Welcome to the ultimate Classic WoW Mining leveling guide! Whether you’re a budding Blacksmith, an aspiring Engineer, or just looking to make some gold, Mining is an essential profession in Classic World of Warcraft. This guide will provide you with the quickest and most efficient routes to level your Mining skill from 1 to 300.
Mining is a cornerstone profession, especially when paired with Blacksmithing or Engineering. If you’re interested in leveling those professions alongside Mining, be sure to check out our Classic Blacksmithing leveling guide or Classic Engineering Leveling Guide.
Still on your journey to level 60? Consider using Zygor’s 1-60 Leveling Guide to accelerate your character progression and reach max level faster.
Find Your Classic WoW Mining Trainer
To begin your Mining journey, you’ll first need to learn the profession from a Mining Trainer. Here’s a list of trainers available to both Horde and Alliance players. Click on the links to see their precise locations in-game.
Horde Mining Trainers
Alliance Mining Trainers
Leveling Your Mining Skill in Classic WoW (1-300)
Every starting zone in Classic WoW is rich with Copper Ore, making any starting zone a viable place to begin your Mining adventure. The specific starting zone you choose isn’t crucial for the initial levels.
Important Note for Night Elf Players: If you’re a Night Elf, you’ll need to journey to Darkshore before you can start mining. Teldrassil unfortunately does not contain any Copper Ore veins.
Before you start swinging your pickaxe, remember to purchase a Mining Pick from a Mining Supply vendor near your trainer. You don’t need to equip it, but having it in your inventory is essential for mining.
Mining Level 1 – 65: Copper Rush
For players of all levels in Durotar, venturing into the Venture Co. Mine is highly recommended. Clearing both the mine and the adjacent area on the mountainside will yield approximately 8 Copper Veins. Access to the side area is only through the mine itself.
Navigating the exit for the first time can be tricky. The map below, while from the Cataclysm expansion, accurately reflects the mine’s layout in Classic WoW. Explore every corner of the cave to maximize your Copper Ore gathering!
Note: Low-level characters might want to avoid the Venture Co. Mine initially due to potential enemy encounters.
Note: Low-level characters should avoid the caves in Tirisfal Glades.
The Copper Ore respawn rate in these zones is quite fast, allowing you to focus on smaller loops rather than zone-wide circuits. Utilize these route suggestions, and if you encounter competition, switch between the two routes while mining any Copper nodes in between.
Mining Level 65 – 125: Branching into Tin and Silver
Once you reach Mining skill level 50, revisit your trainer to learn Journeyman Mining, which allows you to progress beyond level 75.
In this skill range, you’ll be mining: Copper Ore, and occasionally Silver Ore.
At Mining level 75, you can learn to smelt Silver Ore. Smelting Silver Ore into Silver Bars can be profitable as Silver Bars and Ores often sell for similar prices on the Auction House. Consider buying Silver Ore and selling the smelted bars for potentially faster leveling and profit.
Caveats: Low-level players should avoid the caves marked in red circles on the maps due to higher-level enemies.
Caveats: Low-level players should avoid both caves in Hillsbrad Foothills and stick to the eastern side of Redridge Mountains.
While the respawn rate of nodes in Redridge Mountains is generally good enough to avoid cave exploration, the cave marked on the map consistently has two Tin Veins. Higher-level characters may find it worthwhile to quickly check this cave.
The southern route in Ashenvale offers a higher concentration of Tin and Copper. However, if the area is heavily farmed, the northern route provides a viable alternative with a slightly lower, but still effective, yield.
Mining Level 125 – 175: Iron Age and Gold Smelting
At Mining skill level 125, return to your trainer to learn Expert Mining, unlocking the next tier of skill progression.
Zones in this range will offer Gold Ore.
Upon reaching Mining level 155, you can learn to smelt Gold Ore. Purchasing around 30 Gold Ore and smelting them into bars can efficiently boost your skill towards 175. Similar to Silver, smelted Gold Bars and Gold Ore often have comparable Auction House values, making smelting a potentially profitable leveling method.
The maps below indicate caves marked with red circles. Explore these caves thoroughly, as mining veins are often located deeper inside and not immediately visible from the entrance.
Caveats: Low-level players should avoid all four marked caves in Arathi Highlands. Low-level Alliance players should take a detour south of Hammerfall in Arathi Highlands to avoid higher level Horde areas.
Mining Level 175 – 245: Mithril and Truesilver Veins
Don’t forget to visit your Mining trainer and learn Artisan Mining when you reach skill level 225! You’ll need a Mining skill of 200 to learn Artisan Mining, but it’s best to train as soon as you hit 225 to ensure continued progression.
The primary ores in these zones are Mithril Ore and Truesilver Ore.
The red route on the Hinterlands map is generally not recommended for lower-level players as it is populated with level 62 elite enemies. Furthermore, lower-level players might consider avoiding the cave marked in red in Tanaris depending on their gear and class.
Caveats: Players below level 60 should avoid the four caves marked in red circles in Tanaris.
Mining Level 245 – 275: Thorium Enters the Scene
In this range, you will primarily mine Mithril Ore, Truesilver Ore, and the newly introduced Thorium Ore.
The caves marked with red circles on the Un’Goro Crater and Felwood maps typically contain 2-3 mineral veins each.
Caveats: Lower-level players should exercise caution with the southern cave in Un’Goro Crater, and caves in Felwood depending on their level, gear, and class.
The two caves marked in red in Blasted Lands are heavily populated with enemies, making them best suited for level 60 players with good gear or stealth classes like Druids and Rogues.
Navigating the Garrison Armory mine in Blasted Lands can be confusing. The provided map can assist you with orientation. Important Note for Alliance Players: Alliance players cannot mine inside the Garrison Armory.
The cave marked in red in Felwood usually contains around 2 mining nodes. It is generally worth checking as it’s relatively small and has fewer enemies. Higher-level players can often bypass some enemies without engaging.
We recommend skipping the other two caves at Jaednar in Felwood, especially Shadow Hold, unless you have stealth capabilities.
Mining Level 275 – 300: Thorium Rich Veins to Max Skill
Congratulations, you’re in the final stretch! In these zones, you’ll be mining Mithril Ore, and now, importantly, Rich Thorium Veins.
The Un’Goro Crater route is similar to the previous one, now incorporating Rich Thorium Veins into your mining path.
The red line route in Eastern Plaguelands is patrolled by level 57-58 elites. Players with weaker gear should avoid this section unless they have stealth. With practice, you can often navigate this area while only aggroing a few enemies.
Caveats for Winterspring Mining Locations:
- The mobs in the cave are manageable for most classes depending on gear. Clearing it is generally worthwhile.
- Most classes can enter the initial part of the cave without drawing aggro. Deeper exploration depends on your gear.
- Elite patrols within the gorge are common, but they can usually be bypassed with careful movement. Sometimes, killing one or two is necessary.
- This area is generally not recommended for most players due to the difficulty of farming without dying. It is highly dependent on your class and mob-avoidance skills.
The two caves marked in red in Burning Steppes are filled with level 50 enemies. Lower-level players might want to avoid them depending on their gear and level.
Congratulations on achieving Mining level 300! You are now a Master Miner in Classic WoW. If you have any feedback or suggestions for improving this guide, or if you’ve found any errors, please send feedback.
