Mining might not get top billing in Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Star Wars or the Marvel universe, but take a closer look and some of pop culture’s biggest stories depend on what can be found beneath the surface.

Westeros has dragonglass. Superman has kryptonite. Starfleet needs dilithium. Mandalorians value beskar. Wakanda was transformed by vibranium. On Pandora, humans are willing to travel across space for unobtanium.

None of these materials exist quite as they’re portrayed on screen, but the idea behind them is surprisingly familiar.

Throughout human history, access to minerals and other natural resources has shaped technology, infrastructure, economies and entire communities. The materials may be different in the real world, but finding a valuable resource is still only the beginning.

Dragonglass: When Fantasy Meets Geology

In fiction: In Game of Thrones, dragonglass is a rare material capable of killing White Walkers.

In reality: This one isn’t entirely fictional. Dragonglass is essentially obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when certain types of lava cool rapidly.

Obsidian has been used by humans for thousands of years, particularly for cutting tools and weapons because it can fracture into extremely sharp edges.

It is a good reminder that people have been identifying, extracting and finding uses for naturally occurring materials long before modern mining existed.

Kryptonite: When a Mineral’s Properties Matter

In fiction: Kryptonite comes from Superman’s home planet of Krypton and is famous for having one particularly unusual property: it weakens Superman.

In reality: We haven’t discovered anything with quite that effect, but the concept of a mineral being valuable because of its unique properties is very real.

Hardness, density, conductivity, magnetism, heat resistance and chemical composition can all influence how a mineral or metal is used. Copper’s conductivity makes it invaluable to electrical systems. Iron is fundamental to steel production. Lithium has become increasingly important for rechargeable batteries. Nickel contributes strength and corrosion resistance to many alloys.

The value isn’t simply in finding something underground, it comes from understanding what that material can do.

Dilithium: Resources Behind New Technology

In fiction: Star Trek uses dilithium crystals to help regulate the matter-antimatter reactions that make warp travel possible.

In reality: Actual lithium isn’t getting us to another galaxy anytime soon, but it does play an important role in technologies we increasingly rely on here on Earth.

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in phones, laptops, electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The connection is an interesting one because technological advancement frequently changes which natural resources are most important. As technologies evolve, demand for particular minerals can evolve with them. Starfleet has dilithium. We have a growing list of critical minerals.

Beskar: Strength Has Value

In fiction: In the Star Wars universe, beskar is a rare metal associated with Mandalore. Its incredible strength and resistance to damage make it one of the galaxy’s most valuable materials.

In reality: The same principle applies to many real metals.

Different metals and alloys are selected because they offer particular combinations of strength, weight, durability, corrosion resistance, conductivity or temperature tolerance. From bridges and buildings to aircraft, machinery and industrial equipment, material selection matters.

We may not be trying to manufacture armour that can withstand a lightsaber, but engineers make decisions based on material properties every day.

Vibranium: The Power of a Strategic Resource

In fiction: Wakanda’s enormous vibranium deposit helps drive the technological development we see in Black Panther.

In reality: One mineral deposit isn’t likely to produce Wakanda, but the idea that natural resources can have significant economic and strategic importance is very real.

Iron ore, copper, nickel, lithium, cobalt, potash, rare earth elements and many other resources support industries and technologies around the world.

Their importance also changes over time. Materials that once had relatively specialized applications can become strategically important as new technologies emerge. A mineral deposit can create opportunity, but realizing that opportunity requires far more than simply knowing the resource is there.

Unobtanium: Finding It Is Only the Beginning

In fiction: In Avatar, humans travel to Pandora to extract unobtanium, an extremely valuable mineral found in a place that is anything but easy to access.

In reality: This might actually be one of the more relatable mining concepts on the list.

Many mineral deposits are located in remote or challenging environments. Developing them can require roads, power, processing facilities, transportation infrastructure and enormous amounts of engineering before meaningful production can begin. Once ore is extracted, it may need to be crushed, screened, sorted, processed, stored and transported through multiple stages before becoming a usable product.

Finding a resource is a major accomplishment, but oving and processing millions of tonnes of material safely and efficiently is another challenge entirely.

The Real Story Behind the Fiction

Pop culture exaggerates what minerals can do, but it gets one fundamental idea right: materials matter. Civilizations in these fictional worlds depend on access to resources because those resources make other things possible, and so do we.

Modern transportation, communications, construction, energy infrastructure, manufacturing and technology all begin somewhere with raw materials. The mining industry has also become increasingly sophisticated in how those materials are extracted and processed. Modern operations use automation, advanced sensing, ore sorting, improved processing technologies and highly engineered material handling systems to improve efficiency and make better use of the resources being recovered.

For companies like BID Canada, this is where mining becomes a material handling challenge. Conveyors, chutes, feeders, bins, hoppers and other bulk material handling equipment help move material through the different stages of an operation. Every project brings different material characteristics, capacities, layouts, environments and operating requirements, which means the equipment moving the material has to be designed around the application.

We haven’t been asked to design a conveyor for vibranium, beskar or unobtanium yet, but if someone finds a deposit, we’d certainly like to hear about it!

Until then, we’ll stick with the materials being mined here on Earth.