Mining is one of the core gathering skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), beloved by new and seasoned players alike. It allows you to extract ores, gems, and minerals from rocks across Gielinor, which can be smelted for Smithing, sold for profit, or used to complete quests. Whether you’re aiming for the coveted level 99 Mining cape, grinding for OSRS gold, or just need resources for other skills, this guide covers everything you need to mine efficiently-from beginner basics to advanced strategies.
1. Mining Basics: Getting Started
Before you start swinging your pickaxe, you need to understand the fundamentals. Mining requires no prerequisites, making it perfect for new players. All you need is a pickaxe, which you can get for free as a beginner: visit Bob’s Brilliant Axes in Lumbridge to grab a bronze pickaxe, the most basic tool.
To mine, simply equip your pickaxe (or keep it in your inventory), find a rock, and click on it. Each mining attempt takes a few seconds, and success depends on your Mining level, the type of rock, and the quality of your pickaxe. As you level up, you’ll unlock the ability to mine rarer, more valuable ores.
Pro tip: Always drop ores you don’t need (using shift-drop for speed) when training for experience, as banking wastes time. For profit, bank high-value ores like runite or amethyst to sell on the Grand Exchange (GE).
2. Essential Gear: Maximize Efficiency
Your gear directly impacts mining speed and experience rates-never skip upgrading when you can. The most critical item is your pickaxe, and you should always use the best one your level allows.
The Dragon pickaxe is 5.88% faster than the Rune pickaxe, while the Crystal pickaxe is an additional 3.03% faster but needs charging with Crystal Shards.
Other essential gear includes the Prospector’s Outfit (P2P), a reward from the Mother Lode Mine that grants a 2.5% experience boost when the full set is equipped (costs 180 Golden Nuggets). The Celestial Ring (from Shooting Stars) gives a +4 Mining level boost and takes less than 2 hours to obtain with 2,000 Stardust. Varrock Armour (from Varrock Achievement Diaries) offers a 10% chance to mine two ores at once-unlock the elite diary for all ore types.
3. Level 1-99 Training Path: Fast, AFK, and Profitable
The best training path depends on your goals: do you want to level fast, mine AFK (away from keyboard), or make gold? Below is a balanced roadmap for both Free-to-Play (F2P) and Pay-to-Play (P2P) players.
3.1 Levels 1-33: Skip the Grind with Quests (P2P/F2P)
Skip the tedious early levels with quests. Doric’s Quest (no requirements) grants 1,400 XP, taking you from level 1 to 10 instantly. Plague City (also no requirements) gives 2,425 XP, pushing you to level 18. The Dig Site (small skill requirements) rewards 15,300 XP, boosting you to level 33-and it unlocks Fossil Island, a valuable later-game area.
3.2 Levels 1-15: Copper & Tin Ore (F2P/P2P Alternative)
If you skip quests, start with Copper and Tin ore. These are abundant in Varrock Mine or Lumbridge Swamp, with an XP rate of 10k per hour. It takes only 20 minutes to reach level 15, and you can shift-drop ores to keep training efficiently.
3.3 Levels 15-65: Iron Ore & Mother Lode Mine
For F2P players, Iron Ore is the best bet. Mine at Al Kharid Mine or Varrock Mine, dropping ores for 30k XP per hour. P2P players can switch to Mother Lode Mine at level 30-an AFK-friendly method that rewards Golden Nuggets (for the Prospector’s Outfit) and cleaned ores, with 40-60k XP per hour.
3.4 Levels 65-99: Advanced Methods (P2P)
For fast XP, try Volcanic Mine (level 70) or Blast Mine (level 75). Volcanic Mine offers 70-90k XP per hour, while Blast Mine can reach 85-120k XP per hour-both require more attention but speed up leveling
significantly. For AFK players, Shooting Stars (level 10+) are perfect: mine stars every 7 minutes for 8-13k XP per hour, and exchange Stardust for the Celestial Ring.
At level 92, mine Amethyst for a balance of AFK play and profit-you’ll earn 20k XP per hour and valuable Amethyst shards that sell well on the GE.
4. Profitable Mining Methods
Mining isn’t just for experience-it can be a lucrative skill. Here are the best profit-making methods for high-level players:
Zalcano (level 70, P2P): A group boss that combines mining and combat, offering up to 2m GP per hour. You’ll mine rock formations, smelt ores, and attack Zalcano for rewards like Crystal Tool Seeds and Runite ore. It requires completing Song of the Elves and a Dragon or Crystal pickaxe.
Runite Ore (level 85, P2P/F2P): A classic high-risk, high-reward method. Runite rocks are scarce and contested, but they sell for big profits-700k GP per hour in P2P. Mine at Trahae Mine at Trahaearn Mine (P2P) or Wilderness Lava Maze (F2P, risky due to Pkers).
Gem Mining (level 40, P2P): After completing the Shilo Village quest, mine Gem Rocks in Karamja for 200k+ GP per hour. You’ll get a mix of gems (sapphires, rubies, diamonds) that are perfect for Crafting or selling.
5. Tips for Success
Always use the best pickaxe your level allows-this is the single biggest boost to efficiency. For P2P players, unlock the Prospector’s Outfit as early as possible to save 6 hours of training to 99.
Join a Mining clan or Discord server (like Star Miners) to find Shooting Stars or group Zalcano sessions. World-hop to find unoccupied rocks, especially for rare ores like Runite.
For Ironman accounts, focus on Mother Lode Mine and Volcanic Mine-these methods provide a steady supply of ores without relying on the GE. Use Mining Gloves (from the Mining Guild) to prevent ore depletion and save time.
Mining in OSRS is a skill of patience and strategy. Whether you’re chasing level 99, grinding for cheap RS gold, or just gathering resources, following this guide will help you mine efficiently and enjoyably. Grab your pickaxe, head to the nearest mine, and start digging-your next big reward is just a rock away!