Mining success uses level, pickaxe, rock, and relevant boosts. Better pickaxes improve the roll and should be upgraded as soon as they can be used.
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GATHERING • F2P + MEMBERS
Mining
Front-load quests, then choose between active granite, Motherlode Mine, stars, and mining bosses.
QUICK WIN
Shooting Stars are ideal when you want a long, social, low-attention session.
UNDERSTANDING MINING
Learn the system before you optimise the loop.
Mining is a gathering skill with several viable routes. The best method is not automatically the one with the largest experience-rate number: startup time, travel, real input prices, useful outputs, and the amount of attention you can sustain all belong in the decision.
This guide treats levels as unlocks rather than a single uninterrupted race to 99. Use the route below as a strong default, then switch when a quest, diary, equipment upgrade, or account goal makes another method more valuable to you.
Rock respawn, competition rules, banking, and movement distinguish methods as much as the ore itself.
Motherlode Mine, Shooting Stars, Volcanic Mine, and conventional rocks each use different reward structures; headline XP is not directly comparable.
Tick manipulation can greatly increase active rates but demands continuous inputs and precise rhythm. It is an optional intensity choice, not a baseline expectation.
LEVEL-BY-LEVEL METHOD FINDER
Set your level. Get the methods that apply now.
This is the working core of the guide: source-backed training sections filtered by current level and account type, with full rates, quantities, requirements, setup notes, and method tables kept beside their revision.
ACCOUNT
4 Mining sections shown for Members at level 1.
Open a section for its full setup, evidence, and tables.LEVEL 1–37 • MembersLevels 1–37: Questing
2 detailed notes
Levels 1–37: Questing
Early levels can be skipped by completing quests that give Mining experience. Completing Doric's Quest, The Dig Site, Plague City, The Giant Dwarf, The Lost Tribe and Another Slice of H.A.M. grants a total of 27,525 Mining experience, which will get the player from level 1 to 37. All of these quests have low requirements, and completing them allows the player to use an adamant pickaxe right from the start.
- Early levels can be skipped by completing quests that give Mining experience. Completing Doric's Quest, The Dig Site, Plague City, The Giant Dwarf, The Lost Tribe and Another Slice of H.A.M. grants a total of 27,525 Mining experience, which will get the player from level 1 to 37. All of these quests have low requirements, and completing them allows the player to use an adamant pickaxe right from the start.
Verify against Pay-to-play Mining training, revision 15276629. Community reference material is attributed to the OSRS Wiki; this fan guide adds its own planning tools and route framing.
LEVEL 1–15 • MembersLevels 1–15: Copper/Tin ore
2 detailed notes
Levels 1–15: Copper/Tin ore
From level 1 to 15, mine copper or tin. This can be done anywhere, though the Lumbridge Swamp mining site is debatably the easiest due to its relative lack of players and aggressive monsters, and its collection of copper and tin rocks.
- From level 1 to 15, mine copper or tin. This can be done anywhere, though the Lumbridge Swamp mining site is debatably the easiest due to its relative lack of players and aggressive monsters, and its collection of copper and tin rocks.
Verify against Pay-to-play Mining training, revision 15276629. Community reference material is attributed to the OSRS Wiki; this fan guide adds its own planning tools and route framing.
Members • MembersPickaxes
10 data rows
Pickaxes
Higher-tier pickaxes take less time between rolls while mining. Each tick is a period of 0.6 seconds. When the allotted time passes, the game will roll whether or not you mine something successfully. The chance itself is affected by the Mining level. The pickaxe tier does not affect the skilling success rate, only the time between rolls. For example, a bronze pickaxe has the same chance of mining successfully as a rune pickaxe, but rolls for a resource every 8 ticks instead of 3. However, the mining speed mechanic can be bypassed with tick manipulation. When using a knife on teak logs (or other suitable items), a bronze pickaxe can mine every 3 ticks instead of 8 when timed correctly.
- ^ Also requires 85 Smithing to use.
- ^ Also requires 50 Agility to use.
