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Mining: OSRS Ironman guide

The base of Smithing for ironman. Motherlode Mine gives coal + gold; Volcanic Mine gives fast xp.

⚔ Open in the interactive guide

Ironman tips

  • Motherlode Mine (30+): get the Coal bag and Gem bag (100 nuggets each) BEFORE the Prospector outfit. Coal bag = viable Smithing.
  • Prospector outfit (180 nuggets): +2.5% xp.
  • Mining Guild (60): +7 invisible, plenty of iron rocks, amethyst (92).
  • Volcanic Mine (50, with 150 QP and Bone Voyage): best xp/h and numulite.
  • Dragon pickaxe: KBD, Kalphite Queen, Chaos Elemental, Wilderness bosses. Crystal pickaxe (71) with Song of the Elves.

Level progression (1-99)

1→ 15

Quests: Plague City (2,425 xp = level 15) + Doric's Quest [wiki]

XP: Skips 1-15
💡 With more quests (The Digsite, Lost City...) you reach 37 without mining. Keep ores for The Knight's Sword (10 Mining).
📍 Ardougne / FaladorIron pickaxeIron pickaxe
15→ 45

Iron ore [wiki]

XP: ~20-35k xp/h
💡 Bank with fairy rings: DJR (Chasm of Fire) and BLR back. Keep all the iron for Smithing (dart tips, Giants' Foundry).
📍 Legends' Guild mine (NE of Ardougne) / Port Piscarilius mineSteel pickaxeSteel pickaxeMithril pickaxeMithril pickaxe
30→ 72

Motherlode Mine (rewards) [wiki]

XP: ~25-50k xp/hReq: 30 Mining (upper level 72)
💡 Priority: Coal bag > Gem bag > Prospector outfit > Larger payload (72). Gives coal and gold ore for Smithing.
📍 Dwarven Mine (Falador)Adamant pickaxeAdamant pickaxeRune pickaxeRune pickaxeCoal bagCoal bag
45→ 99

3-tick granite (fastest in the game) [wiki]

XP: ~80-120k+ xp/hReq: Tick manipulation (teak logs + knife or herb + tar). Waterskins / Desert amulet
💡 Hard to learn at low level. This is the goal if you want pure speed. Granite is useless: xp only.
📍 Desert Quarry (south of Bandit Camp)Dragon pickaxeDragon pickaxeKnifeKnifeTeak logsTeak logs
50→ 99

Volcanic Mine (xp + numulite) [wiki]

XP: ~60-80k xp/hReq: Bone Voyage, 150 QP, 50 Mining. Get the Prospector outfit first
💡 Bring 4 food, pickaxe, stamina. Ore packs: 1% broken dragon pickaxe (ironman source of the d pick). Buy teleports with numulite (Petrified Pete).
📍 Fossil IslandRune pickaxeRune pickaxeProspector helmetProspector helmet
35→ 99

Ironman utility: Sandstone (35), Calcified rocks (41), Volcanic ash (22), Gem rocks (40), Shooting stars (10) [wiki]

XP: Low, but resourcesReq: Calcified rocks: Perilous Moons
💡 Sandstone -> buckets of sand (Crafting). Calcified rocks -> blessed bone shards (Prayer). Volcanic ash -> ultracompost. Shooting stars: Celestial ring (+4) and very AFK.
📍 Desert Quarry / Cam Torum (Varlamore) / Fossil Island / Shilo VillageSandstone (1kg)Sandstone (1kg)Calcified depositCalcified depositVolcanic ashVolcanic ash
92→ 99

Amethyst (AFK, useful for Fletching) [wiki]

XP: ~20-24k xp/hReq: 92 Mining
💡 Amethyst -> arrowtips/bolts/darts (Crafting 83-87) for high-level Fletching.
📍 Mining GuildCrystal pickaxeCrystal pickaxe

Gear by level

Tools / weapons

LevelItemHow to get it (ironman)
1Bronze pickaxeBronze pickaxeNurmof (Dwarven Mine) sells up to rune.
1Iron pickaxeIron pickaxeNurmof.
6Steel pickaxeSteel pickaxeNurmof.
11Black pickaxeBlack pickaxeDrops (Lizardmen, clue).
21Mithril pickaxeMithril pickaxeNurmof.
31Adamant pickaxeAdamant pickaxeNurmof (3,200 gp).
41Rune pickaxeRune pickaxeNurmof (32,000 gp).
61Dragon pickaxeDragon pickaxeWilderness bosses, KBD, KQ.
71Crystal pickaxeCrystal pickaxeSong of the Elves + crystal shards.

