Pay-to-play Mining training
This guide describes the most effective pay-to-play methods to train the Mining skill. Mining is a gathering skill which typically involves collecting ores from different types of ore rock; ore rocks are often found in groups at mining sites. Players can also occasionally obtain uncut gems and geodes while mining. 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 thereby increase the rate of receiving ores and larger experience drops. A higher Mining level gives chances of receiving double ores from certain types of rocks 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 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. Banking ores decreases the amount of experience players can gain per hour and, as most ores are not very valuable, is usually not worth the time taken. 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. Signs of the porter could also be used to send ores to the bank as they are mined.
Pickaxes[edit | edit source]
Higher level pickaxes deal greater amounts of damage to rocks and thereby increase the rate of receiving ores and larger experience drops. Pickaxes may be used from the player's inventory or tool belt or whilst being equipped. This guide assumes that the best possible pickaxe is being used.
Level required | Pickaxe | Average damage done to rock |
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1 | ![]() |
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 | |
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53 | |
60 | ![]() |
60 |
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61 | |
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62 | |
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63 | |
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63 | |
70 | ![]() |
70 |
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71 | |
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72 | |
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73 | |
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74 | |
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74 | |
80 | ![]() |
80 |
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81 | |
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82 | |
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83 | |
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84 | |
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84 | |
90 | ![]() |
90 |
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91 | |
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92 | |
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93 | |
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94 | |
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95 | |
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95 |
Augmented pickaxes[edit | edit source]
Players with at least level 22 Invention can discover how to augment pickaxes. This allows the player to create augmented dragon pickaxes, augmented crystal pickaxes, augmented Imcando pickaxes, and augmented pickaxes of Earth and Song by using augmentors on their regular pickaxe counterpart. At the same Invention level, players can discover how to make tool gizmos. A tool gizmo may be added to an augmented pickaxe to give it perks. The following perks may be useful to players training Mining:
Best perk combination (link to perk calculator) |
Best rank effect | |
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Honed 6 | Has a 12% chance of giving double ores. |
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Furnace 4 + Fortune 3 | Has a 20% chance of granting double experience, without any progress. Has a 1.5% chance to double and bank what you have gathered. |
Name | Effect | Number of ranks |
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Has a 5% chance per rank of granting double experience, without any progress. | 4 |
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Has a 2% chance per rank of giving double ores. | 6 |
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Has a 3% chance per rank to bank what you have gathered for the cost of 30 prayer points. | 6 |
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Has a 3% chance per rank of transmuting a gathered resource to a higher tier. | 4 |
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Increases the chance of finding a geode by 2% per rank. | 4 |
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When equipped, +1% per rank additional experience, up to 50,000 experience per day. | 4 |
Ancient invention | ||
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Has a 0.5% chance per rank on gathering skills and 0.1% chance per rank on production skills to double and bank what you have gathered or produced. | 3 |
To use an augmented pickaxe's perks, the player must have charges in their charge pack. Use of charges can be reduced by researching charge drain improvements or by adding the efficient perk to the item.
The Wise perk can also be put on an off-hand weapon or shield, and it will give the bonus experience regardless, enabling players to have two useful perks on their pickaxe in combination with their skilling outfit.
Other useful equipment[edit | edit source]
Ore box[edit | edit source]
Ore boxes are items that store metal ores. They can store up to 140 of each ore when fully upgraded. Only one ore box can be used at a time.
The ore box can be added to the action bar, and clicking it there allows filling of the box without interrupting mining.
Magic notepaper[edit | edit source]
Magic notepaper can be used to convert an item and any other identical items into Notes, allowing them to stack. Doing so will consume 1 magic notepaper per item in the process. This can be used to store large amounts of ores while one is mining without the need to deposit their ores into an anvil or any other sources. The GE price of a piece of Magic notepaper is 399, which is cheaper than the cost-per-charge of signs of the porter. It is therefore recommended to be used for most ores, if the player does not mind needing to manually use the notepaper on the ore type to be noted. The price of the various ores may be checked on the ores page.
Varrock armour[edit | edit source]
Different tiers of Varrock armour are awarded on completion of the easy, medium, hard, and elite sets of Varrock achievements. Varrock armour is a body slot item. While mining with the armour equipped, players have a chance of mining two ores at the same time and receiving Mining experience for both of them. Higher tiers of the armour grant this effect at rocks which have a higher Mining level requirement to mine, in addition to having the effects of the lower tier verions.
Players who have started the Dimension of Disaster quest can complete the easy New Varrock Achievements set to gain access to the armour's benefits without having it equipped. Completion of the medium set doubles the effects of the Varrock armour.
Item | Ore rocks affected | Effect | Effect with New Varrock medium tasks |
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Copper, Tin, Iron, Coal | 4% | 8% |
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Mithril, Adamantite, Luminite | 3% | 6% |
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Runite, Orichalcite, Drakolith, Necrite, Phasmatite | 2% | 4% |
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Banite, Light animica, Dark animica | 1% | 2% |
Golden mining suit[edit | edit source]
Wearing pieces of the golden mining suit increases base experience gained while training Mining. Items from the set can be found when mining at the Lava Flow Mine. Players need to deal 65,000 mining damage to the crust to disturb a liquid gold nymph who can be spoken to in order to gain a part of the golden mining suit.