- ^ The price of the required crystal shards is based on exchanging enhanced crystal teleport seeds with Amrod.
| Item | Shop price | GE price | Weight | Ticks between rolls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze pickaxe | 1 | 1 | 1 at Nurmof and Bob | 102 |
| Iron pickaxe | 1 | 1 | 140 at Nurmof | 102 |
| Steel pickaxe | 6 | 5 | 500 at Nurmof | 210 |
| Black pickaxe | 11 | 10 | Not sold | 1,413 |
| Mithril pickaxe | 21 | 20 | 1,300 at Nurmof | 462 |
| Adamant pickaxe | 31 | 30 | 3,200 at Nurmof | 1,647 |
| Rune pickaxe | 41 | 40 | 32,000 at Nurmof | 18,649 |
| Dragon pickaxe | 61 | 60 | Not sold | 572,047 |
| Infernal pickaxe | 61 | 60 | Not sold | 2,755,818 |
| Crystal pickaxe | 71 | 70 | Not sold | 23,786,895.00 |
Verify against Pay-to-play Mining training, revision 15276629. Community reference material is attributed to the OSRS Wiki; this fan guide adds its own planning tools and route framing.
Members • MembersQuests for Mining experience
16 data rows
Quests for Mining experience
| Quest | Experience reward | Mining requirement | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Forsaken Tower | 500 | — | — |
| Doric's Quest | 1,300 | — | — |
| Plague City | 2,425 | — | — |
| The Giant Dwarf | 2,500 | 14 , 12 , 16 , 33 | — |
| Heroes' Quest | 2,575 | 50 | 55 , 53 , 53 , 25 |
| Another Slice of H.A.M. | 3,000 | 15 , 25 | — |
| The Lost Tribe | 3,000 | 17 | 13 , 13 |
| Between a Rock... | 5,000 | 40 | 30 , 50 |
| Enakhra's Lament | 7,000 | 45 -optional | 50 , 45 , 43 , 39 |
| The Heart of Darkness | 8,000 | 55 | 48 , 48 , 46 |
| The Dig Site | 15,300 | 10 , 10 , 25 | — |
| The Curse of Arrav | 40,000 | 64 | 37 , 62 , 62 , 61 , 58 |
| Song of the Elves | 40,000 | 70 | 70 , 70 , 70 , 70 , 70 , 70 , 70 |
| Making Friends with My Arm | 50,000 | 72 | 35 , 66 , 68 |
| Dragon Slayer II | 60,000 | 68 | 200 , 75 , 70 , 62 , 60 , 60 , 50 , 50 |
| Total | 192,600 | — | — |
Verify against Pay-to-play Mining training, revision 15276629. Community reference material is attributed to the OSRS Wiki; this fan guide adds its own planning tools and route framing.
FOUR EDITORIAL STARTING POINTS
Shortlisted routes with executable instructions.
Use the finder above for the complete method library. These four routes are the fan-guide shortlist: each includes its setup, repeatable sequence, realistic rate band, and most important failure point.
0145k–80k XP/hr
15–99 • HIGH ATTENTION
Power-mining iron
BEST FOR
Simple fast Mining
ECONOMY
Drops or banks cheap ore
LOCATION
Three-rock spot in the Mining Guild at 60; suitable triple iron before then
REQUIREMENTS
15 Mining; 60 for the guild spot
INVENTORY / LOADOUT
Best pickaxe, celestial ring optional, empty inventory
EXECUTION
- Stand on a tile that reaches three iron rocks without walking.
- Mine and drop ore in a consistent click pattern as each rock respawns.
- At 60 move to the guild for its invisible boost and superior respawn timing.
0220k–62k XP/hr
30–99 • LOW ATTENTION
Motherlode Mine
BEST FOR
Low-attention progression
ECONOMY
Banks ores and nuggets
LOCATION
Dwarven Mine below Falador
REQUIREMENTS
30 Mining; 72 for upper level; nuggets for upgrades
INVENTORY / LOADOUT
Pickaxe, prospectors outfit, gem bag, coal bag optional
EXECUTION
- Mine pay-dirt veins until the sack or inventory requires processing.
- Repair the water wheel when necessary, then collect and bank cleaned ore.
- Prioritise upper-level access and sack capacity according to session length.
0363k–134k XP/hr
45–99 • HIGH ATTENTION
Granite
BEST FOR
Maximum Mining XP
ECONOMY
No meaningful profit
LOCATION
Desert Quarry
REQUIREMENTS
45 Mining, desert heat protection, waterskins or circlet
INVENTORY / LOADOUT
Best pickaxe, desert protection, water, teleport; humidify runes optional
EXECUTION
- Use the three-rock formation and drop granite between cycles.
- Learn ordinary three-rock mining before adding four-tick or three-tick manipulation.
- Maintain desert protection and leave before water failure becomes dangerous.
