World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4 with Classic’s ore veins at Classic’s skill levels, so this WoW Forever mining leveling guide gives you a route you can follow on day one: Copper in your starting zone to 65, Ashenvale for Tin, Silver and Iron to 150, Arathi Highlands to 200, Tanaris to 270 and the Burning Steppes to 300. Each stop has its own route map drawn from real Classic spawn data, plus the trainers, rank requirements and the smelting recipes that still give skill.
Forever adds Scarce ores that drop while you mine, two new bars and a camp object that grows its own mining node. What it doesn’t have, as far as the beta client shows, is the +5% health bonus for miners that some guides list; our check of the client data is further down.
How solid this is: the beta runs until October 21 and stops at level 30, so nobody has mined in Forever’s higher-level zones. Zockify’s Forever mining guide uses Classic’s skill requirements for every vein, and we checked each one against the Classic database classicdb. Spawn points and counts on our maps are Classic data, labeled as such. Smelting thresholds come from the beta client. We will check the route against the live game in launch week.
WoW Forever Mining Leveling Route at a Glance
The fastest way to level Mining in WoW Forever is to mine while you quest and move to the next zone when your main vein turns green. Both factions share every zone from skill 65 on, and the table is the whole route.
| Skill | Veins to mine (skill needed) | Alliance | Horde | Character level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-65 | Copper (1); smelt Copper Bars as you go | Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh, Darkshore, then Westfall or Loch Modan | Durotar, Mulgore, Tirisfal, then the Barrens or Silverpine | 1-15 |
| 65-125 | Tin (65), Silver (75), Copper until it greys | Ashenvale (west), Westfall, Wetlands | Ashenvale (west), the Barrens, Hillsbrad | 15-25 |
| 125-150 | Iron (125), Silver | Ashenvale (east), Wetlands | Ashenvale (east), Thousand Needles | 22-30 |
| 150-200 | Iron, Gold (155), Mithril (175) | Arathi Highlands | Arathi Highlands | 30-40 |
| 200-270 | Mithril, Truesilver (230), Small Thorium (245) | Tanaris | Tanaris | 40-50 |
| 270-300 | Small Thorium, Rich Thorium (275), Truesilver | Burning Steppes, Winterspring, Un’Goro | Burning Steppes, Winterspring, Un’Goro | 50-60 |
The level column is each zone’s range from our WoW Forever zones by level guide, so you mine where you quest anyway. If you pair Mining with Herbalism, our WoW Forever herbalism leveling guide has the matching herb route; the two share the Barrens, Westfall and Un’Goro.
Ore Skill Requirements and When Veins Turn Grey
Every ore vein in WoW Forever needs a minimum Mining skill, and it stops giving skill points 100 points later. In Classic, a vein gives a point every time for roughly its first 25 points (orange), turns green 50 points above its requirement and grey at 100. Forever’s thresholds for veins aren’t public: SeeMeta and the other data sites list smelting values only, so the green and grey columns are the Classic rule, the same one our herbalism guide uses.
| Vein | Skill | Green at | Grey at | Most spawn points in Classic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Vein | 1 | 50 | 100 | The Barrens 150, Durotar 141 |
| Tin Vein | 65 | 115 | 165 | Westfall 67, Wetlands 52 |
| Silver Vein | 75 | 125 | 175 | Ashenvale 57, Westfall 8 |
| Iron Deposit | 125 | 175 | 225 | Arathi Highlands 187, Thousand Needles 105 |
| Gold Vein | 155 | 205 | 255 | Tanaris 58, Stranglethorn 51 |
| Mithril Deposit | 175 | 225 | 275 | Arathi Highlands 50, Azshara 38 |
| Truesilver Deposit | 230 | 280 | 330 | Burning Steppes 135, Searing Gorge 41 |
| Dark Iron Deposit | 230 | 280 | 330 | Blackrock Mountain area, see our Dark Iron guide |
| Small Thorium Vein | 245 | 295 | 345 | Tanaris 59, Silithus 43 |
| Rich Thorium Vein | 275 | 325 | 375 | Burning Steppes 44, Winterspring 40 |
| Heavy Thorium Ore (new) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Counts use each vein’s main classicdb object (some ores have extra versions, such as Ooze Covered veins), so read them as a ranking. In Classic, Silver, Gold and Truesilver share spawn points with common veins, so their counts show where they can appear, not how many stand at once. The quest ores Incendicite (65), Lesser Bloodstone (75) and Indurium (150) aren’t worth a detour.
Mining 1-65: Copper in Your Starting Zone
Mining from 1 to 65 in WoW Forever is Copper only, and every starting zone has it. You can learn Mining from a new Junior Mining Trainer in the original starting areas (Apprentice only) or skip the trainer: starter-zone quests can reward Mining for Dummies, a manual that teaches Mining if you know fewer than two professions and adds 2 skill up to 15 (Zockify; the item is in the beta client). Buy a Mining Pick from a Trade Supplies vendor and turn on Find Minerals.
