Mining in RuneScape 3 is a skill that’s both engaging and rewarding. Whether you’re a free-to-play player or a member, mastering mining can lead to substantial in-game wealth and valuable resources. Since the mining rework, the skill has become more dynamic and less about simply clicking and waiting. This Rs3 Mining Guide will walk you through everything you need to know to efficiently level up your Mining skill and maximize your profits.
While free-to-play players have access to mining, member methods offer significantly faster progression and better resources. However, don’t be discouraged! This guide provides effective strategies for both F2P and members to excel in mining. Remember, every swing of your pickaxe grants experience, and strategic ore dropping is key to rapid leveling.
Ready to become a master miner? Equip your pickaxe, prepare your inventory, and let’s delve into the world of RS3 Mining!
Understanding RS3 Mining Mechanics
The mining rework introduced several key mechanics that make mining more interactive and less AFK-oriented. Here’s a breakdown of these mechanics:
Durability: Ore rocks now have a durability stat, essentially their health points. You damage this durability with each swing of your pickaxe until the rock yields ore or other drops.
Stamina: Your character also has a stamina bar that depletes as you continuously mine the same rock. Mining with full stamina grants bonus experience. When stamina reaches zero, you must click the rock again to replenish it, preventing AFK mining. Stamina unlocks at level 15 and caps at level 88, improving as you level up.
Hardness: Ore rocks have a hardness stat, acting like armor. Using a pickaxe with insufficient penetration against a hard rock results in reduced damage and experience penalty. Higher-tier pickaxes are crucial for effectively mining harder rocks.
Strength: Your Strength level contributes 10% of its value to your mining progress or damage per swing. Increasing your Strength level significantly speeds up mining and is highly recommended for faster leveling.
Rockertunities: These are highlighted ore rocks that appear randomly nearby rocks of the same type, indicated by golden particles. Mining a Rockertunity grants a significant damage boost (x4 or x6 depending on level), leading to more ores and experience in less time. Paying attention to Rockertunities is vital for efficient mining.
Critical Swing: Randomly, you’ll perform a Critical Swing, dealing bonus damage based on your Mining level. The chance of a Critical Swing also increases with your Mining level. Critical Swings are further amplified when combined with Rockertunities, providing massive experience boosts for attentive players.
| Mining level | Critical Hit Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 9 | 15 |
| 11 | 20 |
| 17 | 25 |
| 22 | 30 |
| 24 | 35 |
| 32 | 40 |
| 34 | 45 |
| 43 | 50 |
| 44 | 55 |
| 52 | 60 |
| 59 | 65 |
| 61 | 70 |
| 65 | 75 |
| 74 | 80 |
| 79 | 85 |
| 84 | 90 |
| 87 | 95 |
| 99 to 120 | 100 |
Understanding these core mechanics is essential for efficient RS3 Mining. By actively engaging with these mechanics, you can significantly increase your experience rates and ore gains.
Free-to-Play (F2P) vs. Members Mining
The difference between F2P and members mining becomes noticeable around level 50. Members have access to superior gear, pickaxes, and mining locations, resulting in significantly higher experience rates, especially in the endgame (levels 90-120). Members can achieve experience rates up to 110,000 experience per hour higher than F2P in some methods.
While F2P mining is slower, it’s still a viable and profitable skill. Consider becoming a member to drastically improve your mining efficiency and overall RuneScape experience. You can even use in-game wealth earned through mining to purchase membership bonds.
Choosing the Right Pickaxe
Pickaxes are crucial tools in mining, directly impacting your mining speed, experience gain, and ore yield. Pickaxes overcome rock hardness, leading to better progress, experience, and ore drops. They can be placed on your tool belt to save inventory space.
Pickaxes are level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain Mining level to wield higher-tier pickaxes. Your Attack stat determines if you meet the wielding requirement. Each pickaxe has a “penetration” stat, compared against a rock’s hardness. If your pickaxe’s penetration is lower than the rock’s hardness, you’ll suffer damage reduction and an experience penalty.
Always use the highest-tier pickaxe available to you to maximize efficiency. While unique, augmented pickaxes offer minor bonuses, they are not essential for efficient leveling, especially for F2P players whose best pickaxe is the Rune Pickaxe +3.
Here’s a progression of notable pickaxes in RS3:
- Dragon Pickaxe: Purchasable on the Grand Exchange or dropped from Chaos Dwarf Battlefield and Chaos Giants. Requires level 60 Mining.
- Gilded Dragon Pickaxe: Created by combining a Dragon Pickaxe and Golden Mining Outfit with a Liquid Gold Nymph.
