Resources are important in Battle Mines. Each tile mines a certain resource, although this resource can be changed through terraforming. All buildings require some type or multiple types of resources to create, and these resources are the things that are required for warfare and most activities in the game. Each tile mines a base material, which can in turn be refined into a refined material. Four base materials can substitute for one refined material for purposes of construction. There are five different materials in this game that players can mine.

Coal (COAL) is the most abundant resource in the game, and is generally considered the least valuable. Twice as much coal is mined for each mine possessed during production, when compared to bauxite, pig iron, and sand. Despite its abundance, it is a vital material to possess, as coal is required for most activities in the game. It costs one coal to fire a single cannon or ICBM, and it requires one coal to build or scrap a building. Land movement requires five coal. This material is popular with all styles of game play, as coal is so omnipresent in the various aspects of the game.

Coal miners must take extra care with respect to pollution due to overflow. They produce twice as much as other miners, and at times it may be difficult trade away excess coal before it overflows during rainy and stormy weather.

Coal refines to Diamond (DMND). Diamonds are unusual among the resources, in that you cannot substitute the base material for it. It consumes eight coal for a coal miner to refine a single diamond. Diamonds are also unusual in that they are not destroyed when used as ammunition in combat. Instead, the target will acquire any Diamonds fired. Diamonds are important for the construction of several items, and is necessary for Diamond Drills (DDRLs) as well as the ever prized Hull Upgrades. Diamonds are also necessary to use the TL15 ability, Omniscience.

Total Buildings Requiring Diamonds: 9

Basic Buildings: Academy, Windmill

Advanced Buildings: Office Tower, Solar Panel

Seats of Power: Bank, Reichstag/Whitehouse, Reinforced Bunker, Statue

Powersinks: Borehole

Bauxite (BXT) is a vital material to anyone new to the game or trying to rebuild from the ground up. It is generally required for structures of a 'peaceful' nature. This resource is favored by Builders, or anyone actively trying to rebuild from a lot of damage.

Bauxite refines to Aluminum (ALU), or Aluminium for our British English speakers. Four bauxite can substitute for one aluminum during construction. Aluminum is required for some items, such as Aid (AID) and diamond drills (DDRL), as well as Hull Upgrades. It is also required in order to change between Industrial settings.

Total Buildings Requiring Aluminum: 16

Basic Buildings: Cellar, Customs House, Embassy, Mine, Refinery, Warehouse, Windmill

Advanced Buildings: Dome, Factory, Reactor

Seats of Power: Bank, Downtown, Statue

Powersinks: Borehole, Fridge, Purifier

Pig Iron (PIRN) is another material important early in the game and during the rebuilding process. This material is required for a lot of the more warlike buildings. If bauxite is the basic resource of choice for the Builder, then pig iron is the equivalent from the perspective of the Battler.

Pig Iron refines to Steel (STEEL). Four pig iron can substitute for one steel during construction. Steel is required for some items, such as Aid and ICBMs, as well as Hull Upgrades. It is also required to change between Industrial settings.

Total Buildings Requiring Steel: 17

Basic Buildings: Bunker, Cannon, Church/Mosque/Temple, Dock, Embassy, Mine, Refinery

Advanced Buildings: Factory, Telescope

Seats of Power: Castle, Launchpad, Reichstag/Whitehouse, Reinforced Bunker, Statue

Powersinks: Borehole, Landmine, Radar

Sand (SAND) is one of the most popular resources in the game. It is necessary for all of the information gaining options in the game. This resource is favored by many players with an eye for preparation. It is especially favored by those of the Communism government, who can gain additional information from their spies. Originally, this resource was also capable of being used to build Warehouses, but due to sand's versatility, this was changed, leaving aluminum as the reigning champion when it came to storage options.

Sand refines to Glass (GLASS). Four sand can substitute for one glass during construction or when dispatching spies. Glass is necessary to dispatch or upgrade spies. It is also used in the construction of Palantirs. Because glass is such a valuable resource, sand tiles have some disadvantages that other resources do not. Glass tiles are arid, and without an adjacent sea tile or rainy weather, glass miners suffer penalties to Food growth chances. Additionally, in windy weather, sand is blown away to adjacent tiles (although Theocrats seem to be immune to this effect). Glass buildings are also fragile. Domes are destroyed immediately when involved in any combat, greenhouses are three times more likely to be destroyed in combat than any other building, and any building made with 50% or more glass is destroyed without any scrap during land movement.

Total Buildings Requiring Glass: 17

Basic Buildings: Academy, Customs House, Greenhouse, Refinery

Advanced Buildings: Dome, Factory, Office Tower, Solar Panel, Telescope

Seats of Power: Bank, Downtown, Reichstag/Whitehouse, Supercomputer, World Trade Center

Powersinks: Fridge, Purifier, Radar

Uranium Ore (URO) is the most valuable of all the resources, and also the most rare. URO is mined at a considerably slower rate than all of the other materials. Of all the base materials, URO causes the most damage in combat. It can also be used to add Fuel to a Reactor, which can perform many of the tasks usually requiring coal. This material is a favorite among Battlers for the damage it can cause, although Builders often find it useful as well, for purposes of intimidation and for its high value on the Black Market. Originally, this resource could also be used in the mass production of cannons, but this was deemed to make URO too powerful, and this option has long since been removed from the game.

Uranium Ore refines to Enriched Uranium (EUR). Four URO can substitute for one EUR during construction. EUR is the most damaging resource available during combat, and causes Fallout when it hits. It is also used in the construction of ICBMs, and sells for a decent amount on the Black Market. It takes one EUR to move in addition to five coal, unless a Borehole has been built. Because of the advantages that URO and EUR give, miners of this resource operate under more restrictions than any other miners. Although URO miners are immune to the effects of pollution, these tiles are radioactive, and hence have a far lower chance of Food growth and Tree production than those of the other resources. Their immunity to pollution is also lost if a Borehole is built, causing their already low base rate of production to be further reduced.

Total Buildings Requiring Enriched Uranium: 7

Basic Buildings: Academy

Advanced Buildings: Reactor

Seats of Power: Launchpad, Supercomputer

Powersinks: Landmine, Purifier, Radar