Leave the starting valley early. Blizzard’s October 1 beta notes “Reduced the amount of Poor Copper Vein nodes available in starter areas”. Poor Copper Vein is a node Classic doesn’t have, and how much ore it gives hasn’t been published. The notes don’t mention normal Copper Veins. Forever’s node positions aren’t public yet, so the dots and shaded areas are Classic spawns; Forever uses the same zones, and its maps of them match the Classic ones.
Alliance: Elwynn Forest (skill 1-65)
Elwynn Forest has 88 Copper spawn points in Classic data, a quarter of them inside Fargodeep Mine. The loop starts in Goldshire, runs west through the hills to Fargodeep, east along the southern ridge to Eastvale, north around Stone Cairn Lake and back through Jasperlode Mine. Dwarves and Gnomes have Dun Morogh (76) and Loch Modan (87), Night Elves Darkshore (82). Westfall (78 Copper, 67 Tin) is the best second zone, since its Tin starts the next bracket.
Horde: Durotar (skill 1-65)
Durotar is the densest Copper zone for its size: 141 spawn points in Classic data, and only the Barrens has more (150). Start at Razor Hill, where Krunn trains every rank, run north along the coast toward Orgrimmar, come back down through the western hills and finish along the south-east coast. Undead can use Tirisfal (53) and then Silverpine (87, trainer in the Sepulcher); Tauren have Mulgore (56) and then the Barrens.
Mining 65-150: Tin, Silver and Iron in Ashenvale
Ashenvale covers Mining from 65 to 150 for both factions because it holds every ore of that range: 29 Tin, 54 Copper, 51 Iron and 57 Silver spawn points in Classic data, the most Silver of any zone. Astranaar is the Alliance base, Splintertree Post the Horde one. Run the west loop for Tin and Silver until about 110, then switch to the dashed east loop, where Iron starts paying off at 125.
Ashenvale is also one of five zones where Blizzard’s October 1 notes “increased the respawn rate across many different creatures and objects”, together with Hillsbrad Foothills, the Wetlands, Duskwood and Thousand Needles. Veins are objects, but the notes don’t name them, so faster ore respawns are possible, not confirmed. Eastern Kingdoms alternatives: Westfall (67 Tin) and the Wetlands (52 Tin) for the Alliance, Hillsbrad (30 Tin, 43 Iron) for both. Train Expert at 125, before the Journeyman cap of 150 stops you.
Mining 150-200: Iron and Mithril in Arathi Highlands
Arathi Highlands is the best Iron zone in the game, with 187 Iron Deposit spawn points in Classic data, and 50 Mithril spawn points, as many as any zone, so one loop carries you from 150 to about 200. Start at Refuge Pointe (Horde: Hammerfall), go up to the northern ridge, follow the east wall south past Hammerfall to the Witherbark caves and come back along the southern hills toward Stromgarde. Iron is yellow until 175 and green until 225; Mithril takes over at 175.
Gold is rare here (4 spawn points); Thousand Needles (105 Iron, 35 Gold, faster respawns since October 1) and Stranglethorn (44 Iron, 51 Gold) are the alternatives. Train Artisan at 200, before the Expert cap of 225.
Mining 200-270: Mithril, Truesilver and Thorium in Tanaris
Tanaris takes Mining from 200 to 270 in one zone because its cliffs hold every ore of that range: 35 Mithril, 23 Truesilver and 59 Small Thorium spawn points in Classic data (the top count for Small Thorium’s main object), plus 58 Gold and 47 Iron. Circle the desert along the cliff edges from Gadgetzan, where Pikkle trains Mining for both factions. Mithril turns green at 225, which makes 225 to 245 the slowest stretch of the route: mine Truesilver whenever you see it (orange from 230) and push to 245, where Small Thorium starts.
The Badlands (79 Iron, 29 Mithril, 28 Truesilver) is the alternative if you level in the new Riverglades, which borders it to the south; nobody has published which ores spawn in the Riverglades itself. The Hinterlands works too, and our Classic Mithril farming routes cover it with a full route.
Mining 270-300: Thorium in the Burning Steppes
The Burning Steppes finishes Mining from 270 to 300 because it has the most Rich Thorium (44) and Truesilver (135) spawn points in Classic data, plus 38 Small Thorium. Rich Thorium is orange from 275 to 300, so it carries the last stretch alone. Start at Dreadmaul Rock in the east, where the veins cluster, run the northern ridge west to Blackrock Mountain and come back along the southern hills past the Pillar of Ash. If your character is already around level 50 at skill 230, come here early: the Truesilver covers the 230 to 245 gap better than Tanaris does.
Winterspring (40 Rich, 23 Small Thorium) and Un’Goro Crater (25 and 34) are the other good finishes, and our Classic Thorium farming routes rank all of them. Forever’s new Shaper’s Terrace dungeon (58-60) sits in Un’Goro, so expect company there.
