Is Mining Profitable in OSRS?

Mining in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is often seen as a solid way to make money. But the real question is: how profitable is it, especially when compared to other skills or money-making methods? Let’s dive right into the details.

The Importance of Mining in OSRS

Mining is one of the core gathering skills in OSRS and has been around since the game’s inception. Whether you’re gathering ore for smithing, crafting, or simply for profit, the role of mining is undeniable. However, while the basics of mining seem straightforward—mine ore, sell ore—there are nuances that can drastically impact how profitable mining can be.

Key Areas to Mine for Profit

Not all ores and locations are created equal. Certain locations and ores provide a much higher return on investment than others. If you want to maximize your profits, knowing where and what to mine is critical. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most profitable options:

Ore Type	Mining Level Required	GP Per Hour (Approximate)	Best Locations
Rune Ore	85	600,000+	Wilderness, Heroes’ Guild
Adamantite Ore	70	200,000+	Mining Guild, Resource Area
Amethyst	92	350,000+	Mining Guild
Iron Ore	15	30,000-100,000	Al Kharid, Mining Guild

As you can see, Rune Ore is one of the highest-paying ores, but it requires a high level (85) to mine and involves considerable risk if mined in the Wilderness. If you’re a lower-level miner or looking for a safer route, mining Iron Ore or Adamantite Ore can still yield solid profit with less risk.

Mining Boosters: How to Maximize Profits

To make mining more efficient and thus more profitable, several methods and items can boost your performance:

1. Mining Gloves – Can be obtained from the Mining Guild and increase efficiency in mining certain ores.
2. Prospector Kit – While this doesn't directly increase mining speed, wearing the full set grants 2.5% more mining experience, which can speed up leveling.
3. Stamina Potions – These help reduce downtime by allowing you to run longer between ore veins.
4. Mining Guild Access – The Mining Guild offers a bank very close to several high-value ores, minimizing time spent running to the bank and maximizing mining time.
5. Superior Mining Patches – Found in the Motherlode Mine, these increase the chance of obtaining gems while mining.

Motherlode Mine vs. Standard Mining

While mining in the wild can be profitable, the Motherlode Mine offers a more AFK (away from keyboard) friendly alternative. Here, you mine pay-dirt and process it for a chance at higher-tier ores. While this method doesn’t yield as much GP per hour as rune mining, it’s consistent and safer for lower-level players. On average, players can expect around 150,000-200,000 GP per hour in the Motherlode Mine.

Pros of Motherlode Mine:

• Consistent profit without requiring high attention.
• Safer compared to rune mining in the Wilderness.
• Access to gold and mithril ores as part of the processing of pay-dirt.

Cons of Motherlode Mine:

• Lower GP per hour compared to high-level ores.
• Requires a significant amount of time to unlock the best features.

Alternative Methods to Mining for Profit

Mining isn’t the only way to make money in OSRS, and in many cases, it’s not even the most profitable. Skilling, bossing, and flipping on the Grand Exchange can all yield significantly more gold per hour for players who have the stats and knowledge.

For example, Zulrah can generate over 2 million GP per hour for experienced players, while flipping rare items on the Grand Exchange can yield millions with relatively little gameplay.

If your main goal is profit, consider using mining as a supplement to more lucrative money-making methods. However, if you enjoy the more relaxed, AFK nature of mining, it can still be a worthwhile investment of time.

Comparing to Other Skills

Mining is often compared to Woodcutting and Fishing, two other gathering skills. In terms of profit, mining tends to come out on top, especially at higher levels. While fishing and woodcutting provide steady profit, neither compares to the GP per hour potential of mining Rune or Amethyst ores.

Skill	GP per Hour (Low Levels)	GP per Hour (High Levels)
Mining	30,000 - 600,000+	600,000+
Woodcutting	20,000 - 100,000	100,000+
Fishing	20,000 - 100,000	100,000+

The difference in profitability becomes especially noticeable at the higher levels, where mining can drastically outperform other gathering skills.

Mining as a Long-Term Money Maker

Mining can be a long-term strategy for making consistent profits, but it requires commitment. The skill has a steep level curve, with the best ores locked behind high-level requirements. Many players quit mining early on due to the slow progress and relatively low profits at the start. However, those who push through to levels 70 and above will start seeing significant returns, especially once they unlock Rune and Amethyst ores.

To sum up: Is mining profitable in OSRS? Yes, it can be very profitable, but only with the right strategy, locations, and level. For players who enjoy a slower, steady approach to making gold, mining is a great option. But for those chasing quick, high profits, other methods may be more suited.

It’s all about finding the right balance between effort and reward. You could potentially make over 600,000 GP per hour at the top end, or settle for a more relaxed 150,000-200,000 GP per hour in the Motherlode Mine. In either case, mining offers solid returns, especially when combined with other activities in OSRS.