- Crystal Pickaxe: Obtained by trading a Dragon Pickaxe and 4,000 harmonic dust to Lady Ithell.
- Imcando Pickaxe: Combine a Gilded Dragon Pickaxe with 4 Imcando Pickaxe fragments from the Lava Flow Mine geyser random event after “Birthright of the Dwarves” quest. Requires 1,000,000 coins and a redberry pie to combine at Thurgo.
- Pickaxe of Earth and Song: The ultimate pickaxe, crafted by combining an Imcando Pickaxe, Crystal Pickaxe, and Blast Fusion Hammer at an anvil with level 90 Smithing. The Blast Fusion Hammer costs 1,000,000 coins and is purchased from the Blast Furnace Foreman after “While Guthix Sleeps” quest.
For F2P players, the Rune Pickaxe +3 is the best obtainable pickaxe. While not as powerful as members’ pickaxes, it’s sufficient for reaching high mining levels in F2P.
Essential Items for Efficient Mining
Optimizing your inventory with the right items can significantly boost your mining experience and efficiency. Here are some key items to consider:
Mining Urns: Mining Urns provide a 20% bonus experience when teleported after being filled with ores. Runed urns (created by adding runes) increase this bonus to 25% with a rune enhancer. Use urns from the start to maximize your experience gains. Non-runed urns are tradable on the Grand Exchange.
Ore Boxes: Ore boxes allow you to store mined ores, reducing bank trips and maximizing mining time. Higher-tier ore boxes, like the Elder Rune Box, can store up to 100 ores of any type. Utilize ore boxes to streamline your mining sessions.
Varrock Armour: Wearing Varrock Armour grants a chance to receive extra ores and experience while mining. Completing the New Varrock achievements doubles this effect. This bonus does not work with stone spirits.
Golden Mining Suit (Members): This set provides a 1% experience boost per piece and an additional 1% for the full set (6% total). Obtained from the Liquid Gold Nymph in the Lava Flow Mine.
Magic Golem Outfit (Members): Offers a 5% critical hit chance and +1 Rockertunity multiplier when fully worn. It also prevents aggression from living rock creatures. Owning the Magic Golem Outfit also passively grants the Varrock Armour and Golden Mining Suit bonuses if you possess those items, even when not worn.
Mining Cape (Level 99 Mining): Provides bonus experience equal to the level requirement of the mined rock and a 5% chance of receiving double ores and core rocks.
Summoning Familiars (Members): Certain familiars offer mining bonuses. The Waterfiend familiar gives a 5% chance of obtaining extra ores or core rocks. Other familiars like Desert Wyrm, Void Ravager, Obsidian Golem, Gargoyle, and Lava Titan offer damage boosts.
Leveling Guide: Mining Levels 1-89
This guide outlines efficient methods for leveling Mining from level 1 to 89, assuming you use the best available pickaxe and mining urns. Actively pay attention to the game for optimal experience rates.
Levels 1-10: Copper and Tin (5,000 XP/hour)
- Locations: Lumbridge Swamp mining site, Burthorpe mine, South-east Varrock mining site.
- Focus on mining copper and tin to quickly reach level 10.
Levels 11-20: Iron Ore (15,000 XP/hour)
- Locations: South-west Varrock mining site, South-west Lumbridge swamp mining site.
- Mine iron ore and pay attention to stamina for bonus experience. Avoid AFKing.
Levels 21-30: Coal Rocks (25,000 XP/hour)
- Locations: Falador mining site, South-west Lumbridge swamp, Barbarian village mining site.
- Mine coal for steady experience gains.
Levels 31-40: Mithril Ore Rocks (40,000 XP/hour)
- Locations: South-east Varrock mining site, Karamja Volcano mine, South-west Varrock mining site.
- Mithril mining provides a significant experience boost.
Levels 41-50: Adamantite or Luminite Ore Rocks (45,000 XP/hour)
- Adamantite Locations: South-east Varrock mining site, Anachronia western ruin mine, Rimmington mining site.
- Luminite Locations: Battlefield mining site, Mining Guild resource dungeon, Anachronia western ruin mine, Dwarven mine.
- Choose between Adamantite or Luminite for reaching level 50.
Levels 51-60: Runite Ore Rocks (60,000 XP/hour) (F2P Cap)
- Locations: Mining Guild, South and north Crandor mining sites, Fight Arena mining sites.
- For F2P players, Runite ore is the highest level ore to mine.
