Free-to-play Mining training
This guide describes the most effective free-to-play methods to train the Mining skill. Mining is a gathering skill which typically involves collecting ores (and occasionally geodes) from different types of rocks, often found in groups in mines. A pickaxe is required when mining. Levelling up the Mining skill increases the chance of the player getting critical hits, which deal greater amounts of damage to rocks and so increase the rate of receiving ores and the larger experience drop that occurs alongside this. A higher Mining level gives chances of receiving double ores from certain types of rock; and increases the frequency of rockertunities, which also grant extra damage when used. As players level up they are also able to use better pickaxes. To gain the best experience rates possible players are strongly recommended to use the highest level pickaxe available to them and use rockertunities whenever available.
The experience rate estimates in this guide assume that the best possible pickaxe is being used for the stated Mining level and do not incorporate the use of any experience boosting items or bonus experience. They also assume that players do not bank the ores that they obtain, as this would reduce xp/hr, although whether it is worth it to bank the ore would depend on the market, proximity, and preferences.
Players using the Evolution of Combat mode can drop ores by adding the ore to their action bar and pressing the associated keybind to drop the ore. As opposed to dropping items directly from the inventory using their right-click drop option, dropping ores via the action bar does not interrupt mining. Players who do wish to keep the ores that they mine could make use of the ore box, and expansions to its capacity to decrease the frequency of trips to the bank.
Pickaxes[edit | edit source]
Higher level pickaxes deal greater amounts of damage to rocks and so increase the rate of receiving ores and the larger experience drop that occurs alongside this. Pickaxes may be used from the player's inventory or tool belt or whilst being equipped.
Level required | Pickaxe | Average damage done to rock |
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1 | ![]() |
5 |
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5 | |
10 | ![]() |
10 |
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11 | |
20 | ![]() |
20 |
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21 | |
30 | ![]() |
30 |
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31 | |
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32 | |
40 | ![]() |
40 |
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41 | |
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42 | |
50 | ![]() |
50 |
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51 | |
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52 | |
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53 |
Urns[edit | edit source]
Urns can be used to gain additional Mining experience while training. When held in the inventory, urns are filled as the player mines ore. Only base experience gains counts towards filling the urn. Full urns can be teleported away to receive additional experience, equivalent to 20% of the Mining experience gained while filling the urn. Only one urn is filled at a time, though players may own up to a total of 10 full urns. If a player owns 10 full mining urns they must teleport at least 1 away before they can fill more urns. Urns are only tradeable in their (nr), non-runed, forms. In order to use a mining urn the player must add an earth rune to it, this makes the urn untradeable.
Image | Name | Crafting level required to add rune | GE price of non-runed urn | Charges gained from | Type of ore | Experience required to fill | Experience gained from teleporting |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Cracked mining urn | 1 | 2,580 | Ores available at level 1 | Clay Copper ore Tin ore Rune essence |
437.5 | 87.5 |
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Fragile mining urn | 17 | 1,467 | Ores up to and including level 20 | The above, plus: Iron ore Limestone Blurite ore Coal Silver ore Daeyalt ore |
1,000 | 200 |
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Plain mining urn | 32 | 2,200 | Ores up to and including level 50 | The above, plus: Mithril ore Pure essence Sandstone Adamantite ore Luminite ore Gold ore |
1,625 | 325 |
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Strong mining urn | 48 | 3,869 | Ores up to and including level 70 | The above, plus: Granite Runite ore Orichalcite ore Drakolith ore Necrite ore Phasmatite ore |
2,000 | 400 |
Magic notepaper[edit | edit source]
Instead of dropping ores or sacrificing experience rates to bank them, players may opt to use magic notepaper to instantly note ores in their inventories. This will result in less profit per ore than regular banking, but will allow for optimal experience rates to be maintained. Each ore noted will use up 1 magic notepaper, so subtract the current Grand Exchange price of the notepaper (391) from the price of the ore you are mining to find out the current profit per ore.
Gemstone golem outfits[edit | edit source]
The gemstone golem outfits offer benefits to mining that increase experience rates when a complete set is worn. While they are currently not obtainable in the free game, non-members could previously obtain them through various means and may still use them if owned. For players who own one of the regular outfits, the following bonus applies when worn:
- +5% critical hit chance.
For players who own the magic golem outfit, the following additional benefit applies when worn:
Summary[edit | edit source]
See here to calculate how many ores will be obtained during training. The following figures do not include boosts nor urns.
Levels | Method | Experience per hour |
---|---|---|
1-10 | Copper/tin | 5,000 |
10-20 | Iron | 15,000 |
20-30 | Coal | 25,000 |
30-40 | Mithril | 40,000 |
40-50 | Adamantite/Luminite | 45,000 |
50-99 | Runite | 60,000 |
Any | Shooting Star | 75,000 |
Levels 1-10: Copper/Tin[edit | edit source]
Players should begin by mining copper rocks and/or tin rocks. The Ashdale mine contains two rocks of each type close together as well as a nearby furnace for storage. Players can continually mine from the same rock, but should switch to rocks with rockertunities when these spawn. Using a Dwarven army axe will speed up experience rates, as it grants an extra 3 xp per strike as well as a chance at giving an additional 17 xp if an uncut lapis lazuli is found.