0445k–94k XP/hr
41–99 • MEDIUM ATTENTION
Calcified or gem rocks
BEST FOR
Useful outputs with respectable XP
ECONOMY
Prayer shards or valuable gems
LOCATION
Cam Torum calcified deposits or Shilo Village gem mine
REQUIREMENTS
Area access; Karamja gloves strongly improve gem banking
INVENTORY / LOADOUT
Best pickaxe, gem bag for gems, relevant teleport
EXECUTION
- Choose calcified deposits for bone shards or gem rocks for cash.
- Use the closest deposit cluster and deposit output before excess walking begins.
- Track both Mining XP and the secondary reward over a full hour.
MINING CALCULATOR
Turn a level goal into hours and materials.
Select a method for its realistic experience-rate band. Add XP and GP per action when you want an exact resource estimate for your chosen item.
The level formula is exact. Time and budget are planning estimates: your equipment, banking, failures, attention, and live Grand Exchange prices determine the real result.
SETUP PROGRESSION
Upgrade the part that actually controls the rate.
| Stage | Setup | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 1–60 | Best usable pickaxe carried or equipped | Pickaxe tier has the largest direct effect. |
| Guild | Dragon pickaxe, celestial ring, prospector pieces | Use the special attack when boost timing helps. |
| Motherlode | Upper level, larger sack, prospector | Unlocks reduce interruptions rather than transforming base speed. |
| Special methods | Desert protection, gem bag, Karamja gloves | Match utility items to the location. |
THE ROUTE
From level 1 to cape
1
1–30
Quest and iron rocks
The Dig Site and other rewards can clear early levels; iron is the simple fallback.The opening objective is access, not perfect efficiency. Use quests and inexpensive equipment to compress levels where possible, and avoid over-investing in a method you will outgrow quickly.2
30–60
Motherlode Mine or iron
Motherlode starts the Prospector and hopper progression; iron stays faster.This is where the skill settles into a repeatable loop. Upgrade the parts of the setup that affect every action, measure a representative session, and keep travel or banking from becoming the hidden bottleneck.3
60–75
Stars, granite, or volcanic routes
Attention ranges from very low to extremely active.At the mid-game checkpoint, compare the fastest route with account progress, useful outputs, and attention. A slightly slower method can be more efficient overall when it also supplies quests, diaries, or another skill.4
75–99
Pick a sustainable long grind
Volcanic Mine, granite, amethyst, and stars each trade speed for effort or profit.Late-game training is a sustainability problem. Recheck prices and unlocks, alternate high-focus sessions with calmer ones, and choose a route you can repeat without turning the cape into a chore.LOWER-INTENSITY ALTERNATIVE
Guardians of the Rift gives some Mining XP while progressing Runecraft rewards.
LEVEL REFERENCE
Milestones worth planning around
These are decision points, not instructions to stop. Boostable requirements and quest gates can change when an unlock becomes usable.
| Level | Unlock | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Iron ore | Fast early mining and broad smithing use. |
| 30 | Motherlode Mine | Prospector and pay-dirt progression begins. |
| 40 | Gold ore | Useful resource and Blast Furnace input. |
| 60 | Mining Guild | Convenient rocks and invisible guild boost. |
| 72 | Upper Motherlode level | A major quality-of-life area after nugget payment. |
| 92 | Amethyst | Low-attention, valuable high-level gathering. |
QUEST ROUTING
Let account progress do part of the grind.
Quest experience is most valuable when it skips slow early methods or opens a training system you will keep using.
Doric's Quest
A tiny early requirement with a useful starter reward.
The Dig Site
A strong early Mining reward and major quest-line prerequisite.
Bone Voyage
Opens Fossil Island, including volcanic ash and other gathering content.
CHOOSE YOUR ACCOUNT
The route changes with the rules you play by.
Spend for the time you value
Choose a method you can sustain: stars for very low attention, Motherlode for reward progression, Volcanic Mine for organised high rates, granite for intensity, or amethyst for value.
Optimise the whole supply chain
Ore becomes bars, ammunition, darts, jewellery, and quest supplies. Bank useful tiers deliberately, but use activities like sandstone, stars, and Motherlode when their unlocks matter more than raw ore.
Know the edge of the map
Free-to-play routes centre on iron for experience and coal, mithril, adamant, or runite for value. Members add nearly every low-attention and high-efficiency alternative.
REVISION-PINNED REFERENCE
The detailed tables behind the recommendations.
Pulled in one batch from the Old School RuneScape Wiki on August 2, 2026. Every table keeps its source page and revision so you can verify requirements or spot a later game update.
