OSRS Mining 1–99 Guide

Levels 1–15: Copper and tin rocks

1 Mining

Mine copper and tin with any pickaxe you can use. Each ore gives the same Mining XP, so work between nearby rocks as they respawn. Keep both ores if you want to smelt bronze bars afterwards.

Getting there

Use Lumbridge Swamp’s south-east mine or the south-east Varrock mine. Both have copper and tin without quest requirements.

Bring and unlock

Bring the best pickaxe you can use. It can stay in your inventory if you lack the Attack level to wield it.

1. Click a copper or tin rock and move to another when it is depleted. Both ores give 17.5 Mining XP.
2. Drop ore for faster Mining training, or keep equal amounts of copper and tin if you want to smelt bronze bars.
3. At 15, move to three close iron rocks for a quicker drop-mining loop.

It takes 138 successful copper or tin mines to reach 15 from zero XP. Doric’s Quest and other early quest rewards can shorten or replace this step.

Mine copper or tin until 15, dropping ore if you only want Mining XP. Then move to three close iron rocks. Early quest rewards can replace this opening entirely.

Levels 15–60: Iron rocks

15 Mining

Fast, uncomplicated XP with a lot of dropping. You need three close rocks much more than you need a valuable ore.

Getting there

The Al Kharid mine is available without quests. At 60, use the members’ Mining Guild beneath Falador; a skills necklace takes you to the entrance, or walk from Falador’s east bank.

Bring and unlock

Your best usable pickaxe and an otherwise empty inventory. Varrock armour 1 can give extra iron and XP. You may keep a pickaxe in the inventory if your Attack level is too low to wield it.

1. Stand where you can reach three iron rocks without moving and work around them.
2. Drop ore during the cycle instead of banking for the XP route. Bank only when you have a specific need for the iron.
3. At 60, move to the members’ guild for its invisible Mining boost and faster rock respawns. Mining gloves help keep rocks available.

If another player is sharing the same three rocks, find a quieter world. Repeatedly waiting for respawns makes a bigger difference than a small equipment upgrade.

Mine and drop iron from 15 to 60 for a simple opening. At 60, the Mining Guild improves the same method; stay longer if you like it, or start 3-tick granite. Granite unlocks at 45, so experienced players can switch earlier.

Levels 60–99: 3-tick granite

45 Mining

The fastest sustained Mining route with practice. Learn it in short blocks; you can still return to iron or a quieter method between sessions.

Getting there

Use the desert quarry south of the Bandit Camp. A camulet is convenient after Enakhra’s Lament; before that, take a carpet from Shantay Pass to the Bandit Camp and run south. Cape Conch is an alternative after the required Troubled Tortugans progress.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe, clean guam, swamp tar and pestle and mortar. At the desert quarry, bring waterskins and a way to refill them, or other desert-heat protection. Varrock armour 2 helps; an uncharged celestial ring gives a Mining boost.

1. Choose a compact set of rocks and enable shift-click dropping.
2. Use the herb on swamp tar to start a three-tick action, then click a rock before the tar is made. Move to the next rock and repeat.
3. Drop granite between the mining actions, keeping the rhythm at one cycle every 1.8 seconds.
4. Practise the cycle without rapid dropping first, then combine them. Replace the herb if you accidentally make tar.

Learning versus practiced play. Early attempts will include dead clicks and missed cycles. The level-99 guide benchmark of about 120–125k XP/hr assumes an experienced player with the listed boosts and occasional mistakes. Measure your own session before budgeting a long goal.

This route switches from iron at 60, though granite is available at 45 if you already know the cycle. Keep using it to 99 for fast solo XP. At 70, a coordinated Volcanic Mine team offers an alternative with fewer continuous clicks.

Levels 70–99: Volcanic Mine

50 Mining to enter; a strong route from 70

Fast non-tick training if you can join a coordinated team. Most of the work is learning your role and responding at the right times.

Getting there

After Bone Voyage, go to the entrance beneath Fossil Island’s volcano. A digsite pendant and the mushroom network shorten repeat trips. Pay the numulite entry fee to Petrified Pete.

Bring and unlock

50 Mining, Bone Voyage, a pickaxe, food, prayer supplies and numulite for entry. Speak to the team before entry so you know which vents and chambers you cover.

1. Use the preparation period to enter with your team. Follow your assigned vent-checking or chamber role, using the heat-proof vessel you receive inside.
2. Mine the large boulder with the team. Use the vessel to make paths over lava when needed.
3. Watch stability and remaining time. Leave by the exit rope with time to spare; teleporting out forfeits the completion rewards.
4. Bank, restore supplies and re-enter with the team. The published 3–5 player rates include the game loop, not time waiting to form a group.

Learn one role first. Once the checks and escape timing become familiar, it is much calmer than the list of mechanics suggests. Blast Mine is a useful solo alternative when you cannot find a group.

Start the team route around 70 Mining once the access requirements below are ready, then continue to 99. Entry is possible at 50, but the later recommendation and rate assume a stronger account and a coordinated team.

Levels 30–92: Motherlode Mine

30 Mining

A slower route that turns training into ore, golden nuggets and useful unlocks. Choose it for those rewards and the quieter pace.