Outfit and utilities

LevelItemHow to get it (ironman)
1Prospector helmetProspector helmetMotherlode Mine, 40 nuggets. Set = +2.5% xp.
1Prospector jacketProspector jacket60 nuggets.
1Prospector legsProspector legs50 nuggets.
1Prospector bootsProspector boots30 nuggets.
1Coal bagCoal bag100 nuggets. 27 extra coal. Essential.
1Gem bagGem bag100 nuggets. Holds 60 uncut gems.
1Varrock armour 1Varrock armour 1Varrock easy diary: chance to mine 2 ores (up to coal).
1Amulet of gloryAmulet of gloryHigher gem chance.

Quests with xp

QuestRewardRequirements
Doric's Quest1,300 MiningNone
The Digsite15,300 Mining + 2,000 Herblore10 Agility, 10 Herblore, 25 Thieving
Plague City2,425 MiningNone
Lost CityAccess to Zanaris31 Crafting, 36 WC
Between a Rock...5,000 Mining + Arzinian gold mine30 Def, 40 Mining, 50 Smithing
Bone VoyageAccess to Fossil Island100 kudos

Temporary boosts

ItemBoostHow to get it (ironman)
Dragon pickaxeDragon pickaxe+3 (special)Wilderness bosses / KQ / KBD
Mining GuildMining Guild+7 invisible60 Mining
Celestial ringCelestial ring+4 invisibleZalcano (Song of the Elves)
Dwarven stoutDwarven stout+1 (mature: +2)Buy / brewing 19
Spicy stew (brown)Spicy stew (brown)-5 to +5Recipe for Disaster (Evil Dave)

AFK methods

LevelMethodXP/hAFKNote
10Shooting stars~31k7 minCheck your POH telescope or worlds.
92Amethyst~24k2 minMining Guild.
1Guardian fragments (GOTR)~7.5k10 minRequires 27 Runecraft.
72Duke Sucellus mining~10.6k5 minDesperate Measures.

Sources on the OSRS Wiki

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All skills

Combat

AttackDetermines your melee accuracy and which weapons you can wield.StrengthRaises your melee max hit.DefenceLowers the chance of getting hit and decides which armour you can…HitpointsRises on its own with any combat (1/3 of combat xp).RangedRanged combat. As an ironman you rely on Fletching for ammo.PrayerBones and ashes. Very time-expensive for ironman: hoard every bone…MagicRunes from Runecraft or drops. For ironman, magic is mostly utility:…

Gathering

MiningThe base of Smithing for ironman. Motherlode Mine gives coal + gold;…FishingYour food. Barbarian fishing is fastest; Tempoross gives food, seeds…WoodcuttingLogs for Firemaking, Fletching and Construction. Woodcutting Guild…FarmingThe most important ironman skill: herbs for Herblore, trees for xp.…HunterBirdhouses every 50 min = free seeds. Chinchompas for Ranged.…SailingBoats, courier tasks, sea charting and Barracuda Trials. Ironman:…

Artisan

SmithingFor ironman: Blast Furnace with gold + Goldsmith gauntlets, Giants'…CookingCook what you fish. Hosidius kitchen and Cooking gauntlets reduce…FiremakingWintertodt is THE ironman method: 50-99 with tons of seeds, herbs,…CraftingGlass (giant seaweed + Superglass Make), Zaff battlestaves, gold…FletchingYour Ranged ammo. Broad arrows (300 Slayer pts) is the ironman…HerbloreDepends on Farming. Requires Druidic Ritual. Prioritise useful…ConstructionCosts gp and logs. Planks at the sawmill (Varrock). Mahogany Homes…RunecraftGuardians of the Rift (27) is the ironman method: outfit, pouches,…

Support

AgilityGraceful outfit (260 marks) comes first. Rooftops to 60, then…ThievingMaster farmers = seeds. Ardougne knights = AFK gp. Pyramid Plunder =…SlayerThe backbone of the ironman: gear, herbs, seeds, runes and gp.

Content based on the OSRS Wiki (oldschool.runescape.wiki), CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence. XP rates are approximate. · Leer en español