Levels 61-75: Orchalcite or Drakolith Ore Rocks (70,000 XP/hour) (Members)
- Orchalcite Locations: Anachronia canyon mine, Mining Guild, Southwestern wilderness mining site.
- Drakolith Locations: Mining guild resource dungeon, Karamja mining site, Al Kharid mining site resource dungeon, Heroes’ guild mine.
Levels 75-81: Necrite or Phasmatite (85,000 XP/hour) (Members)
- Necrite Locations: Al Kharid mining site resource dungeon, Uzer mining site.
- Phasmatite Locations: Abandon mine, Dwarven mine hidden mine, south of Port Phasmatys.
Levels 82-89: Banite (110,000 XP/hour) (Members)
- Locations: Glacor Cave (Ritual of Mahjarrat quest), Abomination Cave (Heroe’s Welcome quest), Jatizso Dungeon (Fremennik Achievements), Hallvar.
Leveling 90+ Mining: The Endgame Grind
Reaching level 90+ Mining requires more specialized methods and is primarily for members.
Levels 89-97: Corrupted Ore (180,000 XP/hour) (Members)
- Location: Seren Stones in Trahaearn’s Clan district (Plague’s End quest).
- Mine Corrupted ore for fast experience. Note that ore-doubling bonuses do not affect Corrupted ore.
Levels 91-97: Light/Dark Animica (Members)
- Light Animica Locations: Anachronia South-West mine, Lletya mining site, Smoke Dungeon entrance.
- Dark Animica Locations: Empty Throne Room, Anachronia Swamp mine.
- Alternative to Corrupted Ore for levels 91-97.
Levels 97-120: Alaea Crablets (190,000 XP/hour) (Members)
- Location: Uncharted Isles in the Arc region (Impressing the Locals and Flag Fall quests).
- Requires exploring and claiming an island with Alaea Crablets. Buy supplies to travel to Uncharted Isles.
- Alaea Crablets drop Alaea sea salt, which can be sold to offset supply costs, making this method self-sustainable.
Alternative Mining Training Methods
While the above methods are the most efficient for leveling, other options exist:
- Mining Quests: 28 quests reward Mining experience. “Ritual of the Mahjarrat”, “Plague’s End”, and “Birthright of the Dwarves” are notable for rewards and unlocking content.
- Warbands: Distraction and Diversion offering Mining experience, but less efficient than traditional methods.
- Minigames: Cabbage Facepunch Bonanza, Stealing Creation, Barbarian Assault offer Mining experience, but are not optimal for leveling speed.
- Skillchompas: Not a consistent or highly effective method.
- Sandstone Mining (Menaphos): Up to 150,000 XP/hour in the Worker District, but desert heat causes damage.
Mining for Profit (GP)
Mining is a profitable skill. Focus on mining valuable ores to generate income.
- Granite: Requires level 45 Mining and 68 Divination (recommended). Granite deposits in the desert can yield approximately 1,700,000 GP per hour with a high-level pickaxe and Strength.
- Concentrated Gold Rocks and Animica: Require higher Mining levels and pickaxes but offer significant profit potential.
Mining is a straightforward money-making skill: mine ores and sell them on the Grand Exchange.
FAQ
How do you mine fast in RS3?
Efficiency in RS3 Mining comes from understanding and utilizing the core mechanics, using the best available pickaxe, and optimizing your inventory with items like urns and ore boxes. This guide provides the best strategies to maximize your experience and ore gains.
How long does it take to get 99 mining RS3?
Reaching level 99 Mining in RS3 is a significant time investment, estimated around 400 hours of focused training using optimal methods. F2P training will take considerably longer than member methods.
How do you mine fast in OSRS?
There’s no “fast mining” method in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). Efficiency in OSRS mining relies on strategic methods outlined in OSRS mining guides.
What do you do with unidentified minerals, OSRS?
Unidentified minerals in OSRS, mined in the Mining Guild, can be traded for mining gloves or superior mining gloves.
Does Strength affect mining RS3?
Yes, Strength directly impacts mining speed in RS3. 10% of your Strength level is added to your damage per swing, increasing mining efficiency.
Can you get money from mining?
Yes, Mining is a profitable skill in RS3. Depending on your level and method, you can earn significant GP per hour by mining valuable ores and selling them.
Where to Find More RS3 Information
For more in-depth information on RS3, consult the RuneScape Wiki or join active RuneScape communities on Discord. These resources are invaluable for staying updated on the latest strategies and game information.
Enjoy your mining journey in RuneScape 3! Remember to utilize this guide to level up efficiently and make the most of your mining endeavors.
