The Tiberian Rock Rat is a small cave-dwelling rodent which gnaws on rocks to acquire essential minerals needed for reproduction. The only known predator of the Tiberian Rock Rat is the Tiberian Mining Cow; who hunts the Rock Rat with great zeal,
conveniently digging through vast amounts of Tulaic ore in the process.

The Tiberian Mining Consortium uses Tiberian Mining cows as a symbiotic labor class in the collection, and production of Tulaic ore; which it sells exclusively to the Kodan Imperium at absurdly low prices. The Kodan Imperium uses the profits from Tulaic ore to fund technological research.

It should be noted that the Kodans are galactically renowned genetic engineers. Their particular genius made evident in such profitable and utilitarian constructs as the Tiberian Rock Rat, the Tiberian Mining Cow, and the ever popular Tiberian Mining Consortium Executive.