OSRS Mining Calculator

Mining unlocks run from Copper & Tin rocks at 1 to Amethyst at 92 - 7 methods in between. Free-to-play skill.

OSRS Mining Calculator. Between Copper & Tin rocks (1) and Amethyst (92) this table lists 7 Mining methods. Granite (3t4g) at 95,000 XP/hr is the best of the 6 rows open at level 70. 12,296,804 XP left, 199,300 granite, 129 hrs of play: change any box above and all three move together.

Mining goal

10 hrs / week

The damage

XP remaining
12,296,804
Actions left
199,300
via Granite (3t4g)
Time left
129 hrs
Nights of grinding
91
weekly hours averaged across 7 days
ETA
in 3 months

Granite (3t4g) at 95,000 XP/hr is the fastest row available to you, and nothing locked in this table beats it.

Mining methods and rates

Every Mining rate below - 7 of them - is what a normal session returns.

Method Lvl XP/hr GP/XP To goal Hours
Copper & Tin rocks f2p
Power-mine and drop at Lumbridge Swamp or the SE Varrock mine; just a placeholder until level 15 unlocks iron. · 17.5 xp/ore 		1 12,000 — 702,675 1,025 hrs
Iron ore (power mining) f2p
Mine and drop; the Mining Guild at 60+ has fast respawns. Best F2P XP and the classic early grind. · 35 xp/iron ore 		15 50,000 — 351,338 246 hrs
Motherlode Mine afk
Low-effort pay-dirt; nuggets buy the +2.5% XP Prospector kit and you keep the ores for modest profit. · 60 xp/pay-dirt 		30 50,000 +2 204,947 246 hrs
Granite (3t4g) fastest
Fastest XP in the skill: 3-tick four rocks and drop it all. Desert Quarry needs heat gear; Cape Conch skips it. Sizes give 50/60/75 XP. · 61.7 xp/granite 		45 95,000 — 199,300 129 hrs
Volcanic Mine
Team minigame with no ore to bank - XP lands as a lump sum each round. Needs 50 to enter (plus Bone Voyage); bring 70+ for the rate. 		50 72,000 — — 171 hrs
Zalcano
Prifddinas mining boss (needs Song of the Elves); loot off for XP, loot on trades XP for ~2M gp/hr. 		70 65,000 +1 — 189 hrs
Amethyst profit
Slow but profitable and fairly AFK at the Mining Guild crystals; sells for dart/bolt tips. Needs 92 Mining. · 240 xp/amethyst 		92 22,000 +11 — 296 hrs (92+)

About training Mining

Mining only grants XP when a rock actually yields an ore, so every method is really about maximizing successful mines per hour, which at high levels means "tick manipulation" to force extra ore rolls out of each pickaxe swing. The standard fast route is questing to about level 33, power-mining and dropping iron to 45, then 3-tick granite the rest of the way, while Motherlode Mine stays the relaxed low-attention grind. Always wield the best pickaxe you can and grab the 2.5% XP Prospector outfit paid for with Motherlode golden nuggets.

OSRS Mining calculator showing XP and training method inputs
Mining plans change sharply by play style: compare exact action counts and hours before choosing between active ore, profitable methods and long AFK sessions.
Did you know: Level 99 Mining costs 13,034,431 XP - that is roughly 372,000 iron ore power-mined one at a time, or about 211,000 granite rocks if you 3-tick the entire way from 45 to 99.

How this Mining estimate is built

12,972,919 XP separates level 45 from Mining 99, out of 13,034,431 total. 95,000 XP/hr on Granite (3t4g) turns that gap into 137 hrs; 62 XP per granite turns it into 210,259 actions. One action every 2.3 seconds: that is what 95,000 XP/hr at 61.7 XP per granite actually requires. Volcanic Mine, Zalcano report no countable unit, and features in hours only for that reason. 96 nights at 1.4 hrs a day covers 137 hrs of Mining. 138 hrs from level 1, if you switch at 15/30/45/50/70/92.

Decision example

12,972,919 XP: Granite (3t4g) converts it in 137 hrs, Iron ore (power mining) in 259 hrs - 90% more clock. Neither row has a cost attached, so 12,972,919 XP is all that differs. Low attention instead: Motherlode Mine at 50,000 XP/hr.

Limits of the number

95,000 XP/hr is Granite (3t4g) over a session, 128,250 on a perfect tick. Granite (3t4g) has no supply or drop value attached at all. 0 GP/XP is dated 16 October 2026 - the next supply update moves it, the rate usually does not.

Mining, level 45 to 99

12,972,919 XP - 100% of a whole 99 - explained twice. Same target, same 12,972,919 XP; the Mining rate is the only difference.

MethodRateActionsActive hoursGP/XP estimate
Granite (3t4g) 95,000 XP/hr 210,259 137 hrs not estimated
Iron ore (power mining) 50,000 XP/hr 370,655 259 hrs not estimated

Granite (3t4g) saves 123 hrs over Iron ore (power mining), which is 90% of the slower total.

13,034,431 XP for 99 is arithmetic, not opinion; the Mining rates behind these hours are the part to re-check, last done 16 October 2026. Data sources.