Prospector kit6 reference rows
| Item | XP Boost | Cost (in ) | Sells for (in ) | Boost per nugget (% per ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helmet | +0.4% | 40 | 32 | 0.010 |
| Jacket | +0.8% | 60 | 48 | 0.013 |
| Legs | +0.6% | 50 | 40 | 0.012 |
| Boots | +0.2% | 30 | 24 | 0.007 |
| Set bonus | +0.5% | — | — | — |
| Complete set | +2.5 % | 180 | 144 | 0.014 |
Levels 45–99: Granite7 reference rows
| level | XP/h | XP/h () |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | 87,000 | N/A |
| 55 | 95,000 | N/A |
| 65 | 103,000 | 7,700 |
| 75 | 109,000 | 8,200 |
| 85 | 114,000 | 8,700 |
| 95 | 119,000 | 9,100 |
| 99 | 126,000 | 9,700 |
Levels 40–99: Gem rocks6 reference rows
| level | XP/h (3-tick) | XP/h (w/o 3-tick) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 93,000 | 46,000 |
| 60 | 97,000 | 52,000 |
| 70 | 101,000 | 58,000 |
| 80 | 105,000 | 66,000 |
| 90 | 107,000 | 70,000 |
| 99 | 110,000 | 75,000 |
Levels 41–99: Calcified rocks6 reference rows
| level | XP/h (3-tick + water) estimated | XP/h (w/o 3-tick) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 40,000 | 23,500 |
| 60 | 50,000 | 27,000 |
| 70 | 64,000 | 34,000 |
| 80 | 74,000 | 39,000 |
| 90 | 84,000 | 44,000 |
| 99 | 94,000 | 49,000 |
Pickaxes7 reference rows
| Pickaxe | Levels | GE Price | Weight | Mining rate (in ticks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze pickaxe | 1 | 1 | 102 | 2.267 kg |
| Iron pickaxe | 1 | 1 | 102 | 2.267 kg |
| Steel pickaxe | 6 | 5 | 210 | 2.267 kg |
| Black pickaxe | 11 | 10 | 1,413 | 0.010 kg |
| Mithril pickaxe | 21 | 20 | 462 | 1.814 kg |
| Adamant pickaxe | 31 | 30 | 1,647 | 2.721 kg |
| Rune pickaxe | 41 | 40 | 18,649 | 2.267 kg |
Ores12 reference rows
| Ore | Mining | Level | Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Exp | — | — |
| Rune essence | 1 | 5.0 | — |
| Clay | 1 | 5.0 | — |
| Copper ore | 1 | 17.5 | — |
| Tin ore | 1 | 17.5 | — |
| Blurite ore | 10 | 17.5 | — |
| Barronite shards | 14 | 16.0 | — |
| Barronite deposit | 14 | 32.0 | — |
| Iron ore | 15 | 35.0 | — |
| Silver ore | 20 | 40.0 | — |
| Coal | 30 | 50.0 | — |
| Gold ore | 40 | 65.0 | — |
Levels 30–99: Superheat Item4 reference rows
| Bar | # of bars per trip | # of coal mined per trip | Profit per bar | Profit per trip | Profit to 99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel bar | 24 | 48 | 310 | 7,440 | 40,365,410 |
| Mithril bar | 22 | 88 | 633 | 13,926 | 41,212,098 |
| Adamantite bar | 20 | 120 | 1,125 | 22,500 | 48,829,500 |
| Runite bar | 18 | 144 | 1,901 | 34,218 | 61,883,253 |
SOURCE PAGES
- Pay-to-play Mining training ↗revision 15276629
- Free-to-play Mining training ↗revision 14986241
- Ironman Guide/Mining ↗revision 15249352
- Mining ↗revision 15283808
- Mining/Level up table ↗revision 15282924
Reference tables are adapted with attribution from the community-maintained OSRS Wiki. Editorial recommendations, method walkthroughs, warnings, and calculators are original fan-guide material.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Mining FAQ
Are Shooting Stars good XP?
They trade peak experience for exceptionally low attention and stardust rewards. They are excellent when that trade matches the session.
When should I buy the upper Motherlode area?
At level 72 once you have the nuggets and expect to keep training there; its veins behave more conveniently than the lower level.
KEEP RESEARCHING
Read the OSRS Wiki training reference ↗Game updates can change rates, requirements, and best methods. Check the community reference before a large purchase.
Ready to price the route?