The Mining profession in Wrath of the Lich King Classic is a secondary gathering profession that can be one of only two main professions that a character can learn and it is meaning that materials will be gathered primarily from mineral nodes in Azeroth, Outland, and Northrend zones, dungeons and raids. These materials are primarily used by players that have chosen the Engineering, Blacksmithing, and Jewelcrafting professions. Even without these crafting professions, materials from Mining can be quite lucrative and be on par with Herbalism or Skinning.
This WotLK Mining guide covers how to get started in Wrath Classic Mining, including best-paired professions, classes and differences between TBC Classic and WotLK Classic, finding profession trainers, new nodes in WotLK Classic, and where to go to level Mining.
Mining Profession Overview
Mining is a skill that allows players to gather mineral nodes out in the world and in dungeons and raids, which can then be useful in Engineering, Blacksmithing, or Jewelcrafting. Find Minerals Mining tracking ability helps WoW players locate mineral nodes (and even some quest items) on their minimap.
Useful Addons
- Gatherer is a mandatory addon for all Herbalists, Miners, and treasure hunters in World of Warcraft. It helps you track the closest plants, deposits, and treasure locations on your minimap;
- Tracking Switcher addon helps you by swapping between Find Herb and Find Minerals every 2 seconds while out of combat. This addon is helpful to players who decide to choose both the Mining and Herbalism professions.
Useful Enchants and items
- Enchant Gloves – Mining (145)
- Enchant Gloves – Advanced Mining (215)
- Enchant Gloves – Gatherer (375)
- Goblin Mining Helmet (requires 205 engineer skill)
Best Professions to Pair with Mining
Mining naturally pairs with Engineering, Blacksmithing, or Jewelcrafting. All three professions utilize metal bars crafted with Smelting, and Jewelcrafters can use Prospecting to extract gems from ore.
While the crafting professions mentioned above are solid options, players may instead prefer to level two gathering professions to increase the amount of money they make through farming/gathering. Skinning looks like the best option for a double-gathering situation, as only one form of tracking can be active in WoW Classic.
Best classes to learn Mining
On densely populated servers where there is a confrontation between two factions, there are often cases where a player of another faction or a corny aggressive creature located next to an ore deposit can interfere with you, therefore, the best classes for collecting ore are:
- Rogue which has Stealth, Sap, Blind, and Vanish;
- Hunter has Feign Death and a pet;
- Warlocks have Fear and a pet;
- Mage have Polymorph;
- Druid is also decent due to having Prowl, although they are unable to mine while in Travel Form and Flight Form (whereas they can pick herbs and skin while in these forms).
WotLK Classic Mining Bonuses and Benefits
Unlike the previous Classic expansions now you shouldn’t take multiple taps to fully loot a mineral node – in WotLK, you can make one tap to receive all of the loot.
The Mining profession provides a passive stamina buff in the form of Toughness, up to six ranks based on the player’s Mining level. These ranks are listed below:
- Toughness (Rank 1): Provides 3 Stamina at 75 Mining skill;
- Toughness (Rank 2): Provides 5 Stamina at 150 Mining skill;
- Toughness (Rank 3): Provides 7 Stamina at 225 Mining skill;
- Toughness (Rank 4): Provides 10 Stamina at 300 Mining skill;
- Toughness (Rank 5): Provides 30 Stamina at 375 Mining skill;
- Toughness (Rank 6): Provides 60 Stamina at 450 Mining skill.
Best End-Game Mining Items
In Lich King Classic appeared 3 new ores and ore deposits, such as:
Titanium Ore is the most sought-after ore in Wrath of the Lich King Classic, as the Titanium Bar is used in much high-end Blacksmithing, Engineering, and Jewelcrafting recipes.
It’s the main component in crafting Titansteel Bar with the help of Smelt Titansteel ability, which has a 20-hour cooldown. It looks like Arcanite Bar from Classic in terms of cooldown, although, unlike Arcanite, Miners do not need to use the Alchemy transmute to make it.
Titansteel Bar is used in many high-end Blacksmithing recipes, as well as the Mechano-hog / Mekgineer’s Chopper Engineering mounts. It will also be a key component in the Enchanting formula Formula: Enchant Weapon – Blade Ward once the Ulduar raid opens.
So, you can see, that Mining is a good way to gold making.
WotLK Classic Mining Trainers
The locations from Journeyman to Grand Master Mining trainers in Wrath of the Lich King Classic are listed below, divided into Alliance, Horde, and Neutral trainers.
Alliance Mining Trainers
Journeyman Mining – Artisan Mining (1-300):
- Brock Stoneseeker, Thelsamar, Loch Modan
- Dank Drizzlecut, Gol’Bolar Quarry, Dun Morogh
- Matt Johnson, Darkshire, Duskwood
- Geofram Bouldertoe, The Great Forge, Ironforge
- Gelman Stonehand, Dwarven District, Stormwind City
- Yarr Hammerstone, Steelgrill’s Depot, Dun Morogh
- Kurdram Stonehammer, Auberdine, Darkshore
- Dulvi, Azure Watch, Azuremyst Isle
- Muaat, Trader’s Tier, The Exodar
Artisan Mining – Master Mining (300-375):
- Hurnak Grimmord, Honor Hold, Hellfire Peninsula
Master Mining -Grand Master Mining (375-450):
- Grumbol Stoutpick, Valgarde, Howling Fjord
- Fendrig Redbeard, Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra
Horde Mining Trainers
Journeyman Mining -Artisan Mining (1-300):
- Brek Stonehoof, Thunder Bluff
- Krunn, Razor Hill, Durotar
- Makaru, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar
- Brom Killian, War Quarter, Undercity
- Johan Focht, Sepulcher, Silverpine Forest
- Belil, Farstrider’s Square, Silvermoon
Artisan Mining -Master Mining (300-375):
- Krugosh, Thrallmar, Hellfire Peninsula
Master Mining -Grand Master Mining (375-450):
- Jonathan Lewis, Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord
- Brunna Ironaxe, Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
Mining Approximate Materials Required
You have 2 options on how to level up mining, depending on the time you are willing to allocate and the presence of “extra” gold.