A practical Mining route

Each of these 3 stages answers one question about Mining: what to train on, and when to leave it behind.

  1. 1-30
    Quest or surface ores

    Use copper and tin only long enough to unlock iron; early quest rewards can remove a repetitive first stretch.

  2. 30-70
    Choose effort versus profit

    Iron and granite are active XP routes, while Motherlode Mine trades speed for ore, nuggets and longer attention gaps.

  3. 70+
    Commit to the endgame loop

    Pick 3-tick granite for maximum XP, upper-level Motherlode for a slower unlock path, or a gem/ore method when GP matters more than XP.

Mining by goal

What changes the choice

  • Fastest: Granite and tick manipulation can exceed ordinary rates, but the calculator's average assumes sustained clicks and no learning time.
  • AFK: Motherlode Mine and higher-level ore methods reduce clicks; expect lower XP/hr and include banking or sack trips.
  • Profit: Compare the GP/XP column with live ore prices. Mining profit is especially sensitive to bank distance and world competition.

Requirements and caveats

  • Pickaxe tier, Mining gloves, quest unlocks and tick-manipulation supplies can change the practical rate substantially.
  • Ore value is market-sensitive; GP/XP is a snapshot and should not be treated as a fixed payout.
Common mistakes to avoid
  • Comparing a tick-perfect rate with an AFK rate as if both require the same attention.
  • Forgetting that a lower-level pickaxe or a crowded world reduces successful ore actions per hour.

3 Mining switches, reviewed 2026-10-16. Mining training on the OSRS Wiki.

Recent data notes

4 review notes on Mining, each naming a figure that moved and the reason.

4 review notes for this skill
  • Volcanic Mine levelReq corrected 70 -> 50: the actual Mining requirement to enter is 50 (plus Bone Voyage completion); 70 is only a recommended level for good rates. The row's own note already said 'Entry gate is 50', so the levelReq of 70 was internally contradictory.
  • Rewrote the Copper & Tin note: the original 'only beats iron up to about level 15' wording was misleading, since iron cannot be mined until level 15 - copper/tin is a placeholder before iron unlocks, not a competitor to it.
  • Clarified the Volcanic Mine note to match the levelReq fix (50 Mining + Bone Voyage to enter, 70+ recommended for the listed ~72k rate).
  • Polished the Granite note to name Cape Conch as the heat-free alternative to the Desert (Bandit Camp) Quarry, which requires waterskins/desert-heat protection.

Mining FAQ

Mining 99: how many hours?

Budget 138 active hours for the level 1 to 99 climb on the best available Mining method at each step, or 69 nights at two hours.

How many granite do you need for 99 Mining?

About 210,259 granite at 61.7 XP each on Granite (3t4g), from level 45 to 99.

What is the fastest way to train Mining in OSRS?

Granite (3t4g), from level 45, at about 95,000 XP/hr. Fastest XP in the skill: 3-tick four rocks and drop it all. Desert Quarry needs heat gear; Cape Conch skips it. Sizes give 50/60/75 XP.

What is a practical Mining training route?

1-30: Quest or surface ores - Use copper and tin only long enough to unlock iron; early quest rewards can remove a repetitive first stretch. 30-70: Choose effort versus profit - Iron and granite are active XP routes, while Motherlode Mine trades speed for ore, nuggets and longer attention gaps. 70+: Commit to the endgame loop - Pick 3-tick granite for maximum XP, upper-level Motherlode for a slower unlock path, or a gem/ore method when GP matters more than XP.

Can you make money training Mining?

Yes - Motherlode Mine earns roughly 2 gp per XP, and Zalcano earns roughly 1 gp per XP, and Amethyst earns roughly 11 gp per XP. All of them are slower than Granite (3t4g) at 95,000 XP/hr.

Before you commit to a Mining method, what?

Pickaxe tier, Mining gloves, quest unlocks and tick-manipulation supplies can change the practical rate substantially. Ore value is market-sensitive; GP/XP is a snapshot and should not be treated as a fixed payout. Common mistakes include Comparing a tick-perfect rate with an AFK rate as if both require the same attention. Forgetting that a lower-level pickaxe or a crowded world reduces successful ore actions per hour.

How can I compare two Mining methods fairly?

Both start at level 45: Granite (3t4g) covers 12,972,919 XP in 137 hrs, Iron ore (power mining) in 259 hrs.

All 24 skill calculators, closest in hours first

Ranked by hours to 99, Mining lands at 20 of 24. Strength takes 127 hrs, Fishing 141 hrs. Open the hub table: Amethyst is the only Mining row that pays, at 11 GP/XP.

Mining 138 hrs Fishing 141 hrs Slayer 141 hrs Strength 127 hrs Attack 116 hrs Hitpoints 107 hrs Hunter 84 hrs Agility 195 hrs Woodcutting 81 hrs Sailing 74 hrs Runecraft 211 hrs Defence 54 hrs Thieving 51 hrs Magic 47 hrs Crafting 36 hrs Smithing 35 hrs Firemaking 35 hrs Herblore 34 hrs Ranged 20 hrs Prayer 17 hrs Fletching 17 hrs Farming 16 hrs Construction 15 hrs Cooking 15 hrs