Originally posted by seik: You are right - they mine less than the specific facilirties but therefor all 3 kinds of minerals.
And they are very expensive - but that's to be worthwhile!
Only marignally less. At Level III, Monoliths extract 900 of each resource. The resource-specific facilities extract 1000 of their resource.
If it can be afforded, Monoliths are the way to go -- the caveat being their expense, and as a result, also their comparatively lengthy build times.
One of my standards (in High-tech-start solo games) is, on a world with 10 facilities, 3 Monoliths, 3 Mineral extractors, a value improvement plant, a Shipyard, a planetary Robotoid Factory, and one other facility (as needed/warranted by the world and system in question). Larger than 10 facilities,a nd I'll expand to 5 each of the Monoliths and Mineral Extractors. 8)