Were the Cold Sun tribes always guardians? When did Tharashk start major shard mining operations?

I have some Q’barra timeline questions
1. . Were the Cold Sun tribes always guardians? Or did that only start with Masvirik’s freedom?
2. When did Tharashk start major shard mining operations? Is this a recent development (4 yrs) or is this older? "During the long uprising, the lizardfolk of ancient
Q’barra aided the couatl in their struggle. Toward
the end of that war, the couatl planted a seed in the
collective unconscious of their lizardfolk allies to
ensure that they would always remember the horrors
of the past…"

— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) January 17, 2020

So as to #1: The Masvirik’Uala have been guided by their dreams since the Age of Demons.

— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) January 17, 2020

Thanks! The point I was confused by is the trothlorsvek section, which in the last paragraph states that the “pulse of radiant energy…woke ancient memories in the lizardfolk” with the creation of the dawn shards If you think of the lizardfolk dreams as a program, the pulse essentially activated a subroutine. They were already prepared; it just highlighted the threat that needed to be dealt with.

— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) January 17, 2020