Matter Manipulator

Upgraded Matter Manipulators: vanilla => Morphite Manipulator => Quantum Manipulator => Precursor Manipulator => Master Manipulator

Matter Manipulator (MM) is a vanilla tool that can mine blocks. It can be upgraded with Manipulator Modules that you randomly find in chests, etc. See https://starbounder.org/Matter_Manipulator for details.

Changes in FU

While the basic MM can be somewhat slow, Frackin' Universe includes a number of alternate mining tools, most importantly Mining Laser (which becomes ridiculously fast after several relatively cheap upgrades).

Furthermore, in FU all Pickaxes are craftable (and very affordable to craft). Apex players start with a slightly better Matter Manipulator (it mines 3x3 area instead of 2x2). Hylotl players can mine liquids from the very start (other players can obtain this ability by upgrading their MM).

Later in the game you can replace your Matter Manipulator with Morphite Manipulator and other (even better) manipulators. You can also replace its Scan mode with Protocite Scanning Tool.

Once you get to Penumbrite tier, you will be able to craft Manipulator Modules yourself.

Configuring Matter Manipulator

By selecting your Personal Tricorder and doing Shift+right click, you can temporarily reduce the mining area (for example, if your MM can mine 5x5 area, you can choose 2x2 when working on some delicate building - to not accidentally mine the blocks you don't want to). You can revert this at any time.

Temporary tools

Matter Manipulator can paint blocks (in several predefined colors) and do wiring, but it must be upgraded to do so.

In the early game you might want to craft Paint Brush and Mechanic's Wrench to save Manipulator Modules.

Mining tools (they remove blocks from the ground, and then give these blocks to you)
Direct well-controlled mining	Matter Manipulator (and its upgrades: Morphite, Quantum, Precursor, Master) Pickaxe (and its variant Drill)
Very fast erratic mining	Mining Laser
Explosives that mine blocks (without losing the blocks)	Crude Bomb · Powder Keg · Throwing Dynamite · Blasting Dynamite · C4 Plastic Explosive
Long-distance mining tools	Quarry · Blastcap Launcher · Matter Staff · Boom Cannon
Ore detectors	Precision Ore Detector · Multi-ore Detector · Cave Detector · Ore Drone I · Ore Drone II · Ore Drone III · Mining Drone
Mech arms for mining	Mining Cannons (I, II, III), mech Drills (Iron, Tungsten, Zerchesium, Diamond, Densinium)