Lego Power Miners
Lego Power Miners was a product range – or "theme" – of the construction toy Lego. It was influenced by the previous 1999 Lego Rock Raiders line. Power Miners is based beneath the surface of the Lego World, wherein a team of 'Power Miners' investigate the cause of a series of severe earthquakes and discover both Rock Monsters and Energy Crystals. The theme was released originally in 2009. It was a theme introduced in 2009 and discontinued in 2010.
Story
The Power Miners are sent underground by the government to investigate a series of earthquakes occurring in the Southwest Region of the U.S that have destroyed several cities on the surface of the Lego World. While underground, they discover the Energy Crystals and the Rock Monsters. They attempt to collect and mine the crystals in order to stop the monsters from consuming them and causing the earthquakes on the surface. However, a bigger threat emerges in the form of The Crystal King, the undisputed ruler of all Rock Monsters underground has awoken from his years of sleep.In January 2010, Power Miners were brought back to life in the new sub-theme Power Miners: Core of the Underworld. The plot, based on the November 2009 comic, shows the Power Miners fighting the Crystal King with the Titanuim Command Rig, but they accidentally break through the cave floor and fall into the inner core of the earth, where they also find the Lava Monsters: Firax, Combustix, Infernox, and Eruptorr. To keep themselves from boiling from the hot climate, Brains creates heat-protection silver suits, and designs a large base known as the set "Lavatraz." Their new vehicles involve usually water cannons, to put out the lava and Lava Monsters. Therefore, the color scheme changed from lime green and orange to lime green, grey and blue. The Energy Crystals also change into Lava Crystals, which is what the Lava Monsters eat.
Characters
Miners
2009
Doc is the leader of the group, and is determined to discover what hides underground. He has also been on other adventures. Brains is the team scientist. He is fascinated by the rock monsters and would like to capture a Rock Monster to take to the surface for study. Rex is the engineer who builds the Power Miners vehicles, while Duke is a veteran miner who has dug for precious minerals around the world. The other miners are Duke's assistant miners and the engineer. While underground, they discover strange energy crystals and the Rock Monsters, the source of the earthquakes. So far, they have a total of 12 vehicles to fight the Rock Monsters with. They have a large base and a mobile drilling rig Most of the vehicles are equipped with giant drills and elaborate gear mechanisms.2010
In 2010, the miners were fighting the crystal King with the Titanium Command Rig when the expedition opened an entrance into the inner core of the Earth. Brains then created new heat-protection silver suits to protect themselves from boiling. Rex also designed three new vehicles all equipped with utensils to stop the Lava Monsters. A new base was designed by Brains and built by Rex called "Lavatraz," a portmanteau on the words lava and Alcatraz, a famous prison located near San Francisco. Note: The 2009 Power Miners vehicles were built mostly for mining, while the 2010 vehicles are built for capturing lava monsters.- Rex
Appearances:
– Claw Digger, Crystal Crawler, Rock Wrecker, Underground Mining Station, Rubble Rescue Rover, Fire Blaster
- Brains
Appearances:
– Mine Mech, Cave Cutter, Crystal Sweeper, Crystal Crawler, Titanium Command Rig, Rock Watchman, Blast Roller, Claw Catcher, Deep Sea Raider
- Duke
Appearances:
– Thunder Driller, Aero Shredder, Titanium Command Rig, Rock Watchman, Blast Roller, Lavatraz, Cave Crusher
- Doc
Appearances:
– Thunder Driller, Aero Shredder, Titanium Command Rig, Rock Watchman, Blast Roller, Lavatraz
- Engineer
Appearances:
– Crystal Sweeper, Crystal Crawler, Cave Crusher, Boulder Blaster, Magma Mech, Crystal King
- Miner
Appearances:
Granite Grinder, Aero Shredder, Cargo Crusher, Crystal King, Underground Mining Station, Rubble Rescue Rover
- Collier
Appearances:
Rock Hacker, Stone Chopper, Cave Cutter, Underground Mining Station, Rubble Rescue Rover
Rock Monsters
The Rock Monsters are the enemies of the miners. They appear in all the sets from the Power Miners series. They are made of different colored rock and crystals. There are five different kinds of Rock Monster. The rock monsters are Meltrox, Boulderax, Glaciator, Sulfurix, Firox, Geolix, Tremorox and RockRage. They are shown to have some primitive technology, like monster launchers. The Rock Monsters eat crystals, which give them power. If a rock monster eats a different colored crystal to what it is it will burp and break wind.In 2010, the Power Miners found out more about the Rock Monsters. The rock monsters are creatures that formed in the core and crust of the earth over thousands of years. They then traveled into the mantle of the lego world. The first of the monsters was the Sulfurix, who had begun gathering the energy crystals to gain power and tunnel to the world above. Brains also found out that the monsters were made of Rock and Kinetic energy trapped in rock form. The crystals gave them the power to grow in size, and release the energy from the crystals in any way they wanted to, explaining their powers. Some Sulfurix grew from crystals into the Geolix, also making the powers more severe. Finally, after thousands of years, a Geolix had turned into RockRage, the massive Crystal King. He then created the other four types of monsters. This is also the theory for the Tremerox. Soon, when the Rock Monsters planned to tunnel to the top of the surface, they would take it over using the power of the crystals.
