Hi, in the HAWKEN Genesis graphic novel, Illal was terraformed long before the discovery of Cavorite. It was meant as a hub for industry and the three corporations were involved in very different areas. Sentium was into Transport and industrial machinery. Prosk was into household goods aimed at the everyday citizen and Crion were the experimental scientists into space travel, medical innovation and AI.
It was only after James Hawken discovered that Cavorite could be used to make metals weightless (and could be adapted to use with heavy loading, bipedal mech loaders) and Ryan Lazlo demonstrated this idea to the Prosk board of directors that it became such a valuable commodity. One worth spending vast amounts of scrip mining for and one worth creating powerful machines to fight over it. Hence the Cavorite Conflicts.
James Hawken then defected to Crion. (I wont say why in case you want to read it) He was experimenting with something very powerful in the Praxis Valley, Typhus facility and there was an accident that let loose the 'HAWKEN' virus. The virus slowly began to destroy the planet. Many people evacuated but soon a quarantine was placed that left people trapped. Cavorite was still very valuable so those that were left still fought over it. The Vitrolium war is a whole other story that happens after the HAWKEN virus hits Illal and it's all to do with Rat Poop :)
I hope that helps :)
Edited by Pastorius, 15 April 2015 - 10:42 AM.