Mining is one of the most fundamental and rewarding skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). Whether you're gathering ores for profit, preparing to smith armor, or aiming for the prestigious Mining Skillcape, mastering this skill can take a lot of time and effort. Efficient training can make the difference between a grind and a streamlined path to 99. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore nine pro tips to help you level Mining faster, smarter, and with less frustration.

 

1. Choose the Right Training Method for Your Goal

The first step to efficient Mining training is knowing what you want: experience or profit. Some methods offer lightning-fast experience rates but poor profit (or even losses), while others provide solid money-making opportunities with slower XP.

 

For XP: Power-mining granite or iron is best. You drop the ores instead of banking them to maximize efficiency.

 

For Profit: Mining Runite, Amethyst, or even Motherlode Mine yields great returns in OSRS gold.

 

For AFK Training: Motherlode Mine and the Mining Guild are ideal.

 

Understanding your goal lets you commit to the right strategy and prevents wasting time on suboptimal choices.

 

2. Unlock and Use the Prospector Outfit

The Prospector outfit is a Mining skilling outfit that provides a 2.5% bonus to Mining XP when the full set is worn. You can obtain it from Motherlode Mine by exchanging golden nuggets earned while mining pay-dirt.

 

Here's a breakdown:

 

Prospector Helmet: 40 nuggets

 

Jacket: 60 nuggets

 

Legs: 50 nuggets

 

Boots: 30 nuggets

 

Total: 180 golden nuggets

 

Wearing the outfit during your grind - especially at spots like the Motherlode Mine - gives passive XP boosts that add up over hundreds of hours. Get it early to maximize its impact.

 

3. Use the Best Pickaxe Available

Your pickaxe significantly affects mining speed. Always upgrade to the best pickaxe you can use and wield it if possible to save inventory space.

 

Here's a quick level guide:

 

Bronze/Iron Pickaxe: Level 1

 

Steel Pickaxe: Level 6

 

Mithril Pickaxe: Level 21

 

Adamant Pickaxe: Level 31

 

Rune Pickaxe: Level 41

 

Dragon Pickaxe: Level 61 (after "Heroes' Quest" or "Wilderness Diaries")

 

Crystal Pickaxe: Level 71 + Song of the Elves completed (best pickaxe in-game)

 

The Dragon Pickaxe Special Attack boosts your Mining level temporarily, speeding up XP gains. Use it whenever available for optimal efficiency.

 

4. Power-Mine Iron for Fast XP (Levels 15-99)

One of the fastest methods to train Mining is power-mining iron. This means you mine iron ore and immediately drop it instead of banking. This minimizes downtime and maximizes XP.

 

Best locations to power-mine iron:

 

Al Kharid Mine: Close bank, few players.

 

Mining Guild (Level 60+): Boosted invisible +7 Mining level, lower respawn timers.

 

Ardougne South Mine (East of Legends' Guild): Three iron rocks next to each other.

 

For faster dropping, use mouse keys or third-party client features (e.g., RuneLite's "shift-drop").

 

5. Granite Mining for Ultimate Speed (Level 45/61-99)

If you're after the absolute fastest XP rates, Granite Mining in the Desert Quarry is the way to go. You'll need:

 

Waterskins or Desert Amulet 4 (for no water loss)

 

Level 45 Mining (for 500g granite)

 

Level 61 and Dragon Pickaxe special for best XP/hour

 

Humidify spell or Lunar Spellbook for AFK hydration

 

Granite mining can offer 70k-100k+ XP/hour, especially with tick manipulation methods (see next tip).

 

6. Learn Tick Manipulation for Maximum Efficiency

Tick manipulation is an advanced technique that abuses the game's tick system (one game tick = 0.6 seconds) to perform actions faster. Using this technique, you can increase the frequency of your mining attempts.

 

Popular tick manipulation methods:

 

Granite 3-tick mining: Using a knife + swamp tar + herb

 

3-tick iron mining: Combining light-weight items to force rapid mining actions

 

Tick manipulation significantly increases XP/hour (up to 110k+ for granite) but requires practice. If you're aiming for 99 quickly, it's worth learning.

 

7. Use Mining Guild and Its Benefits

The Mining Guild is unlocked at level 60 Mining and provides numerous benefits:

 

+7 invisible Mining boost

 

Faster ore respawn rates

 

Access to Amethyst Crystals (Level 92 Mining)

 

Bank within a few steps

 

This makes it one of the best areas for both XP and money. If you're doing iron, mithril, or coal mining, this is your go-to area past level 60. And at 92+, mining Amethyst here becomes one of the best AFK money-makers.

 

8. Try Motherlode Mine for Relaxed, AFK Gains

Motherlode Mine is a great choice if you want passive XP, decent profit, and time to multitask. Unlocked at level 30 Mining, you mine pay-dirt, deposit it in the hopper, and collect ores once cleaned.

 

Pros of Motherlode Mine:

 

AFK-friendly

 

Gains golden nuggets for Prospector Outfit

 

Provides a mix of ores, including coal, mithril, adamantite

 

Higher tier veins and shortcut at 72 and 100 Mining

 

While it offers lower XP rates than granite or iron, it's a great long-term option for more casual players aiming for 99.

 

9. Use Quests for Early Mining Levels

OSRS offers several quests that grant Mining experience. Doing these early saves time and helps you skip past the slow early levels.

 

Here are notable quests that give Mining XP:

 

The Knight's Sword: 12,725 XP (boosts you to 29+ Mining from level 1)

 

Doric's Quest: 1,300 XP

 

Digsite Quest: 15,300 XP

 

Plague City + Biohazard: Access to Ardougne cloak and teleport, useful for mining spots

 

Completing these quests can skip the early grind and unlock helpful areas (like the Digsite or access to certain minigames). You can also buy OSRS gold to get Mining quickly.

 

Bonus Tip: Use Mining Minigames and Diversify

While traditional mining is often the best path to 99, there are fun and rewarding minigames that offer Mining XP or profit:

 

Volcanic Mine: Group-based minigame unlocked at Level 50, with high XP rates (up to 70k/hour)

 

Blast Mine (Level 75+): Good GP and XP hybrid method

 

Shooting Stars: AFK-friendly community event with XP and Stardust rewards

 

Shilo Village Gem Mine: With Karamja Gloves, offers gems and decent profit

 

Exploring these alternatives can prevent burnout and keep the grind feeling fresh.

 

Final Thoughts

Mining in OSRS is one of the more grind-intensive skills, but it's also one of the most rewarding. Whether you're pushing hard for the fastest XP at granite or casually banking ores from Motherlode Mine, these pro tips should help you make the most of your time.

 

With the right knowledge, setup, and dedication, you'll be well on your way to 99 Mining - or at least making millions along the way. Good luck, and happy mining!