- Meltrox
Appearances: – Stone Chopper, Cave Cutter, Crystal Sweeper, Crystal Crawler
- Boulderax
Appearances: – Mine Mech, Cave Cutter
- Glaciator
Appearances: – Granite Grinder, Aero Shredder, Cargo Crusher, Crystal Sweeper, Crystal Crawler, Boulder Blaster, Titanium Command Rig, Rock Watchman, Blast Roller
- Sulfurix
Appearances: – Monster Launcher, Claw Digger, Crystal Crawler
- Firox
Appearances: – Thunder Driller, Aero Shredder
- Geolix
Appearances: – Rock Wrecker, Underground Mining Station, Rubble Rescue Rover
- Tremorox
Appearances: – Cave Crusher, Titanium Command Rig, Rock Watchman, Blast Roller
- Crystal King
Appearances: – Crystal King
Lava/Magma Monsters
The lava monsters are the new antagonists of the 2010 Power Miners line. They have to be fought with water instead of dynamite and other tools and live in the molten Lava chambers of the Earth which are deeper than the rock monsters.The lava monsters are really rock monsters that were heated up badly when the monster race was beginning. A Sulfurix was heated in the magma chambers to create Combustix. Later, a Firax was created when a Firox fell in boiling lava. The same happened to Meltrox to create Infernox. The Lava Monsters then ate lava crystals that were made of lava and kinetic energy trapped in igneous rock formation. The monsters were made of the same material. Just like their cousins, the monsters release a form of energy once eating a crystal, in ways involving lava and volcanic eruption. A Firax once later grew in size to the powerful Eruptorr, who ruled the monsters. The Lava Monsters hate their Rock Monster cousins and wish to take over the LEGO world before them.
The Miners built Lavatraz, a large base designed to hold the monsters until destruction, along with water gun protection. Brains read more about the monsters and crystals and discovered the only way to defeat them was to put them out with water. Four vehicles were then created to capture the Lava Monsters and crystals and bring them back to base where they'd be destroyed. The monsters were then imprisoned in Lavatraz, where a crane would pick up a monster and dump them in a large tank filled with liquid nitrogen. This would completely destroy both for good.
- Combustix
Appearances: – Fire Blaster
- Firax
Appearances: – Magma Mech, Lavatraz
- Infernox
Appearances: – Claw Catcher
- Eruptorr
Appearances: – Lavatraz
Set Information
Below is a list of Power Miners sets. All of the sets have a lime-green and orange color scheme, and the Power Miners themselves have blue and gray uniforms. The first two promotional sets were released in Dec. 2008, but later in the year a few of the first wave sets were available at Toys "R" Us stores. Finally, in Jan. 2009, the entire first wave was released. A second batch of sets was released in May 2009 and a third wave of sets in August 2009. All four new sets of 2010 were released in January 2010 to Europe, while sets 8190 and 8191 were not released to America until August 2010.Sometimes in different sets, the Miners appear different from the way they usually look but most of the time they appear the same.