If a player has Varrock armour as well as all of the pieces of the golden mining suit, then players will receive the effects of the Varrock armour while wearing a complete golden mining suit.
Image | Name | Experience boost |
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Golden mining helmet | 1% |
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Golden mining top | 1% |
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Golden mining gloves | 1% |
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Golden mining trousers | 1% |
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Golden mining boots | 1% |
Set bonus | 1% | |
Total experience boost | 6% |
Golem outfits[edit | edit source]
Parts of golem outfits can be collected from Treasure Hunter or through collecting gemstone golem fragments (which requires level 70 Mining) and combining these with the Invention skill at level 20 Invention and level 80 Mining. The sapphire golem outfit, emerald golem outfit and ruby golem outfit consist of head slot, body slot, leg slot, hand slot and feet slot items. When wearing a complete version of any of these three outfits, players gain the following bonuses:
- 5% increased critical hit chance.
- If a player owns a complete golden mining suit, they will receive its 6% increased base experience effect while wearing a golem outfit.
- If a player owns Varrock armour, they will receive its chance of receiving two ores at once effect while wearing golem outfit.
Players who have all pieces of the sapphire golem outfit, emerald golem outfit, and ruby golem outfit can combine these outfits' components to form the magic golem outfit. This outfit gives superior benefits to those given by the other golem outfits. In addition to those mentioned above, players gain the following bonuses from wearing a magic golem outfit:
- Adds x1 multiplier on rockertunities, making the base multiplier x5 instead of x4.
- Living rock creatures in the Living Rock Caverns will not be aggressive towards players.
Tagga's corehammer[edit | edit source]
Tagga's corehammer is a skilling offhand for Mining that requires level 80 Mining to use. It is smithed with level 80 Smithing from a Croesus sporehammer, which can be obtained as a rare drop from Croesus.
When equipped in the off-hand slot, Tagga's corehammer grants a +10% increase to critical strike chance and adds +35 damage to critical strikes when Mining. When mining Core ores, it also grants a chance to receive Deathspore arrow tips when obtaining ore, which are used to fletch Deathspore arrows with level 95 Fletching. The chance to receive arrow tips and the quantity received is increased by mining higher level rocks. The quantity of arrow tips received is also increased by ore yield multipliers such as stone spirits.
Signs of the porter[edit | edit source]
Various tiers of untradeable signs of the porter can be crafted through the divination skill out of necklaces and divine energy. Players who have completed the Memorial to Guthix may also craft signs of the porter from memory shards granted from the perks of that activity. While equipped, signs of the porter will automatically teleport most types of ore directly to the player's metal bank at the cost of charges. If using stone spirits, an active sign of the porter will transport both mined ores at the cost of a single charge. Depending on the player's divination level they have access to porters that cost between 2,214.6 and 767.48 per charge, while holding between five and fifty charges per sign. High level players may acquire a grace of the elves necklace which can be filled with up to 500 sign of the porter charges, or up to 2,000 if the player has consumed the Dark Facet of Grace.
Mining cape[edit | edit source]
The mining cape may be purchased by players who have achieved level 99 Mining. When equipped, the cape gives a 5% chance of receiving double ores on core rocks, and being awarded bonus experience equal to the level requirement for mining that type of rock. Players who own a max cape, completionist cape, or trimmed completionist cape may use the mining cape on one of these capes to give it the mining cape's perk.
Starfury outfits[edit | edit source]
Parts of starfury outfits could be made by combining starfire outfit pieces with starborn diamonds, available from Treasure Hunter between the 9 September and 14 September 2015. When wearing starfury outfit pieces players have a 1% extra critical hit chance per piece of the armour equipped (excluding the cape) while mining Seren stones. The benefits of the corresponding pieces of the golden mining suit also apply if they are owned.
Brooch of the Gods[edit | edit source]
The Brooch of the Gods is worn in the pocket slot. It can store up to 1000 decorated mining urns and has the mining-specific benefit of increasing rockertunity multiplier by 1. A divine blessing can also spawn while mining, granting invention components.
Summoning familiars[edit | edit source]
There are five Summoning familiars available which add a boost to the damage dealt per swing while mining when they are summoned.
Familiar | GE cost of pouch | Summoning level required | Damage boost | Familiar duration (minutes) |
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Desert wyrm | 831 | 18 | 1 | 16 |
Void ravager | 12,099 | 34 | 1 | 32 |
Obsidian golem | 3,693 | 73 | 7 | 64 |
Gargoyle (familiar) | 69,512 | 75 | 12 | 64 |
Lava titan | 10,137 | 83 | 10 | 64 |
The special move of the Gargoyle, Hammer Rock also allows your next mining swing to deal 50% more damage. However, use of Binding contract (gargoyle) is not recommended due to their higher cost compared to a Lava titan pouch. On average, the gargoyle only provides a tiny amount of damage more than the Lava titan (about 1.5 extra dark or light animica per hour).
Waterfiend (familiar)[edit | edit source]
The waterfiend is a summoning familiar that grants a 5% chance while training gathering skills (including Mining) to duplicate the gained resource and store it within itself. The familiar can carry up to 20 generated items.
Waterfiend scroll (Straight Flush) allows you to teleport all items stored within the familiar's inventory to your bank at the cost of 6 Special move points.
