The five settlements, known as mine towns, were the only places on Mimban where humans resided. The Galactic Empire established and managed these towns, which were primarily inhabited by miners who operated the energy drill and other equipment to extract resources for the Empire.
To support its mining activities on Circarpous V, more commonly known as Mimban, the Galactic Empire needed accommodations for the numerous miners who would be using the energy drill and other machinery. Housing was also required for Stormtroopers and Imperial administrators. The five mining towns were constructed to fulfill this need. Because Imperial operations on Mimban were clandestine, the towns only catered to residents or the occasional migrant from another town. Strangers would be arrested.
The laws within the towns were loosely enforced. The Captain-Supervisor believed that miners needed to relieve stress regularly, so minor offenses like brawls were often overlooked. However, the use of deadly weapons or other serious crimes resulted in immediate arrest and punishment.
A long time before the Empire's arrival, an unknown civilization built gray stone ruins and temples across Mimban. This ancient race may have been related to the Thrella, the creators of the Thrella wells, but the Empire assumed they were extinct.
By 2 ABY, the Empire had determined that Mimban possessed valuable materials suitable for energy mining. Because energy mining was against the law on inhabited planets like Mimban, the Empire decided to conceal their activities from the rest of the Circarpous system, especially the populations of Circarpous IV and Circarpous X. To maintain this deception, the five mining towns were constructed, along with mining equipment such as the energy drill, designed to shut down if any starships approached within several planetary radii. Mimban's dense atmosphere provided additional cover, and electromagnetic interference from the energy drill would disable any starship entering the atmosphere.
Although the Empire established a small scientific outpost among the five towns, they showed little interest in the planet's history or inhabitants. The Coway avoided the mining towns, and the Mimbanites were quickly oppressed. In 2 ABY, Captain-Supervisor Grammel efficiently managed the five towns, earning a reputation for cruelty that kept the miners in line.
While traveling to a conference between the Alliance to Restore the Republic and Circarpous resistance groups, Princess Leia Organa experienced a malfunction in her Y-wing. She detected a landing beacon originating from the five towns and, mistakenly believing it was a small automated station or scientific outpost, she and her droid C-3PO diverted their course to land on Mimban. Luke Skywalker and R2-D2, flying alongside her in an X-wing, followed. Both ships were affected by the energy drill's electromagnetic discharge and crashed.
Pretending to be miners, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa were approached by Halla, a force-sensitive woman who sought their help in locating the legendary Kaiburr crystal. Before they could assist her, they were arrested and taken to Imperial headquarters. Captain-Supervisor Grammel quickly recognized their deception and imprisoned them. After learning their true identities from his superiors, Grammel was ordered to detain them until Darth Vader arrived. Princess Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker became friends with two Yuzzem prisoners, Hin and Kee, who helped them escape despite Grammel's efforts. Halla stole a swamp crawler, and the Rebels successfully fled the five mine towns with Grammel and Darth Vader in pursuit.
The population of the five towns primarily consisted of humans, including miners, other workers, and servants. A few non-human workers, such as Hin and Kee, were also present. Additionally, there was a population of Mimbanites, a species native to Mimban. They had been degraded by Imperial oppression, and many were addicted to alcohol, debasing themselves to obtain it from the miners. The other known sentient natives of Mimban, the Coway, completely avoided the towns.
The towns were constructed amidst ancient gray stone ruins. One of these ruins was repurposed to house the Imperial headquarters and prison, situated near one of the towns. From this location, the Captain-Supervisor could effectively manage mining operations. The towns also featured residences, shops, and taverns catering to the miners. A small scientific station was established in the towns to study the Mimban ruins.