Mining allows players to extract various materials from rocks. As your Mining level increases, you will fail less-often when attempting to obtain ores. In theory Pickaxes all have the same chance to obtain an ore, but due to a combination of lag, possible hand fatigue and a slight delay when reclicking a rock it is recommended to use the highest level pickaxe when training.
There are many efficient methods to mine, depending on players goals, wealth and mine activity. In general, the efficient methods are divided into powermining, banking and multitasking methods.
Pickaxes
Always use the best pickaxe that your mining skill level will allow for. You do not require any combat stats to use a pickaxe as they are not wielded.
Pickaxes can be bought from Nurmof's Pickaxe Shop in the Dwarven Mine. Bronze Pickaxes can also be bought from various General Stores and other shops.
| Image | Pickaxe | Level | # of Swings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bronze pickaxe | 1 | 1 | 1 coin |
|
Iron pickaxe | 1 | 2 | 140 coins |
|
Steel pickaxe | 6 | 4 | 500 coins |
|
Mithril pickaxe | 21 | 6 | 1300 coins |
|
Adamant pickaxe | 31 | 9 | 3200 coins |
|
Rune pickaxe | 41 | 12 | 32000 coins |
Powermining
Powermining Inventory:
1. Sleeping Bag closest to inventory button
2. Rune Pickaxe
3. Charged Dragonstone Amulet (optional)
4. Chisel (optional)
Powermining is the fastest and the simplest way to get 99 Mining.
Levels 1-15
Mine Copper rocks in Varrock southeast mine or in Rimmington mine. If you are in Kandarin you may also mine Tin rocks in Fight Arena mine.
- You will need to mine a total of 138 Tin or Copper ores.
Levels 15-99
Kandarin Monastery mine is the best powermining spot in the game with 7 Iron rocks. It is located south of East Ardougne, between Kandarin Monastery and Battle Field.
If you are going to use this method, only a Pickaxe and a Sleeping bag are needed. Optionally, having Charged Dragonstone Amulet and Chisel will allow efficient Crafting experience while powermining. You can have a full inventory, however, as no dropping is required (if you mine in excess of your inventory's capacity, your character will automatically drop any ores you mine).
- You will need to mine a total of 372,344 Iron ores.
Banking
Banking methods are recommended if the player wants to do self-sufficient Mining and Smithing.
Banking Tin / Copper
From level 1 to 15 mine Tin rocks in Varrock southwest mine and Copper rocks in Varrock southeast mine.
- Mine 69 of each ore and bank them.
Banking Iron
Kandarin Monastery mine is arguably the most efficient mine in the game.
From level 15 onwards mine Iron rocks in Kandarin Monastery mine south of East Ardougne.
- Banking iron ores to southeast Ardougne bank is 16.6k Mining experience per hour. (473 ores/h)
However, since banking is much more inefficient than powermining and the player is hopefully only doing it for the self-sufficient Smithing, it is recommended to smelt the Iron ores in the East Ardougne furnace, on the way to northern Ardougne bank. This is more efficient than smelting Iron bars separately in Al Kharid furnace.
- Banking iron bars to Ardougne north bank and later smithing them into Iron Platebodies in Varrock anvil is on average 11.3k Mining experience and 6k Smithing experience per hour (+32 Iron platebodies)
Banking Gold
For serious Gold mining more rocks are needed than any one location can provide. Thus player is advised to switch between game servers.
It is not recommended to mine Gold rocks until level 70's. They are most efficiently mined while world hopping either one of the Brimhaven mines. Since Veterans have five worlds accessible, they may also find Crafting Guild mine suitable. The closest bank to Brimhaven is ship travel away in East Ardougne. (30 Coins required)
- Brimhaven gold mining varies a lot but it is on average (at 90+ Mining) 16.2k Mining experience per hour
- Or if Gold bar smelting in Al Kharid furnace and Golden Bowl smithing in Varrock anvil is taken into account it is on average 10.8k Mining experience and 8.2k Smithing experience per hour (+83 Golden Bowls)
Note: Banking coal or making steel or mithril bars is not self-sufficiently efficient.
Said smithing methods can be efficient if bought. (See: Smithing training)
Multitasking
Many wealthy or higher-level players combine Mining with Magic and Smithing. At level 43 Magic (and with the appropriate smithing level), players can Superheat the ores that they get, turning them immediately into Bars. This method not only saves time, but allows one to train three Skills at once.
Kandarin Monastery mine is the most efficient location for Superheaters, too. Players can superheat Iron bars while mining and travel to Port Khazard while sleeping in a Sleeping Bag, then smith Iron platebodies at Khazard anvil. Dropping the platebodies (or Coins from alching) allows 25 Iron bars, just enough for 5 platebodies, per trip.
- Superheating Iron bars in Kandarin Monastery mine and smithing them in Khazard is incredible 16.4k Mining experience, 17.6k Smithing experience and 50k Magic experience per hour
Iron superheating or banking can be done almost as efficiently in Fight Arena mine, for example, if the Kandarin Monastery is crowded.
See also
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