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 one 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 |
GP/XP (Including rune) |
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Cracked mining urn | 2 | 2,580 | Ores available at level 1 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
437.5 | 87.5 | 29.78 |
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Fragile mining urn | 17 | 1,467 | Ores up to and including level 20 | The above, plus:, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
1,000 | 200 | 7.47 |
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Plain mining urn | 32 | 2,200 | Ores up to and including level 50 | The above, plus:, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
1,625 | 325 | 6.85 |
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Strong mining urn | 48 | 3,869 | Ores up to and including level 70 | The above, plus:, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2,000 | 400 | 9.74 |
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Decorated mining urn | 78 | 7,804 | Ores up to and including level 98 | The above, plus:, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
3,125 | 625 | 12.53 |
Urn enhancer[edit | edit source]
Players who have at least level 24 Invention and who have completed Nomad's Elegy can discover how to make an urn enhancer. When in the player’s inventory the urn enhancer grants 25% additional experience for teleporting a full urn. This effect costs 20 charges from the player’s charge pack. Assuming the player purchases divine charges from the Grand Exchange, it would cost 454.76 to use the urn enhancer when teleporting an urn. A high-level miner may gain 200,000 base experience per hour. If using urns, they gain 40,000 "base" xp / hour from urns, plus an additional 10,000 xp / hour from the effect of an urn.
Mining accumulators[edit | edit source]
Mining accumulators can be created by players with at least level 50 Invention, for 25 dwarven currency if the player has chosen a technology tree. They can also be bought from the Grand Exchange for 63,939 each. When held in the player’s inventory a Mining accumulator gains 1% charge each time that the player has a critical hit while mining. The accumulator can then be studied to gain experience. 2,500 Mining experience is gained from studying a fully charged Mining accumulator. If Mining accumulators are bought on the Grand Exchange, this gives them a cost of 25.58 coins/XP.
Rock-crushing scrimshaw[edit | edit source]
Rock-crushing scrimshaws can be activated to give the player an increased critical hit chance. Rock-crushing scrimshaws can be activated and deactivated at will, providing that a 10 second cooldown has passed. The inferior rock-crushing scrimshaw gives a 2% increased critical hit chance and requires level 70 Mining to use. The inferior scrimshaw is tradeable, costing 758,765, and lasts for three hours. The superior rock-crushing scrimshaw gives a 3% increased critical hit chance and requires level 80 Mining to use. The superior scrimshaw lasts for four hours but it is untradeable. Players who have level 85 Fletching can unlock the ability to make superior rock-crushing scrimshaws by gathering all four fragments of the rock-crushing scroll in the Player-owned port minigame. The superior scrimshaw can then be crafted from four ancient bones.
Juju potions[edit | edit source]
Juju mining potion adds a 10% chance to gain a stone spirit of the type of ore mined. Perfect juju mining potion and Perfect plus potion have the same effect, and also completely fill the mining stamina bar when a stone spirit is consumed.
Powerburst of opportunity[edit | edit source]
The powerburst of opportunity is a powerburst potion that, for the next 15 seconds after use, doubles the effect of rockertunities. This means that the rockertunity damage multiplier is doubled. Powerburst potions have a cooldown of two minutes.
Torstol incense sticks[edit | edit source]
Each potency level of torstol incense sticks provides a 0.5% increase to base XP gain. The potency level will increase every 10 minutes and will reach its maximum at level 4 (+2% to base XP). Overloading consumes 6 sticks but instantly provides the maximum potency.
Auras[edit | edit source]
Quarrymaster auras increase a player's critical hit chance while they are activated. These auras' effects last for one hour after they are activated. Players may use five or ten vis wax to extend the quarrymaster aura's activation time by 50% or 100% (costing 101,660 or 203,320). This effect must be applied before the aura is activated. Once a quarrymaster aura has been used the player must wait three hours before using it again. Quarrymaster auras can be bought using Membership loyalty points. All lower tiers of the aura must be owned before a higher tier aura can be purchased.
Tier | Critical hit chance boost | Loyalty point cost | |||
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Individual | Cumulative | ||||
1 | ![]() |
Quarrymaster | 2% | 5,000 | 5,000 |
2 | ![]() |
Greater quarrymaster | 4% | 14,000 | 19,000 |
3 | ![]() |
Master quarrymaster | 6% | 33,500 | 52,500 |
4 | ![]() |
Supreme quarrymaster | 8% | 58,500 | 111,000 |
5 | ![]() |
Legendary quarrymaster | 10% | 119,000 | 230,000 |
Resourceful aura gives the following mining benefits:
- +2% geode chance when mining.
- 10% chance to give an additional red/crystal-flecked sandstone which does not contribute towards the daily limit.
Skillchompas[edit | edit source]
Skillchompas are items that can be used from the player's inventory while mining. While mining skillchompas give additional damage on critical hits, but are consumed in the process. The Player-owned farm perk "If Chins Could Skill", activated by having one/two small pens with a totem and at least one elder chinchompa, will cause skillchompas to not be consumed 3%/5% of the time.
Image | Name | Mining level required | Bonus critical hit damage | GE price per skillchompa |
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Cobalt skillchompa | 31 | 30 | 1,305 |
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Viridian skillchompa | 41 | 40 | 1,277 |
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Azure skillchompa | 51 | 50 | 1,380 |
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Crimson skillchompa | 61 | 60 | 2,264 |
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Crystal skillchompa | 71 | 70 | 3,294 |
Crystallise and Light Form[edit | edit source]
Access to Seren spells and prayers, which can be found in the ancient magicks and ancient curses spell and prayer books, is unlocked upon completing The Light Within quest. Level 75 Mining is required for completion of the Plague's End quest, which is one of the requirements needed to complete The Light Within. Crystallise requires level 88 Magic and six water, six fire, six chaos and six soul runes to cast.
