Lanayru Mining Facility

Lanayru Mining Facility is the third dungeon to appear in Skyward Sword. It is very unique among most dungeons in the Zelda franchise's history, being a technologically advanced facility run by robots and containing within it conveyor belts and frequent use of electricity in a world that is typically shown to be medieval-themed. The facility itself seems to be a refinery or a factory of some kind for Timeshift Stones.

Entrance to the Facility
The dungeon is located within Lanayru Desert, at first sunken beneath the large pool of sand in the east frontier of the ancient Temple of Time. It was the main industrial complex of an unnamed civilization or corporation that had died out. The dungeon is full of sand that has built up over time.

Link initially proceeds to the location of the Temple of Time, only to discover that the entrance is blocked. He then learns from an Ancient Robot that the Lanayru Mining Facility and the temple are connected underground. To unveil the facility, Link proceeds to activate three power nodes placed strategically in the areas close to its entrance. Two power nodes are located inside caches, and one is hidden behind a bombable statue. In the three cases, the nodes can only be activated when a Timeshift Stone is activated nearby, and to do so Link stabs at the center of each of them so he can proceed to rotate the pointer up to a certain angle. Each pointer has a symbol: a lightning bolt, a water droplet, and a flame. When all three nodes are activated, Link goes to the power generator that is in front of the facility's resting area, and proceeds to input its three pointers in an order that is indicated by the order of placement of the symbols, which in turn is based on the position of the original power nodes (this can be seen on the map, where the three symbols are shown). The facility is then revealed, and Link proceeds to enter.

Themes and Navigation
Compared to the previous dungeons in the game, and the majority of the dungeons in the Zelda franchise, Lanayru Mining Facility shows a significantly more advanced technology within. Neon lights and luminous platforms and stairs are only some examples. The facility also contains a large number of Timeshift Stones that were mined from the earth, as well as many ruined and disused systems that come to life when the Timeshift Stones are activated.

Inside the facility, the sand proves as difficult to navigate as outside, requiring plenty of stamina to dash across the various sand-filled rooms. Also found inside the facility's walls are a number of minecarts and conveyor systems that have fallen into disrepair. The use of Timeshift Stones allow Link to restore these systems to life and help him trigger switches in order to further proceed into the dungeon. However, Link must evade the rugged piles of unrefined minerals and electric barriers as he navigates the conveyor belts. Stamina fruits are occasionally dropped, allowing Link to continue running across the belts. The past also contains several mechanical sentries, powered by ancient and relatively unknown technology, which Link must defeat in order to proceed.

Large piles of softer sand frequently appears alongside the dangerous sinksand, and although they rarely impede movement (one of them blocks a door), the piles frequently hide switches, treasures, or enemies. Link must use the Gust Bellow to blow away the sand and reveal what it hides. Link will have to continue to activate Timeshift Stones and use the Gust Bellows as he travels deeper into the dungeon. Several mechanical platforms must be moved by using the Gust Bellows to make them move, and some switches are triggered in this fashion as well. Timeshift Stones on moving minecarts have to be used at some points, meaning the young hero must move quickly and precisely to ensure that tasks they need to do in the small past area are completed.

Interestingly, this dungeon doesn't have a mini-boss, and the boss doesn't directly guard any quest reward other than its Heart Container. Instead, after Link defeats it, he crosses a railroad that takes him to a scene at the Temple of Time where he has to protect Zelda and Impa from Ghirahim's reaches, and receives from his childhood friend the Goddess's Harp.

Trivia

 * The Lanayru Mining Facility is Eiji Aonuma's favorite dungeon in Skyward Sword.
 * The railroad leading to the Temple of Time is linked to the Facility via a turntable, which is located underneath the sand of the boss room. Surrounding the turntable are several closed tunnels, which could lead to other parts of the Lanayru area.