Getting there

Enter through the Dwarven Mine beneath Falador. A skills necklace to the Mining Guild is convenient, or walk from Falador’s east bank and use the mine entrance.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe and empty inventory space. A hammer is useful for broken water wheels; one is available inside. The upper level needs 57 Mining and a 100-nugget payment to Prospector Percy.

1. Mine a vein for pay-dirt until it depletes, then choose another. Veins run on a timer after mining starts.
2. Deposit pay-dirt into the hopper. Repair a water wheel if the water is stopped.
3. Collect the cleaned ore and golden nuggets from the sack and bank them. Leave enough sack capacity for the next inventory.
4. For a long stay, work towards the upper level and convenience upgrades. Buy the 40-nugget Prospector helmet first if your immediate goal is the Falador hard diary.

Share an already active vein where practical instead of starting several timers at once. The upper level improves the loop, but the rate still includes depositing and collecting; it is not uninterrupted rock mining.

Mine pay-dirt from 30, buy the upper-floor access from 57 when you have the nuggets, and continue until your ore or reward goal is finished. At 92, amethyst is another quiet option; you can also stay here to 99.

Levels 10–99: Shooting Stars

10 Mining; all current tiers from 60

The longest predictable breaks between clicks. XP is modest, but stardust stacks and you can spend it on a celestial ring or gem bags.

Getting there

Find a recently called star through the in-game Shooting Stars community or scout with a telescope in a player-owned house. Bring teleports for the called location; a star in a distant area can take longer to reach than it has left.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe, access to the star’s location and ten Mining levels per tier. Wear useful Mining XP equipment if owned. Avoid a Wilderness call if you do not want that risk.

1. Check the star tier and mine if you meet it. Otherwise wait for it to shrink or find a lower-tier star.
2. Click again when a layer breaks. Each layer lasts seven minutes while being mined, regardless of how many players are on it.
3. After the final layer, travel to the next called star. Include this travel when judging a whole session.
4. Spend stardust with Dusuri in Falador. The celestial ring’s invisible +4 Mining boost works even without charges.

A seven-minute layer is a maximum window from the start of that layer. Joining halfway through does not reset its timer.

Start with a star layer your level can mine from 10. At 60, every current tier is available, which makes finding a usable star much easier. Continue to 99 if long breaks matter more than fast XP.

Levels 41–99: Calcified rocks

41 Mining

A useful Iron route when you want Prayer XP as well as Mining. Blessed bone shards stack, so you can stay for a long session.

Getting there

Enter Cam Torum after starting Perilous Moons and use the mine below the city. First travel via the Varlamore routes to the mountain; calcified moths provide a direct return teleport once you obtain them from deposits.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe and at least one free inventory slot, even though bone shards stack. No watering can is needed. Varrock armour does not give extra shards.

1. Mine a calcified rock until it depletes, usually after about 70 seconds.
2. Look for rocks with water flowing from them. The water appears naturally and gives a 15% success-rate increase while active.
3. Move to a fresh rock after depletion. Keep the calcified deposits to open for their rewards.
4. Save the bone shards for offerings at the Teomat’s libation bowl in Varlamore. The Prayer XP comes later, not while mining.

Do not world-hop to chase water: entering a different world in the mine temporarily penalises the pickaxe. Moving to a wet rock on the same world is enough.

From 41, mine calcified rocks for Mining XP and banked Prayer supplies. Stay until you have the shards you want, including to 99 Mining if the quieter pace suits you.

Levels 92–99: Amethyst

92 Mining

Slow Mining XP in exchange for ammunition materials and a relaxed loop. Expert mining gloves make the rocks last longer.

Getting there

Use the members’ Mining Guild in Falador. A skills necklace takes you to the guild; the bank is close to the amethyst area.

Bring and unlock

Your best pickaxe. Expert mining gloves are a valuable upgrade, and Varrock armour 4 can give extra amethyst. Bring a chisel only if you intend to craft the crystals as you mine.

1. Mine an amethyst wall until it depletes, then move to the next.
2. Bank the crystals or cut them into the ammunition component you need if your Crafting level allows it.
3. Choose a personal ammunition target instead of assuming you need to stay here all the way to 99.

The slow catch rate creates the downtime. If you primarily want Mining levels, stars or faster active methods may suit the session better; amethyst earns its place through the output.

From 92, mine amethyst to 99 for a relaxed finish and useful ammunition material. Expect slower XP than granite or Volcanic Mine; the reason to switch is the longer gaps between clicks and the amethyst.

Levels 35–99: Sandstone for buckets of sand

35 Mining

Train Mining while banking glass supplies for Crafting. The useful target is your sand stack; it does not have to be 99 Mining.

Getting there

Use the desert quarry south of the Bandit Camp. Take the carpet from Shantay Pass and run south, or use a camulet after Enakhra’s Lament.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe and desert-heat protection. Leave empty buckets with Drew beside the grinder; noted buckets are accepted. Claiming sand costs 50 GP per bucket.