Crystallise can be cast on a rock to increase the Mining experience gained from it by 20%, while preventing the player from gaining any progress or ore. Crystallise may be cast on a rockertunity rock before it is mined and will stack with the rockertunity effect. Crystallise lasts for 30 seconds after it has been cast; it is not possible to cast Crystallise again until the effect has worn off. If a crystallised rock is being mined only by the player who cast Crystallise on it then it will not deplete until Crystallise's effect wears off.
With at least level 80 Prayer players can use the Light Form prayer, which enhances the effects of Seren-aligned spells while it is activated, to further increase additional Mining experience gained from a crystallised ore rock to 40%. Players will need to consume around 53 doses of prayer potion per hour, with level 99 Prayer, to maintain the prayer points required to keep Light Form activated. Use of prayer renewal potions can help to regain some prayer points. Wearing a Grace of the elves will reduce the prayer drain rate of Light Form by 50%, reducing the amount of prayer potion doses required.
When training Mining using Crystallise players can cast the spell up to 120 times an hour, costing 1,960,560 in runes. This cost can be reduced by using staves to provide some of the required runes.
Crystallise can only be cast on core rocks: copper, tin, iron, mithril, adamantite, luminite, runite, orichalcite, drakolith, necrite, phasmatite, banite ore rocks, light animica and dark animica.
Stone spirits[edit | edit source]
Stone spirits double every ore mined, in exchange for one stone spirit of the ores type. No additional experience is awarded for the extra ore.
When combined with a sign of the porter, one spirit is consumed, one porter charge is consumed, and two ores are banked.
Stone spirit | GE price | Ore GE price | Profit per spirit | GP/hr increase[1] |
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443 | 247 | −196 | −79.35% |
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878 | 279 | −599 | −214.7% |
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15 | 1,270 | 1,255 | 98.82% |
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15 | 307 | 292 | 95.11% |
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92 | 482 | 390 | 80.91% |
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643 | 899 | 256 | 28.48% |
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132 | 546 | 414 | 75.82% |
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40 | 1,651 | 1,611 | 97.58% |
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1,192 | 2,110 | 918 | 43.51% |
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452 | 2,321 | 1,869 | 80.53% |
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163 | 2,058 | 1,895 | 92.08% |
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198 | 3,300 | 3,102 | 94% |
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252 | 3,864 | 3,612 | 93.48% |
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252 | 3,245 | 2,993 | 92.23% |
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324 | 3,486 | 3,162 | 90.71% |
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758 | 4,746 | 3,988 | 84.03% |
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531 | 4,734 | 4,203 | 88.78% |
Luck Enhancers[edit | edit source]
By default, all base ores from level 60 have a 1% chance of awarding a metamorphic geode in place of an igneous geode whilst mining. Luck enhancers increase the odds of receiving a metamorphic geode. Wearing a charged Amulet of glory increases the chance of finding geodes by 1%.
Luck Tier | Increase | Total Chance |
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1 | +0.5% | 1.5% |
2 | +1% | 2% |
3 | +1.5% | 2.5% |
4 | +2% | 3% |
Strength Enhancing Potions[edit | edit source]
As 1/10 of the player's Strength level is added to the player's progress gains, stat boosting potions that increase Strength can increase the efficiency that you mine.
Potion | Boost |
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Strength potion | 1 + 8% |
Super strength potion | 2 + 12% |
Grand strength potion | 2 + 14% |
Extreme strength
Overload variants |
3 + 15% |
Supreme strength potion
Supreme overload potion variants |
4 + 16% |
Dragon battleaxe[edit | edit source]
Players can opt to use the Dragon battleaxe in Legacy Combat Mode and use the special attack for 100% special attack energy which will boost the player's strength level by up to 19 levels, which will increase damage dealt to rocks. Legacy combat mode is used to avoid needing to have adrenaline to use the special attack, as special attack energy regenerates passively.
Alternatively, if the Persistent Rage relic is active, then Legacy combat mode is not required to replenish adrenaline passively, permitting the use of the Action Bar which is disabled in Legacy combat mode.
Relic powers[edit | edit source]
Players with level 117 Archaeology can activate the Inspire Effort relic power at the mysterious monolith for a 2% experience increase to Mining.
Asciatops Perk[edit | edit source]
The asciatops perk from Anachronia Dinosaur Farm increases critical hit chance while mining by 3% (Tier 1) and 6% (Tier 2). Requires 110 Farming.
Scimitops Perk[edit | edit source]
The scimitops perk from Anachronia Dinosaur Farm increases the chance of finding a geode while mining by 1% (Tier 1) and 2% (Tier 2). Requires 104 Farming.
Pontifex Rings[edit | edit source]
The Pontifex observation ring acts as a Tier 1 luck item and decreases the spawn time of rockertunities from 35 seconds to 25 seconds. The ring can be upgraded to the Pontifex shadow ring, and further upgraded to the Enriched pontifex shadow ring, giving Tier 2 and Tier 3 luck respectively. The enriched ring also further increases the spawn rate of rockertunities, though its exact mechanics are unknown.
