Mining is one of the classic gathering skills in Old School RuneScape, allowing players to extract ores and minerals throughout Gielinor. While it used to be a strong money-making skill, the rise of PvM drops has reduced the value of most ores. Because of that, Mining is now primarily trained for quest requirements, achievement diaries, and account progression rather than profit.

For main accounts, you’ll mainly train Mining to unlock content like the Quest Cape or Achievement Diary Cape. Around 72 Mining is required for the quest cape, while 85 Mining is needed for the diary cape, though both can be boosted. For Ironman accounts, however, Mining remains extremely valuable because it provides essential resources for Smithing, Crafting, and other skills.

This guide covers the best methods to reach 99 Mining in 2026, including AFK activities, efficient experience methods, and newer training options introduced in recent updates.

Skipping the Slow Early Levels

Early Mining levels can be extremely slow if you start by mining copper and tin. Because of this, the best way to begin training in Mining is actually through questing.

Completing quests such as Plague City, Doric's Quest, and The Dig Site can quickly boost your Mining level to around 33 Mining. The Dig Site quest alone rewards over 15,000 Mining experience, skipping a large portion of the early grind.

Before completing The Dig Site, you’ll need some basic requirements like 10 Agility, 10 Herblore, and 25 Thieving, but these are quick to obtain and worth the effort. If you follow this quest route, you can avoid the slowest part of the Mining grind entirely.

If you prefer not to quest, the traditional path is still available. You can mine copper and tin from levels 1 to 15 and then switch to iron ore until roughly level 30. While this works, it’s generally slower and less engaging compared to the questing route.

Important Mining Gear

Several items can significantly improve your Mining efficiency throughout the journey to level 99.

Your pickaxe is the most important tool. As your Mining level increases, you’ll unlock stronger pickaxes that mine ores faster. Higher-tier options like the Dragon and Crystal pickaxes even provide special attacks that temporarily boost your Mining level.

Another useful item is the Celestial Ring, which is obtained from the Shooting Stars activity. When charged with stardust, it provides an invisible Mining level boost and occasionally grants extra ores when mining.

The Prospector Kit is another essential upgrade. This outfit is earned through the Motherlode Mine and provides a 2.5% Mining experience boost when the full set is worn.

Players who spend time in the Mining Guild can also obtain Expert Mining Gloves. These gloves prevent certain rocks from depleting immediately, allowing you to mine them multiple times before they disappear, which makes several methods more AFK.

AFK Mining Methods

Many players prefer Mining methods that require minimal attention. Fortunately, several AFK options exist that allow you to train the skill while multitasking.

One of the most popular AFK activities is the Motherlode Mine. Available from level 30 Mining, this activity involves mining ore veins to collect pay-dirt, which can then be processed into ores. Players also earn gold nuggets here, which can be exchanged for rewards such as the Prospector outfit and several useful utility items. Motherlode Mine typically provides around 30k to 45k experience per hour, making it a reliable long-term training method.

Another extremely AFK option is Shooting Stars. In this activity, players search for crashed stars across Gielinor and mine them for stardust. The experience rates are relatively low, usually around 20k experience per hour, but the activity requires very little interaction and is perfect for mobile play.

A newer method involves mining calcified rocks unlocked after completing Perilous Moons. These rocks provide calcified deposits that can be cracked open for blessed bone shards, giving players both Mining and Prayer experience. The experience rates are comparable to Motherlode Mine and provide a nice hybrid training method.

For high-level players, amethyst mining becomes available at level 92 in the Mining Guild. Amethyst is used to create high-tier ammunition, making it somewhat valuable. However, the experience rate is only around 20k to 25k XP per hour, so most players use it mainly for AFK training.

Medium Intensity Training Methods

If you’re willing to click a bit more often, several Mining methods offer better experience rates.

Power mining iron ore is one of the earliest efficient methods available. Iron rocks respawn quickly, especially in the Mining Guild, allowing players to cycle between multiple rocks continuously. Dropping the ores instead of banking them increases experience rates significantly.

Another option is mining gem rocks in Shilo Village. While this method does not provide particularly high profits due to low gem prices, it offers decent experience and a chance to obtain the Rock Golem pet.

Ironman players often spend time mining sandstone in the Desert Quarry. Sandstone can be converted into buckets of sand, which are essential for Crafting training. For example, players training Crafting from level 87 to 99 may need tens of thousands of buckets of sand, making this method extremely useful for Ironman accounts.

Players who have completed Song of the Elves can also fight the Mining boss Zalcano. In this encounter, players mine special rocks, refine them, and damage the boss’s shield before mining her core. Zalcano provides decent Mining experience along with valuable drops.

High Intensity Mining Methods

For players who want the fastest possible experience, high-intensity Mining methods are the best option.

The Blast Mine in Lovakengj allows players to mine ore veins and use dynamite to collect ores. One of the benefits of this activity is that it allows players to obtain certain ores 10 levels earlier than normally required. Experience rates here are fairly strong and can reach around 60k to 75k XP per hour.

The fastest Mining experience in the game comes from 3-tick granite mining in the Desert Quarry. This method uses tick manipulation techniques to dramatically speed up the mining process. When performed correctly, it can reach over 100k experience per hour, making it the fastest way to train Mining. However, it requires constant clicking and precise timing, which many players find exhausting.

Another excellent high-level activity is the Volcanic Mine on Fossil Island. This cooperative minigame involves managing volcanic vents and mining a large central rock while maintaining the stability of the volcano. In organized teams, players can achieve up to 90k Mining experience per hour, making it one of the best alternative training methods for high-level players.

Recommended Training Routes

There are several ways to approach the journey from 1 to 99 Mining depending on your playstyle.

Players seeking the fastest experience should start with questing to level 33, power mine iron until around level 45, and then switch to 3-tick granite mining all the way to 99.

Those who prefer a more relaxed approach can train at Motherlode Mine for most of their levels and then switch to amethyst once they reach level 92.

Players who want a mix of experience and profit can combine activities like Motherlode Mine, Zalcano, and Blast Mine throughout their progression.

Final Thoughts

Mining has changed significantly over the years in Old School RuneScape. While it is no longer one of the best OSRS gold money-making skills, it still offers a wide range of training options. Players can choose between extremely AFK activities like Shooting Stars, efficient group content such as Volcanic Mine, or high-efficiency strategies like 3-tick granite mining.

With these methods available in 2026, reaching 99 Mining is more flexible than ever. The best method ultimately depends on whether you prefer a fast experience, relaxed gameplay, or gathering useful resources along the way.

RSorder Team