1. Mine the sandstone rocks beside the grinder and deposit full inventories into it.
2. The 1, 2, 5 and 10 kg pieces give 1, 2, 4 and 8 buckets of sand respectively. You will receive a mixture.
3. Claim noted buckets from Drew when you are finished or the storage is nearly full.
4. For faster gathering, learn the same three-tick herb-tar cycle used for granite, depositing sandstone instead of dropping it.

Ordinary mining is a useful supply session. The faster 3-tick method is worth learning for a large glass grind, but use your measured sand per hour when deciding how long it will take.

From 35, mine sandstone until you have enough buckets of sand for your Crafting goal. Continue if you still need supplies; there is no benefit in making an unwanted sand stack just to reach 99 Mining.

Levels 40–99: Gem rocks

40 Mining; Shilo Village for the usual spot

Active Mining that banks gems for jewellery and Crafting. The charged glory is a major part of the setup.

Getting there

Complete Shilo Village and enter the village gem mine. The underground extension needs the Karamja medium diary. Karamja gloves 3 teleport to the underground mine; earlier accounts can travel by the Brimhaven–Shilo cart after reaching Brimhaven.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe and an amulet of glory with at least one charge. Wear it while mining; the faster mining effect does not consume a charge. A gem bag helps extend trips.

1. Work around a close group of rocks, moving as they deplete.
2. Bank the gems or store the supported uncut gems in a gem bag. Keep the smaller gems too if your Crafting plan uses them.
3. Use the underground extension once unlocked for more rocks and convenient banking.

The random gem mixture prevents an exact promise of a particular jewellery stack. If you need one specific gem, use the banked count as your stopping point.

From 40, mine gem rocks for active XP and Crafting supplies. A charged glory is important for mining gems quickly. You can stay to 99, or stop when you have the jewellery and gem stack you need.

Levels 48–99: Rubium rocks and deposits

48 Mining and 60 Sailing

Stackable splinters let you stay without banking ore. Normal rocks are the faster option; nearby deposits give longer breaks between clicks.

Getting there

Sail to the Charred Island at 60 Sailing and enter the Charred Dungeon. Bring dragonfire protection for travel through the dungeon. A buildable bank chest is convenient for supplies, but splinters themselves stack.

Bring and unlock

A pickaxe and dragonfire protection. Mining enhancers and Prospector improve the normal rock method. The planner’s faster rubium route refers to rocks, not the slower deposits.

1. Mine the normal rubium rocks and follow the dwarf Kragin as he moves between them.
2. Keep moving promptly when a rock depletes. Switch to deposits when you prefer a quieter session.
3. Save the splinters for incendiaries or sell them; they are not ordinary bars for a Smithing route.

At 72 Mining a successful rock action gives more splinters. Keep output and XP separate when comparing a low-level session with a high-level one.

From 48 Mining and 60 Sailing, rubium offers stackable output without ore-banking trips. Keep using rocks for faster XP or deposits for longer waits; higher Mining does not force a change of location.

Levels 75–99: Blast Mine

43 Mining; usually worth considering from 75

Active solo training with banked ore. At 75 you can receive runite, because Blast Mine can award ores ten levels above the normal requirement.

Getting there

Go to the Blast Mine in northern Lovakengj. Use an unlocked Kourend teleport or minecart route, or arrive at Port Piscarilius with Veos and walk west into Lovakengj.

Bring and unlock

Dynamite, a chisel, a tinderbox and run energy restoration. You do not need a pickaxe for the blasting loop. Graceful helps with all the running.

1. Excavate a cavity, place dynamite and light it.
2. Run at least two squares away before it detonates, then collect the blasted ore promptly.
3. Deposit ore into an ore sack and repeat a compact circuit of rocks.
4. Collect processed ore and the associated Mining XP from the operator. Account for dynamite purchases when comparing profit.

Practise a small circuit before adding more rocks. Missed ore and blast damage will cost more time than a slightly shorter theoretical route saves.

Although it opens at 43, consider Blast Mine from 75, when its reward ores can include runite. Stay to 99 if you enjoy the blasting circuit and banked ore.

Levels 70–99: Zalcano

Song of the Elves, including 70 Mining

A cooperative skilling boss with resources and unique drops. Use it when the reward loop appeals to you, with a separate choice between resources and extra XP.

Getting there

Enter the caverns beneath Prifddinas. A teleport crystal is the quick return; the Prifddinas spirit tree or a house located there are alternatives.

Bring and unlock

Your best pickaxe, food and run energy restoration. Join a small team and speak to Rhiannon to select resource rewards or increased experience before starting.

1. Mine tephra from a rock formation, favouring the glowing one when it is safe.
2. Refine it at the red furnace, then imbue it at the blue altar.
3. Throw imbued tephra at Zalcano to break her armour. Standing on a blue symbol improves the throw; avoid orange symbols and move away from falling-rock warnings.
4. When she falls, mine her directly. Repeat the phases until the kill is complete.

Team size, movement and the reward toggle materially affect the result. The older widely quoted hourly XP figures have not been reliably retested, so time a few kills with your team before budgeting the route.

After Song of the Elves, Zalcano is available with at least 70 Mining. Play for resources or select the extra-XP reward according to your goal; it can remain part of the route to 99.