Ring of Whispers[edit | edit source]
The Ring of Whispers gives +3 Mining damage per swing when worn.
Methods[edit | edit source]
Summary[edit | edit source]
See here to calculate how many ores will be obtained during training.
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 |
50-60 | Runite | 60,000 |
60-70 | Orichalcite/Drakolith | 70,000 |
70-80 | Phasmatite/Necrite | 85,000 |
80-90 | Banite | 110,000 |
89-97 | Corrupted ore | 180,000 |
90-97 | Light/Dark animica | 160,000 |
97-99+ | Alaea crablets | 190,000 |
Levels 1-10: Copper/Tin[edit | edit source]
Players should begin by mining copper ore rocks and/or tin ore rocks. Mines containing these rocks include the Lumbridge Swamp training mining site, Burthorpe mine, and the South-east Varrock mining site. Players can continually mine from the same rock, but should switch to rocks with rockertunities when these spawn. 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.
Levels 10-20: Iron[edit | edit source]
At level 10 players can start mining from iron ore rocks; these can be found in the South-west Lumbridge swamp mining site, South-west Varrock mining site, and Piscatoris mining site. Players should gain around 15,000 experience an hour at these levels. At level 15 players unlock the "energetic mining" mining mechanic which allows the player to deal increased damage per swing to rocks while mining, if they are actively paying attention. A player's activity level/stamina is indicated by coloured sparks around the rock being mined.
Players who are fully AFK gain no bonus, and will have no visible sparks. Those who maintain full stamina, by clicking a rock every swing (4 ticks/2.4 seconds), will gain 25% additional damage per swing. This is indicated by green sparks. Players who are paying a moderate amount of attention, and maintaining between 1-99% stamina gain 12.5% additional damage, which is indicated by white sparks. 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 high experience rates.
Levels 20-30: Coal[edit | edit source]
From level 20-30 Mining players should mine coal rocks. The South-west Lumbridge swamp mining site, Falador mining site, and Barbarian Village mining site contain coal rocks. 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 ore rocks for around 40,000 experience an hour; however, it is ideal to start at level 31 for the doubled critical chance. Mithril ore rocks can be found at the South-east Varrock mining site, South-west Varrock mining site, and Karamja Volcano mine.
Levels 40-50: Adamantite/Luminite[edit | edit source]
At level 40 players may choose to mine adamantite ore rocks or luminite rocks. However, it is ideal to start at level 45 for the doubled critical chance. Both ores give around 45,000 experience an hour. Luminite rocks are located at the Battlefield mining site, Dwarven Mine, Anachronia western ruin mine and the Mining Guild resource dungeon. Adamantite ore rocks can be found at the Rimmington mining site, Anachronia western ruin mine and South-east Varrock mining site.
Levels 50-60: Runite[edit | edit source]
Runite ore rocks can be mined with at least level 50 Mining, however it is ideal to start at level 56 for the doubled critical chance. The rocks can be mined in the Mining Guild, Fight Arena mining site and South and North Crandor mining sites. This gives around 60,000 experience an hour.
Levels 60-75: Orichalcite/Drakolith[edit | edit source]
From levels 60-70 Mining players may mine either orichalcite rocks or drakolith rocks; however, it is ideal to start at level 64 for the doubled critical chance. Orichalcite ore rocks may only be found in the Mining Guild, South-western Wilderness mining site and Anachronia canyon mine. Drakolith rocks can be found at the Karamja mining site, Heroes' Guild mine, Mining Guild resource dungeon, Wilderness level 14/15 just east of the wilderness lodestone and Al Kharid mining site resource dungeon. By mining either type of rock the player will gain around 70,000 experience an hour.
Levels 75-81: Phasmatite/Necrite[edit | edit source]
At level 70 players can mine either phasmatite rocks or necrite rocks. However, it is ideal to start at level 75 for the doubled critical chance, which gives around 85,000 - 95,000 experience an hour. Necrite rocks can be found in the Uzer mining site, Wilderness (LVL 39) Hobgoblin Mine and Al Kharid mining site resource dungeon; phasmatite rocks are located South of Port Phasmatys, in the Abandoned Mine and Dwarven Mine hidden mine (Hard Daemonheim tasks required).
Levels 81-89: Banite[edit | edit source]
From level 80-90 players can mine banite ore for around 90,000-120,000 experience an hour; however, it is ideal to start at level 81 for the doubled critical chance. It can be mined from the Glacor Cave after Ritual of the Mahjarrat, from the Abomination Cave after Hero's Welcome, or from the Jatizso dungeon elite mine after completing the elite Fremennik achievements. Hallvar in the last location can note banite ore, which makes this the most convenient place to gather banite in large quantities. For players with a Dungeoneering skillcape, the Brimhaven metal dragons teleport can be used to quickly access the Abomination Cave mine. Without meeting any of these requirements, banite ore can be mined west of Trollweiss Mountain at the Arctic (azure) habitat mine, or at the Wilderness (Level 54) Pirates' Hideout mine west of the mage arena and east of the Wilderness Agility Course. The Pirates' Hideout mine is next to a metal bank, so this location is convenient for players willing to brave the wilderness.
