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Mining
Skill Overview
Mining is a free-to-play skill that allows players to gather ores and gems from mining rocks. Ores can then be smelted into bars and smithed into equipment with the smithing skill.
Useful Items
The only equipment required for mining is the best pickaxe that you can use at your level. At level 1, this would be an iron pickaxe. You can then switch to a steel pickaxe at level 6, mithril pickaxe at level 21, adamant pickaxe at 31, and finally the rune pickaxe at 41. There is no need to switch to the black pickaxe at level 11, because it is no better than a steel pickaxe. If you are doing a method that requires banking your ores, you should have no items equipped to conserve your run energy.
Skill Locations
- South-east Lumbridge swamp (Copper/Tin)
- South-east of Varrock (Copper/Tin)
- Dwarven Mine (Iron)
- Al Kharid (Iron)
- Mining Guild (Iron, coal, mithril, adamantite)
- Wilderness (Runite)
Low Level Methods
Starting out (Levels 1-15)
The best thing to do at level 1 mining is to complete Doric’s Quest, which will grant you 1,300 mining experience and instantly level you up to level 10 mining. You will then mine copper and tin south-east of Lumbridge swamp or south-east of Varrock until level 15. After hitting 15 mining, you will begin mining iron.
Fast Training Methods
Powermining Iron (15-99)
Powermining iron is the fastest free-to-play mining method. It is recommended that you mine at the Al Kharid mine, where there are three iron rocks which allow you to mine them continually without moving. But lower level players should be careful, as there are scorpions that will attack you if your combat level is below 28. You will drop any ores that you mine here, which means that you will be making no profit.
Profitable Methods
Mining Runite (85+ Mining)
At level 85 mining, you can mine runite ore. Because of the high price of runite ore, this can be quite profitable. For this method you will mine the runite ore, then hop to another world, mine another, and repeat. However, because free-to-play has a limited amount of worlds, this will also limit the amount of profit you can make per hour.
Mining Gold (40+ Mining)
You can begin mining gold at level 40 mining. Gold can be mined at Al Kharid mine (bank in Al Kharid) or in the Dwarven Mine (bank at Falador east bank). Both of these spots only have 2 gold rocks, so you will have to hop worlds. Other free-to-play spots are too far from a bank to be viable.
Alternative Methods
Mining Coal/Mithril (60+ Mining)
For a decent balance of experience and profit, you can mine both coal and mithril ores at the Mining Guild (60 mining required to enter). The Mining Guild is located down the ladders south of the Falador east bank. You can bank your ores at Falador east bank.
Doric’s Quest (1,300 mining experience)
Quests for XP
You can begin mining gold at level 40 mining. Gold can be mined at Al Kharid mine (bank in Al Kharid) or in the Dwarven Mine (bank at Falador east bank). Both of these spots only have 2 gold rocks, so you will have to hop worlds. Other free-to-play spots are too far from a bank to be viable.
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