The first option is mix leveling by buying ore from the auction and open word farming. Approximate leveling up to 270 mining skill without gathering in the open world and then about to 450 mining skill and addition with open world gathering. It’s saving you about 5-7 hours of your time.
P.S. Don’t forget about Mining Pick and Reinforced Mining Bag or Mammoth Mining Bag.
- 100x – Copper Ore
- 40x – Tin Ore
- 50x – Silver Ore
- 60x – Iron Ore
- 30x – Gold Ore
- 180x – Mithril Ore
- 20x – Truesilver Ore
- 80x – Thorium Ore
- 50x – Fel Iron Ore
- 100x – Adamantite Ore
- 180x – Cobalt Ore
WotLK Classic Mining Leveling
The second option is gathering in the open world. There are the best routes:
Best Leveling 1 – 65 (Alliance)
Your goal is Copper Vein nodes in the following zones:
- Darkshore is a preferable choice for Night Elf players to begin mining;
- Elwynn Forest is the key zone for Human players.
Best Leveling 1 – 65 (Horde)
- Durotar is the closest zone for Orc and Troll players to begin mining;
- Tirisfal Glades is the key zone for Undead players to begin mining.
When you reach 50/75 skill, speak to a Mining Trainer to learn Journeyman Mining.
Leveling 65 – 125
Now, focus on Tin Vein and Silver Vein nodes in the following zones:
- Barrens with a high number of Tin Vein nodes, because the zone is quite large;
- Hillsbrad Foothills and its caves and mines have very dense Tin Vein spawns. The zone borders are also good option;
- Redridge Mountains will please you with Tin Vein spawns, but mostly in the northwestern side of the map;
- Duskwood has very dense Tin Vein spawns, notably in the caves/mines. The zone borders are also rich with nodes.
Upon reaching 125/150 skill, speak to a Mining Trainer to learn Expert Mining.
Leveling 125 – 175
Now you should focus on Iron Deposit and Gold Vein nodes in the following zones:
- Alterac Mountains has quite great ridges and caves, with the Ruins of Alterac being a particularly lucrative spot.
- Arathi Highlands also can please you with caves with dense spawns but you can head to the zone border too.
- Badlands is a quite large zone with a great number of node spawns around the bluffs and zone borders.
- Stranglethorn Vale also has caves with decent node spawns, mostly in the troll ruins. The areas north and northeast of Booty Bay are also fairly reliable.
Leveling 175 – 250
For this leveling range you should focus on Mithril Deposit and Truesilver Deposit nodes across the Azeroth:
- Badlands on the west side of the route is similar to the Iron route, although Mithril Deposit tends to spawn on the eastern side. You can check the Dustbelch Grotto too;
- Tanaris the node spawn is pretty spread out, although the zone borders have reliable Mithril spawns. Gaping Chasm caves, the Noxious Lair aves, and Dunemaul Compound caves are also fairly lucrative;
- In the Hinterlands most of the node spawns can be found along the cliffs and zone borders.
When you reach 200/225 skill, go to a Mining Trainer to learn Artisan Mining.
Leveling 250 – 300
On this leveling you need to focus on Small Thorium Vein and Rich Thorium Vein nodes from the following zones:
- Winterspring is one of the best options to farm Thorium due to the high number of node spawns along the zone’s borders. The high number of caves present throughout the zone will please you too;
- In Silithus you can find a decent amount of Thorium along the zone borders, but even more, you can find in the large silithid hives;
- Un’Goro Crater tends to have both Small and Rich nodes, although the Fire Plume Ridge area primarily has Rich nodes;
- In Eastern Plaguelands you should head to the scar areas and ziggurat areas tend to have reliable node spawns.
Leveling 300 – 350/375
- Hellfire Peninsula is mostly rich on, so keep mining Fel Iron Deposit until you reach at least 325 mining skill;
- Zangarmarsh is one of the easiest zones both for farming ore and for leveling mining by Fel Iron Deposit and Adamantite Deposit;
- Nagrand dense swaths of Adamantite Deposit and Rich Adamantite Deposit;
- Shadowmoon Valley same as Nagrand but have less contest on deposits.
Also, feel free to stop leveling mining in Outland at 350 skill and start in Northrend.
Upon reaching 350/375 skill, speak to a Mining Trainer in Northrend to learn Grand-Master Mining.
Leveling 350/375 – 450
Notice: You can start WotLK Mining in Northrend minimum at 350 skill.
- Howling Fjord (350-400) can be difficult to traverse due to the terrain in some areas, there is notably more Cobalt Deposit to gather from compared to Borean Tundra;
- Borean Tundra (350-400) does not have as many Cobalt Deposit, the terrain is easier to traverse and may have a higher yield than Howling Fjord;
- Zul’Drak (400-430) is a great zone for leveling Mining once you’ve made it to at least 400 skill, as Saronite Deposits become accessible. With some patience it’s possible to reach 450 skill here;
- Sholazar Basin (400-450) is a great zone for leveling Mining, there are mineral nodes virtually everywhere.
That was everything you need to know about new features and how to level Mining in WotLK Classic. If this guide was useful to you, please let us know with feedback and good luck in your adventures!
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