Levels 89-97: Corrupted ore[edit | edit source]
Starting at level 89, players who have completed Plague's End can mine corrupted ore for 130,000-200,000 experience an hour. Corrupted ore is mined from Seren stones in the Trahaearn Clan's district of Prifddinas. Although corrupted ore is not a core rock and thus is ineligible for rockertunities or leveling bonuses, it has a 1.2 experience multiplier. This means that it will generally grant better experience per hour than banite or animica, which have multipliers of 0.82 and 0.84, respectively. Corrupted ore also stacks, which makes it an excellent choice for AFK mining. Corrupted ore is untradeable, but can be smelted for fairly quick Smithing experience.
Levels 90-97: Light/Dark animica[edit | edit source]
From level 90-97, players can mine either light or dark animica rocks. Players with level 96 Mining and the Elder rune pickaxe + 5 using Decorated mining urns can expect between 110,000-120,000 experience per hour, or around 90,000-110,000 experience per hour without urns. This jumps to around 160,000 experience per hour with level 99 Mining. However, it is ideal to start at level 91 for the doubled critical chance. Light animica rocks can be found in the Anachronia south-west mine, the Lletya mining site, and at the entrance to the Smoke Dungeon. Dark animica rocks are found in the Anachronia Swamp mine and in The Empty Throne Room. Additionally, during the Trahaearn Voice of Seren, rocks in the Trahaearn mines (excluding gem rocks) can randomly harmonize into a mixture of light and dark animica, potentially creating better arrangements for rockertunities, and giving 20% extra ores. Players can join the Friends Chat 'Harmed Ore' to find optimal arrangements of light or dark rocks during the Trahaearn Voice of Seren hour.
Levels 97-99+: Alaea crablets[edit | edit source]
At level 97 Mining players can begin mining alaea crablets. Alaea crablets are a rare Mining resource that can be found randomly on Uncharted Isles. Uncharted Isles can be explored from The Arc region, which requires completion of the Impressing the Locals quest to access. Completion of the Flag Fall miniquest, which allows the player to claim an uncharted isle and return to it, is also recommended to hunt alaea crablets effectively. To find alaea crablets, the player must first gain some chimes from skilling in The Arc so that they can purchase the supplies required to voyage to Uncharted Isles. Supplies can be purchased from Rosie. When the player finds an Uncharted Isle inhabited by colonies of alaea crablets then they can claim the island using a claim island flag. Once an uncharted isle is claimed the player may return to it for the price of three supplies per voyage: five supplies per day can be claimed for free from the box next to Rosie. Up to three colonies of alaea crablets may be present on an Uncharted Isle, if the player opts to go on a long voyage.
Alaea crablets can be mined at level 97 Mining and yield alaea sea salt. Each day the player may mine for around 35 minutes at each colony of alaea crablets, gaining around 90,000 experience per colony before it is depleted. The daily cap resets at 00:00 UTC. When selling the alaea sea salt gained from mining alaea crablets players can expect to gain enough chimes to cover the cost of purchasing supplies to go on additional long voyages to find more alaea crablets and thus mine from them indefinitely. Purchasing the supplies cost reductions and commodity sell price increases unlocks from the Waiko Reward Shop, in addition to having a claimed island with as many alaea crablet colonies as possible, will further increase the viability of searching for crablets to mine continuously. At level 99 mining alaea crablets gives an experience rate of around 190,000 Mining experience an hour.
The experience from mining alaea crablets can further be bolstered by completing contracts given by Sojobo on Waiko or via a contract contact on an uncharted isle. Players may complete up to three contracts daily, and may purchase upgrades from Boni for a maximum of seven daily contracts. Doing contracts, however, requires chimes to be able to re-roll contracts until satisfactory alaea crablet ones are assigned.
Alternative methods of gaining experience[edit | edit source]
Quests[edit | edit source]
Wilderness Warbands[edit | edit source]
Wilderness Warbands is a dangerous Distraction and Diversion that takes place in the Wilderness. The aim of the Distraction and Diversion is to infiltrate a camp occupied by god-following NPCs and loot supplies, which can then be exchanged with Quercus for experience. Players can gain Mining experience if they obtain and hand in mining supplies. Players can gain between 49.5 at level 1, and 4,851.5 at level 99, Mining experience per supply that they exchange. Players can loot up to 25 mining supplies while playing Wilderness Warbands, which grant between 1,237.5 and 121,287.5 Mining experience in total when given to Quercus. Players can calculate the exact amount of experience that they will receive, based on their Mining level and the number of supplies obtained, using the calculator on the Wilderness Warbands article.