With level 1-10 Mining players should gain an experience rate equivalent to around 5,000 experience an hour, and should achieve level 10 Mining after around 10 minutes.
If they want to keep the ore, they can store it in the metal bank by going a short distance south and using the "Deposit-All" option on the furnace, forge or anvil, which puts all ores in the inventory or in the ore box into the metal bank.
Levels 10-20: Iron[edit | edit source]
At level 10 players can start mining from iron rocks; these can be found in the South-west Lumbridge swamp mining site and South-west Varrock mining site. Players should gain around 15,000 experience an hour at these levels.
At level 15 players unlock Energetic Mining, which allows the player to deal increased damage per swing to rocks while mining by actively clicking the rock. See Mining#Stamina for more information.
This guide assumes that from level 15 onwards the player is maintaining a moderate level of activity; players who maintain 100% stamina may be able to gain higher experience rates.
Levels 20-30: Coal[edit | edit source]
From level 20-30 Mining players should mine coal rocks, which can be found in several mines, with Gunnarsgrunn mine having very fast access of the metal bank. At these levels players should be able to gain around 25,000 experience an hour.
Levels 30-40: Mithril[edit | edit source]
With level 30 Mining players can begin mining mithril rocks for around 40,000 experience an hour. Mithril rocks can be found at the Varrock south-west mine and Varrock south-east mine.
Dwarven Mine resource dungeon requires 15 Dungeoneering, but is the best site as the mithril rocks are extremely close to a bank deposit box (one rock is so close you can deposit ore without moving).
Levels 40-50: Adamantite/Luminite[edit | edit source]
At level 40 players may choose to mine adamantite rocks or luminite rocks; both of which give around 45,000 experience an hour.
Luminite rocks are located in two mines in the Dwarven mines. Mining Guild resource dungeon requires 45 Dungeoneering and 60 Mining. Dwarven luminite mine is right outside of Dwarven Mine resource dungeon and thus you can make use of the same deposit box as before, so it is recommended.
Adamantite rocks can be found at the Rimmington mining site and South-east Varrock mining site.
Levels 50-99+: Runite[edit | edit source]
Runite rocks can be mined with at least level 50 Mining. The rocks can be mined in the South and North Crandor mining sites, and in the Mining Guild (requires 60 Mining). This gives around 60,000 experience an hour, at level 50 Mining. Players can take advantage of a rune ore box, which can be purchased from the Grand Exchange or created with level 50 Smithing. These allow you to store between 120-140 runite ore, allowing for less frequent banking.
Shooting Star[edit | edit source]
Shooting Stars are a Distraction and Diversion which spawn randomly throughout the world. They yield very high rates of experience. They are the best experience source for high levelled mining players. Locating a Shooting Star could happen randomly, but more likely a player might be notified through a friend or their clan that a shooting star has appeared at a particular location on a certain world. In addition to the mining experience, once the star has been completely destroyed, the player has the opportunity to trade their Stardust to the Star Sprite to receive valuable rewards and a 15 minute +25% ore boost to any rocks mined. Locating a size 9 Shooting Star by themselves, a player will take nearly 30 minutes to completely destroy the rock.
Money making using the Mining skill[edit | edit source]
Mining clay[edit | edit source]
Level required | Experience per hour | Profit per hour | Details of method |
---|---|---|---|
None | 4,200 ![]() |
1,347,360 | Money making guide/Mining clay |
Mining iron ore[edit | edit source]
Level required | Experience per hour | Profit per hour | Details of method |
---|---|---|---|
15 ![]() 15 ![]() |
33,600 ![]() |
2,203,014 | Money making guide/Mining iron ore |
Mining adamantite ore[edit | edit source]
Level required | Experience per hour | Profit per hour | Details of method |
---|---|---|---|
40+ ![]() |
45,000 ![]() |
1,299,972 | Money making guide/Mining adamantite ore |
Mining luminite ore[edit | edit source]
Level required | Experience per hour | Profit per hour | Details of method |
---|---|---|---|
40+ ![]() 15 ![]() |
57,000 ![]() |
2,594,984 | Money making guide/Mining luminite |
Mining runite ore[edit | edit source]
Level required | Experience per hour | Profit per hour | Details of method |
---|---|---|---|
50+ ![]() |
60,000 ![]() |
2,212,010 | Money making guide/Mining runite ore |
Quests for Mining Experience[edit | edit source]
Quest | Members | Experience reward |
Mining requirement |
Other requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
What's Mine is Yours | ![]() |
1,000 | - |
|
Total | 1,000 |
Free-to-play guides | |
Members' guides |