Mining

Words on this page

Motherlode Mine: the cave under Falador where you sack pay-dirt. Pay-dirt: muddy ore you wash in the hopper. 3-tick: a fast click rhythm. Skip it unless you will watch.

Unlock

Iron is fine from 15. The Motherlode Mine wants 30. The upper floor wants 72. Amethyst wants 92, and the expert gloves if you want the ore to be worth it.

The route

• 1–15

  Method

  Mine tin and copper, or finish Doric's Quest if you have not. You want a pick and a bank, not a 99.

  Place

  Lumbridge swamp, or the mine south-east of Varrock. The rock matters less than the walk back.

  Click

  Click the rock. Drop the ore, or bank it. This is light.

  Leave

  Leave at 15 for iron. Staying on copper is how an hour disappears.

• 15–30

  Method

  Mine iron. Bank it if you will smith it. Drop it if you only want the level.

  Place

  The west Varrock mine, or Al Kharid. Do not pick a tile you will still be on at 70.

  Click

  Click three rocks, drop, repeat. This is not the fast tick method.

  Leave

  Leave at 30. The Motherlode is the next door. Do not mine iron all the way to 99.

• 30–92

  Method

  Mine pay-dirt in the Motherlode. Put it in the hopper. Empty the sack when it is full. Buy prospector pieces as the nuggets come.

  Place

  The Motherlode Mine, under Falador. Use the upper level once you have 72.

  Click

  Click a vein. You can look away for a moment. You cannot log out and call it mined.

  Leave

  Leave at 92 if you want amethyst or stars. Leave earlier only for a diary you already finished.

• 92+

  Method

  At 92 you get a choice. Amethyst is for coins. Stars are for when you want to look away. 3-tick granite is the fast road.

  Place

  Amethyst is in the Mining Guild. Stars are wherever the current star is. Granite is the quarry.

  Click

  Amethyst and stars let you look away. Granite only works if you watch every click.

  Leave

  If you will not watch the ticks, stay on amethyst or stars. 92 was the real line. 99 is a cape.

Inventory

Bring the best pick you can use. Wear prospector once you have it. A gem bag helps if you own one. At amethyst, wear the expert gloves. Do not bring a second pick or a hammer.

Money fork

The Motherlode gives nuggets and ore. That is the mixed hour. Amethyst is the coin hour. 3-tick granite is the fast hour, and a bad money method. Check the wiki for this month's ore price.

Iron fork

Stay in the Motherlode longer. The ore and the coal are your supplies. Do not buy granite to pretend you are on a shop account's fast hour.

Kit

Wear the prospector outfit once you own it. At amethyst, wear the expert mining gloves. Use the best pick you can hold.

Mistakes

Do not mine iron all the way to 99. It is slow on purpose. Do not mine amethyst with no expert gloves. Do not sit on stars and tell yourself it is the fast road.

Stop

70 to 80 covers most diaries. 92 is the level that changes the hour. If you already kill bosses, you can stop there. 99 is a cape.