Wilderness Warbands takes place every seven hours. The Distraction and Diversion begins with a camp appearing in the Wilderness in one of three possible locations. A server-wide announcement will notify players of the camp's location when it spawns. Players can also find out the camp's location by talking to Quercus, who is located north-west of the Varrock Grand Exchange. Players must travel to the camp, avoid the sentries posted around its perimeter and sabotage the camp's god's beam, which is found in the centre of the camp. Successfully sabotaging the beam will result in NPCs allied to the invading players teleporting to the area to fight the NPCs guarding the camp. Players can also intervene in the fight if they wish. After all enemy NPCs have been killed, players can loot the tents in the camp to gain supplies. Each Wilderness Warband has three tents which contain supplies that grant experience in three of five possible skills (Mining, Farming, Construction, Herblore and Smithing). Players may loot up to 25 supplies from tents in the camp. Players may gain additional supplies by killing other players and taking any supplies that defeated players may have looted, as supplies are dropped upon death. Participating in looting tents will skull the player and cause them to become attackable by any other player, regardless of combat levels. Players cannot teleport out of the Wilderness while they have supplies in their inventory, and logging out while inside the Wilderness causes all supplies to be destroyed. Therefore, players must escape from the Wilderness by running out of the area. To avoid being killed by other players while participating in Wilderness Warbands players are advised to join one of the dedicated friends chats for the Distraction and Diversion.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
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09:00 UTC | 13:00 UTC | 10:00 UTC | 07:00 UTC | 11:00 UTC | 08:00 UTC | 12:00 UTC |
16:00 UTC | 20:00 UTC | 17:00 UTC | 14:00 UTC | 18:00 UTC | 15:00 UTC | 19:00 UTC |
23:00 UTC | N/A | N/A | 21:00 UTC | N/A | 22:00 UTC | N/A |
Cabbage Facepunch Bonanza[edit | edit source]
Cabbage Facepunch Bonanza is an instanced minigame which can be played to gain renown points that can be exchanged for bonus experience in Mining. There are no requirements to play the minigame and players cannot bring any items into it. After learning how the game works and how to maximise points gained players can expect an average of 170 renown points per game depending on luck and other players. If a player is able to gain 170 renown per game, with each game lasting approximately 12 and a half minutes, 816 renown can be gained an hour. Each renown can be exchanged for between 2.2 with level 1, and 121.9, with level 99, Mining bonus experience; so players can gain between 1,795 and 99,470 bonus experience in Mining an hour. Each day players gain double renown for the first 600 renown that they obtain; therefore 1632 renown can be obtained in an hour, equivalent to between 3,590 and 198,941 bonus experience in Mining.
A game of Cabbage Facepunch Bonanza is composed of 10 rounds, during which players must repeatedly travel back and forth across an arena. Players have one minute and 10 seconds to cross the arena and enter the safe area each round. While crossing the arena players must avoid obstacles: wooden barricades block some routes through the arena and jets of fire appear intermittently in channels in the arena floor, dealing damage to any players who travel through them. gorilla guards and cabbage cauldrons also deal damage to players who come within proximity of them. An incremental amount of score is awarded to the player for each round that they survive i.e. players gain one score for surviving round 1, up to 10 score for surviving round 10. Players can gain an additional two score and have 10% of their maximum life points restored for each cabbage trophy that they find while in the arena. Cabbage trophies can be found by harvesting cabbage leaf patches and wishing-cabbage patches, mining cabbage vein ore and killing the weak, non-aggressive monkey minions. Multiple players can gain cabbage trophies and their health-restoring effects from the same source. At the end of the minigame the player is awarded an amount of renown which is equivalent to the score that they achieved during the game.
If a player does not reach the safe zone before the end of a round or loses all of their life points then they will be turned into a gorilla guard. As a gorilla guard, the player is severely limited in their ability to increase their score. Once per round a gorilla guard can lay a trap in the arena, which awards two scores. Gorillas can also attack non-gorilla players; all gorilla guards will receive two scores if a player is successfully killed. Gorilla guards do not take damage from obstacles in the arena.
Mining level | Bonus experience granted per renown point |
---|---|
1 | 2.2 |
5 | |
10 | 13.2 |
15 | 19.3 |
20 | 25.4 |
25 | 31.5 |
30 | 37.6 |
35 | 43.7 |
40 | 49.8 |
45 | 55.9 |
50 | 62.0 |
55 | 68.1 |
60 | 74.2 |
65 | 80.4 |
70 | 86.5 |
75 | 92.6 |
80 | 98.7 |
85 | 104.2 |
90 | |
95 | 117.0 |
99 | 121.9 |
Stealing Creation[edit | edit source]
Players can use reward points from the Stealing Creation minigame to purchase proto-tools and volatile clay tools. These items can be transformed into a selection of skill related tools, including sacred clay pickaxes and volatile clay pickaxes. These pickaxes can be right-clicked to grant Mining bonus experience (it is not necessary for the pickaxes to be wielded to gain bonus experience). Players are advised to play Stealing Creation within a group of players co-operating in non-combat games to deplete all sources of clay available more quickly. Once all the clay available in a game has been depleted the game will end early, allowing players to gain reward points in shorter amounts of time.
Both proto-tools and volatile clay tools cost 20 reward points per tool to purchase. When converting a proto-tool the player can choose which skilling tool it will become, but converting a volatile clay tool creates a random skilling tool. A volatile clay pickaxe grants 29,340 Mining bonus experience, while sacred clay pickaxes grant 24,450 Mining bonus experience. A skilling tool created from a volatile clay tool can be reverted back to the volatile clay tool and then converted again to potentially give a different tool. This may be done up to 10 times (the volatile clay tool is destroyed upon the 10th reversion); each reversion causing the tool formed from the volatile clay tool to have 10% less bonus experience available to be granted. Both sacred clay and volatile pickaxes retain their form after being drained of bonus experience, and players can then use 20 reward points to recharge the depleted tools rather than purchasing new tools. Because of this players can maximise the amount of Mining bonus experience that they obtain from their reward points by initially purchasing a volatile clay tool and then transforming and reverting the skilling tools created until a volatile clay pickaxe is obtained. Players can then continue recharging the volatile clay pickaxe, claiming 29,340 Mining bonus experience from it each time they obtain 20 reward points.