Reference | Name | Released | Minifigures | Pieces | Vehicle | Notes |
8907 | Rock Hacker | 2008 | Collier | 29 | Limited Promotional Release | |
8908 | Monster Launcher | 2008 | a Sulfurix | 12 | Limited promotional release | |
8956 | Stone Chopper | 2009 | Collier a Meltrox | 31 | No1 | |
8957 | Mine Mech | 2009 | Brains, a Boulderax | 67 | No2 | |
8958 | Granite Grinder | 2009 | miner, a Glaciator | 97 | No3 | |
8959 | Claw Digger | 2009 | Rex, a Sulfurix | 197 | No4 | |
8960 | Thunder Driller | 2009 | Doc, Duke, a Firox | 235 | No5 | |
8961 | Crystal Sweeper | 2009 | Engineer, Brains, a Glaciator, a Meltrox | 474 | No6 | |
8707 | Boulder Blaster | 2009 | Engineer, a Glaciator | 293 | No7 | Limited Edition |
8962 | Crystal King | 2009 | miner, Engineer | 168 | ||
8963 | Rock Wrecker | 2009 | Rex, a Geolix | 225 | No8 | |
8708 | Cave Crusher | 2009 | Engineer, Duke, a Tremorox | 259 | No9 | Special Edition |
8964 | Titanium Command Rig | 2009 | Brains, Doc, Duke, a Glaciator, a Tremorox | 706 | No10 | |
8709 | Underground Mining Station | 2009 | Rex, Miner Collier a Geolix | 637 | No11 | Limited Edition |
8188 | Fire Blaster | 2010 | Rex , a Combustix | 67 | No12 | |
8189 | Magma Mech | 2010 | Engineer , a Firax | 183 | No14 | |
8190 | Claw Catcher | 2010 | Brains , an Infernox | 259 | No15 | |
8191 | Lavatraz | 2010 | Doc , Duke , a Firax, an Eruptorr | 381 | No16 |
Combo Models
Instructions for three combo models were provided by the official Lego website followed by 4 models made from pieces of specific set:Stone Chopper + Mine Mech = Cave Cutter
Granite Grinder + Thunder Driller = Aero Shredder
Claw Digger + Crystal Sweeper = Crystal Crawler
Pieces of the Underground Mining Station = Rubble Rescue Rover
Pieces of the Titanium Command Rig = Rock Watchman
Pieces of the Titanium Command Rig = Blast Roller
Pieces of the Granite Grinder = Cargo Crusher
The Cave Cutter is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Stone Chopper and the Mine Mech. It has 98 pieces. It has a giant blade at the front and two on the sides. It also includes 2 sharp sickles on the sides for walking. In the middle there is a stick of dynamite. At the back it has a rollcage with a light and a wheel with tough treads.
The Aero Shredder is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Granite Grinder and the Thunder Driller. It has 329 pieces. The ground vehicle has tracks, a roll cage to, a dynamite launcher, a giant crusher wheel and a piece that connects to the aircraft. The aircraft has an engine on each of its wings and 1 on its back and two chains to connect it to the ground vehicle.
The Crystal Crawler is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Claw Digger and the Crystal Sweeper. It has 671 pieces. The Crystal Crawler has tread in the front and large spiky wheels at the back. It has seat and rollcage for two minifigures, a movable scoop in the front and an extendable loading bin at the rear.
The Rubble Rescue Rover is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Underground Mining Station. This set cannot do that much, except that it has a movable scoop at the front. There is a spot light in the back, along with four dynamite This sets purpose is to save the Power Miners When there is a rock fall or a rock monster attack. This set has 227 current pieces.
The Rock Watchman is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Titanium Command Rig. It has a crusher wheel at the front, a cage for a Glaciator which is held by a crane and a small cabin.
The Blast Roller has a giant crusher pipe at the front for squishing rocks and monsters. It has 2 tough wheels at the back, 2 sticks of dynamite and what looks like a 4-nozzle laser gun. It also has a cabin and a little platform for a miner to stand on.
The Cargo Crusher is a LEGO Power Miners set made from the pieces of the Granite Grinder. The Instructions for this set so far have only been found in New Zealand. This sets main function is a rotating drill that drags a Glaciator behind it. Glaciator is hooked up to a chain so he can't escape, and is well away from the blue crystal and dynamite.
Models
Sets 1–11 (2009)
#1- Stone ChopperThe Stone Chopper is the smallest Power Miners set with only 31 pieces. The set features a small motorbike with saws on the front and a crystal holder on the side. It also comes with a Meltrox rock monster and Collier. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 1
#2- Mine Mech
The Mine Mech is a small, walking robot with two arms. The arms have a saw blade and a claw for grabbing things. It was built by Brains. It also includes a Boulderax rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 2
#3- Granite Grinder
The Granite Grinder features a jackhammer on the front that moves back and forth when the vehicle moves, a removable bucket with dynamite in the back, and a cockpit. It comes with a miner and a Glaciator rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 3
#4- Claw Digger
The Claw Digger is much larger than the first three sets. It features two claws in the front that destroy rocks and rock monsters when activated. The set includes a Rex miner and a Sulfurix rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 4
#5- Thunder Driller
The Thunder Driller is a large rig that features a duel-direction drill on the front that turns when you move the vehicle's front wheels. It includes a Duke and Doc minifigure and a Firox rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 5
#6- Crystal Sweeper
The Crystal Sweeper is a large vehicle that has a sweeping turbine on the front controlled by the back wheels that sweeps up crystals and throws them into a bucket in the back. There are also two features on the sides of the cockpit. One- a laser crane piloted by Brains, and Two- an escape motorbike with crates next to it. Also included is a catapult for shooting rock monsters at vehicles. The set includes a Brains and miner minifigure, and a Glaciator and Meltrox rock monster. This Power Piner vehicle is no. 6
