronicles. It is a good source of Ether (which allows players to create their own Cylinders to create Gems with) and has several levels, the lowest of which houses a river of Ether. After the plot progresses, most of the area becomes inaccessible.
Story
The Ether Mine
Looking for a way to sneak into Colony 6, Sharla suggests they take the Ether Mine since the Mechon cannot have found all the passages yet. Unfortunately she is incorrect, as not only do Mechon patrol most levels of the Ether Mine, their leader Xord has taken the lowest level as a banquet hall.
Additional Information
The Ether Mine is an excellent source of Ether Cylinders for making Gems. After Xord is defeated for the second time, the Ether Mine cannot be accessed any longer; only the cave remains accessible.
After the reconstruction of Colony 6 begins, each time the level of Nature in the colony is increased, beyond level two, the ether crystals in the mine raise their level in turn.
It is said that the Mechon attacked Colony 6 in order to gain control of the mine, as it would allow them to fuel raids along all of Bionis.
Map of Ether Mine Ground Floor and B1F
Map of Ether Mine B2F, B3F, and B4F
Landmarks and Locations
(Areas marked in Italics cannot be revisited after Xord is defeated)
GF Landmarks
- Drainage Tunnel
- Drainage Control Room
- Mining Base
- Central Pit - Entrance
- Personnel Lift 2
- Freight Elevator
- Glowmoss Lake (Secret Area)
GF Locations
- Test Pit 1
- Test Pit 2
- Test Pit 3
- Storage Depot
- Central Terminal
- Test Pit 4
- Observation Point
- Central Pit - Level 1
B1F Landmarks
B1F Locations
B2F Locations
B3F Landmarks
B3F Locations
B4F Landmarks
Note: Freight Elevator is both a landmark and a location (B3F).
Mining
The rank of crystals obtained from deposits one through eight begins at two and increases up to rank five as the Nature level of Colony 6 is increased.
Deposits nine through nineteen become inaccessible atfer Xord is defeated.
- W of Drainage Control Room [Earth]
- Muscle Up II, III, IV, V
- Bleed Defence II, III, IV, V
- N of Test Pit 3 [Wind]
- Agility Up II, III, IV, V
- Agility Down II, III, IV, V
- S of Test Pit 2 [Fire]
- Strength Up II, III, IV, V
- Bind Resist II, III, IV, V
- S at Glowmoss Lake [Water]
- HP Up II, III, IV, V
- Poison Defence II, III, IV, V
- First deposit ESE of Central Terminal [Electric]
- Ether Up II, III, IV, V
- Electric Plus II, III, IV, V
- S of Test Pit 4 [Ice]
- Ether Def Up II, III, IV, V
- Blaze Defence II, III, IV, V
- Second deposit ESE of Central Terminal [Fire]
- Strength Up II, III, IV, V
- Strength Down II, III, IV, V
- Weapon Power II, III, IV, V
- Aggro Up II, III, IV, V
- E of Test Pit 4 [Ice]
- Ether Def Up II, III, IV, V
- Blaze Defence II, III, IV, V
- Auto-Atk Stealth II, III, IV, V
- Arts Stealth II, III, IV, V
- S of Personnel Lift 2 [Water]
- HP Up II
- Paralysis Resist II
- SW of Central Pit - Entrance [Wind]
- B1F NE crystal deposit [Fire]
- B1F N crystal deposit [Electric]
- SSE of Regulation Piston [Earth]
- Attack Stability II
- Bleed Defence II
- B2F E-most crystal deposit [Electric]
- Ether Up II
- Phys Def Down II
- B2F N-most crystal deposit [Earth]
- Muscle Up II
- Ether Down II
- B2F NW crystal deposit [Ice]
- Ether Def Up II
- Ether Protect II
- B2F W-most crystal deposit [Fire]
- Strength Up II
- Revival HP Up II
- NNW of Personnel Lift 3 [Wind]
- Agility Up II
- Quick Step II
- B3F N-most crystal deposit [Ice]
- Ether Def Up II
- Bind II
Enemies
Normal Minor Enemies
- Colony Lizard
- Colony Upa
- Drunk Vang
- Junk Krabble
- M32 Transport Unit
- M42 Scout Unit (Ether Mine)
- Materia Krabble
- Mechon M32X (normal)
- Mechon M53X (normal)
- Mechon M55 (normal)
- Mechon M64X (Ether Mine)
- Mechon M67 (normal)
- Mechon M82 (Ether Mine)
- Rock Krabble
Story Exclusive Enemies
- Mechon M32X (story)
- Mechon M42 (Ether Mine)
- Mechon M53X (story)
- Mechon M55 (story)
- Mechon M67 (story)
- Mechon M84
Unique Enemies
Boss
Heart-to-Hearts
- "A Broken Watch"
- Shulk and Sharla - Cloudy Affinity
- "A Wistful Glow"
- Reyn and Sharla - Heart Affinity
Alternate Map