Players with at least level 80 in Mining, Hunter, Fishing and Woodcutting will be able to gather clay from all possible locations in a game of Stealing Creation. With these levels players can gather enough clay during a game of Stealing Creation to gain 24 reward points per game that they play. Assuming games of Stealing Creation are completed in around 12 and a half minutes, players can complete 4.8 games of Stealing Creation per hour and earn 115.2 reward points per hour - enabling them to obtain 140,832 Mining bonus experience an hour.
Barbarian Assault[edit | edit source]
Players can gain Mining bonus experience as a reward from playing the Barbarian Assault minigame. At level 99 Mining it is possible to gain 1,900,000 bonus experience per hour playing hard mode Barbarian Assault waves 6-9, at a cost of six Barbarian assault ticket - hard wave 10 per hour. Players may as an alternative gain 1,300,000 bonus experience per hour playing hard mode waves 1-9 without having to pay for the tickets.
In order to play Hard mode Barbarian Assault the normal mode of the minigame must be completed at least once. It is highly recommended for players to reach maximum role levels before starting playing for bonus experience.
Daeyalt ore[edit | edit source]
Players with a Mining level of 20 and during or after the quest The Darkness of Hallowvale can mine Daeyalt ore in the Meiyerditch mine. In order to reach the mine, players have to travel to Meiyerditch and get caught by one of the Vyrewatch, asking to be sent to the mines. The mines could also be accessed by navigating to the north-east corner of Meiyerditch.
There, players can mine Daeyalt ore rock for around 45,000-55,000 experience an hour. The ore is stackable, making this method completely AFK. Daeyalt rock is also a non-core rock, which generates no geodes, rockertunity or other mechanics that could fill the inventory or change its AFK nature. This leaves inventory space to other useful items such as Mining urns and Torstol incense sticks.
Players without River of Blood completed have to fill a mine cart with 15 Daeyalt ore to leave the mine.
Menaphos worker district mining site[edit | edit source]
The Menaphos worker district mining site is located in the Worker district of Menaphos and contains 3 concentrated sandstone rocks, requiring level 50 Mining to mine. Players can gain up to 75,000 experience per hour mining sandstone rocks. Players with Tier 7 or higher overall reputation can also use the VIP skilling area for close access to a bank.
Solid crystal[edit | edit source]
Players with a Mining level of 75, during or after completion of the quest The Light Within can mine solid crystal in the forests of Tarddiad. In order to reach the crystals, players have to travel to and use the World Gate. The crystals are scattered around the forest and are marked on the map. It is recommended to have Angof turn the Crystal Shapeshifters in the region non-aggressive.
Solid crystals produce stacking crystal fragments rather than normal ores, reducing the amount of banking or item dropping required. The fragments can by taken to Angof and turned into Tarddian crystals which are used to repair or buy crystal armour from Angof's Crystal Armour Shop. Active mining can obtain 90,000 experience an hour, along with 500-1,100 fragments (equal to 160-350 Tarrdian crystals) per hour depending on how many pieces of crystal armour are worn.
Money-making using the Mining skill[edit | edit source]
Method | Profit | Skill | Experience | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mining iron ore | 2,460,000 | * 10 ![]() |
48,960 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining concentrated gold rocks | 2,076,000 | 80 ![]() 83 ![]() |
123,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining adamantite ore | 1,273,000 | 40 ![]() |
57,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining runite ore (Members High Intensity) | 1,486,000 | 50 ![]() 83 ![]() |
182,400 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining runite ore (Members Low Intensity) | 1,385,000 | 50 ![]() 83 ![]() |
140,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining runite ore (Free to Play) | 1,425,000 | 50 ![]() |
84,790 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining clay | 1,463,000 | 1 ![]() |
12,400 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining soft clay | 6,026,000 | 75 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
70,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining granite | 1,904,000 | 45 ![]() 68 ![]() |
66,540 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining animica during Trahaearn Voice of Seren | 1,167,000 | *90 ![]() |
188,160 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining luminite | 2,519,000 | * 40 ![]() |
70,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining mithril ore | 456,000 | * 30 ![]() |
48,960 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining copper ore | 383,000 | 1 ![]() ![]() |
15,700 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining tin ore | 430,000 | 1 ![]() |
15,700 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining animica (Dark animica) | 1,741,000 | 90 ![]() 83 ![]() 99 ![]() |
200,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining animica (Light animica) | 1,800,000 | 90 ![]() 83 ![]() 99 ![]() |
200,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining phasmatite ore | 1,068,000 | * 70 (76 - chance to get double ore) ![]() |
80,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Mining necrite ore | 1,461,000 | * 70 ![]() |
112,858 ![]() |
![]() |
Crafting decorated mining urns | 3,505,000 | * 78 ![]() |
![]() | |
Mining banite | 1,695,000 | * 80 ![]() |
![]() | |
Mining concentrated coal rocks | 2,830,000 | 70 ![]() 83 ![]() |
100,000 ![]() |
![]() |
Recurring methods[edit | edit source]
Method | Profit | Time | Effective Profit | Recurrence time | Experience |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mining red and crystal sandstone | 1,422,000 | 20 | 4,266,000 | 24 hours | 18750 ![]() ![]() |
References[edit | edit source]
Free-to-play guides | |
Members' guides |