#7- Boulder Blaster
The Boulder Blaster is a limited edition set exclusive to Toys-R-Us. It is a vehicle that has a large, automatic dynamite shooter on the top. There are also tools in the back. The set includes a miner and a Glaciator rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 7
#8- Rock Wrecker
The Rock Wrecker is a vehicle with eight spinning saw blades on the front. In the back is a dynamite shooter and a net launcher. The set includes a Rex minifigure and a large Geolix rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 8
#9- Cave Crusher
The Cave Crusher is a large vehicle with two spinning saw blades in the front and a titanium catapult on the top. This vehicle also has a tendency to move like a snake. The set includes a Duke and miner minifigure and a large Tremorox rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 9
#10- Titanium Command Rig
The Titanium Command Rig is the largest Power Miners vehicle. It features a drill on the front, a dynamite launcher, a net launcher, a crane holding a cage, a zip line, and an air-conditioned cockpit. The main feature for the set is that you pull a pin in the middle which allows you to turn the command rig into a drilling tower. When you do this, a lab is revealed underneath, which has two chairs, computers, a place to put the cage that's included, and a crate with a banana. The set also includes a Doc, Duke, and Brains minifigure and a Glaciator and Tremorox rock monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 10
#11- Underground Mining Station
The Underground Mining Station is the Power Miners' mining base. It features two towers that are connected by a zip line and pipes. It also has a bucket that is transported up and down the zip line. The bucket carries crystals which are dumped down a chute and into the back of a bulldozer. It also has a dynamite shooter and includes two carrots. The set includes a bulldozer, three miner minifigures, and a large Geolix rock monster. The included Power Miner vehicle is no. 11
Sets 12–16 (2010)
#12- Fire BlasterThe Fire Blaster is the smallest of the 2010 Power Miners vehicles. Its weapons include a water blaster and dynamite shooter. It also includes Rex in a silver suit and a Combustix lava monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 12
#14- Magma Mech
The Magma Mech is similar to the mine mech but has 183 pieces and is much larger. On the Magma Mech's arms are a claw for grabbing lava monsters and a water jet/drill. It also includes a miner in a silver suit and a Firax lava monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 14
#15- Claw Catcher
The Claw Catcher features two clamping claws in the front that grab lava monsters and throw them into a water tank in the back of the vehicle. It includes Brains in a silver suit and an Infernox lava monster. This Power Miner vehicle is no. 15
#16- Lavatraz
Lavatraz is a high tech jail meant for holding lava monsters. Its features include a large claw crane, working vending machine, exploding rock face, a cage, a magma dozer, and a water blaster. The set also includes a Duke and Doc minifigure with silver suits, and a Firax and Eruptorr lava monster. The included Power Miner vehicle is no. 16
Similarities/Differences between Power Miners and Rock Raiders
One obvious element that was already present in the Rock Raiders theme was the occurrence of Rock Monsters and Energy Crystals in the story. However, in the Lego Power Miners, the Rock/Lava Monsters play a bigger role and are included in every set and each Rock/Lava Monster are all named characters with different personalities and traits.The Lego Power Miners and Lego Rock Raiders theme both have settings that take place underground and both themes have each team search for crystals, whilst trying to prevent the Rock/Lava Monsters from eating them. However the difference is while the crystals in Lego Rock Raiders were Energy Crystals with massive power in them, the Lego Power Miners crystals seem to be kinetic energy based instead. While Lego Power Miners collect their crystals for research purposes, the Rock Raiders collect them as fuel for their ship. Another difference between the themes is that the Crystals eaten by Rock Monsters in Power Miners make them release the kinetic energy, causing massive rumbles when underneath the surface.
The Power Miners are dressed in blue/gray clothing and their vehicles are green/orange and very large, similar to real-world mining equipment – a difference between this theme and Rock Raiders, which is more futuristic with more compact vehicles and grungier colors. Power Miners also implemented several features that only appeared in the planning stage of Rock Raiders, such as the concept of a mobile base and a common uniform for the miner minifigures.
Features
The rock monsters have a flip top head, revealing the crystal stored inside. Keyring variants of rock monsters sent with monthly Lego magazine subscriptions have a fixed metal screw eye through the top of the head, and do not open. The screw eye can not be removed. It rotates, but does not withdraw from the plastic. Although there is a method of removing the metal screw.Large monsters, such as Geolix, have a lever on their back that, when pressed/pushed, swings the left arm of the monster, which allows it to throw either rocks, crystals, or smaller monsters. Geolix and Tremorox all have studs on their backs for holding onto crystals. Unlike their smaller cousins, Large Rock Monsters cannot open their mouths. The largest of all monsters is the Crystal King, who is the boss of all monsters. He features a huge opening jaw, moveable limbs on ball joints, and fingers that can grab objects. He was last shown battling the power miners' titanium command rig when some of the power miners fell into the core of the earth, home of the lava monsters.