Smelting in WoW Forever: Skill Only Up to 185
Smelting raises Mining skill in WoW Forever only up to 185, according to Zockify, and the beta client data on SeeMeta and wago.tools agrees: Gold Bar is the last smelt that gives points. Mithril and Truesilver Bars are grey as soon as you can mine their ore, Thorium Bars from 250. Smelting Copper as you mine is still free skill early on.
| Bar | Reagents | Yellow at | Grey at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Bar | 1 Copper Ore | 25 | 70 |
| Tin Bar | 1 Tin Ore | 50 | 75 |
| Bronze Bar (2) | 1 Copper Bar, 1 Tin Bar | 65 | 115 |
| Silver Bar | 1 Silver Ore | 100 | 125 |
| Iron Bar | 1 Iron Ore | 130 | 140 |
| Gold Bar | 1 Gold Ore | 170 | 185 |
| Steel Bar | 1 Iron Bar, 1 Coal | – | 165 |
| Mithril Bar | 1 Mithril Ore | – | 175 |
| Truesilver Bar and Dark Iron Bar | 1 Truesilver Ore; 8 Dark Iron Ore | – | 230 |
| Thorium Bar | 1 Thorium Ore | – | 250 |
| Azerothium Bar (new) | 2 Pitchblende, 1 Coal | – | 275 |
| Heavy Thorium Bar (new) | 1 Heavy Thorium Ore, at a Molten Foundry | 300 | 315 |
Values are the beta client’s thresholds in build 1.60.1.70235. The client doesn’t store the skill a trainer asks for; Zockify gives Mining 275 for Azerothium and 300 for Heavy Thorium. Dark Iron still smelts only at the Black Forge in Blackrock Depths, and Smelting Pants now cut the cast time of Copper, Tin, Bronze and Silver smelts by 25%.
WoW Forever Mining Trainers and Rank Requirements
WoW Forever mining trainers teach all four ranks in every capital except Darnassus and in several leveling towns, according to Zockify’s beta data. Gathering ranks need less character level than crafting ones (Icy Veins’ beta table):
| Rank | Skill cap | Requirement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 75 | None | Not listed |
| Journeyman | 150 | Skill 50 (crafters also need level 10) | 5 silver |
| Expert | 225 | Skill 125 and character level 10 (crafters: 20) | 50 silver |
| Artisan | 300 | Skill 200 and character level 25 (crafters: 35) | 5 gold |
Costs are from Zockify. On this route you reach 125 around level 25 and 200 around level 40, so the level gates never hold you back.
| Where | Trainer (coordinates) | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Capitals | Gelman Stonehand, Stormwind Dwarven District (51.0, 17.2); Geofram Bouldertoe, Ironforge Great Forge (50.4, 26.0) | Alliance |
| Alliance towns | Yarr Hammerstone, Steelgrill’s Depot (50.0, 50.2) and Dank Drizzlecut, Gol’Bolar Quarry (69.2, 55.4), both Dun Morogh; Brock Stoneseeker, Thelsamar (37.2, 46.8); Kurdram Stonehammer, Auberdine (38.2, 41.0); Matt Johnson, Darkshire (74.0, 49.6) | Alliance |
| Capitals | Makaru, Orgrimmar Valley of Honor (73.0, 26.4); Brek Stonehoof, Thunder Bluff (34.6, 57.6); Brom Killian, Undercity War Quarter (56.0, 37.0) | Horde |
| Horde towns | Krunn, Razor Hill (51.8, 40.8); Johan Focht, The Sepulcher (43.4, 40.6) | Horde |
| Neutral | Pikkle, Gadgetzan (51.0, 28.0); Grungle, Powderfuse Port in the Riverglades (77.6, 51.8); Messana Crestwind (44.8, 44.4) and Halavuul Cragwind (65.4, 80.4) on Zephras Isle | Both |
| Junior (Apprentice only) | Kelsey Fargo, Northshire; Sally Swiftwrench, Coldridge Valley; Fanorran Stilloak, Shadowglen; Norzsh, Valley of Trials; Vartha Rockmane, Red Cloud Mesa; Walter Mason, Deathknell | Starting areas |
Four items raise your Mining skill and let you mine a vein early, per Zockify: Miner’s Cape (+2, from Miner Johnson in the Deadmines), Enchant Gloves – Mining (+2) and Advanced Mining (+5), and the Engineering-made Goblin Mining Helmet (+5).
What’s New for Mining in WoW Forever
WoW Forever keeps Classic’s veins, as far as the beta data shows, and adds extra drops, camp objects and two bars. “Beta data” in the last column means the beta client, as read by Zockify or by us on wago.tools.
| Change | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Scarce ores | Pyrite, Bauxite and Pitchblende drop as extras while mining; used in new Alchemy, Enchanting, Engineering, Mining and Tailoring recipes. Which veins drop them is unknown. | Beta data (Zockify) |
| Bountiful Harvest | Legacy perk, 5 ranks, up to 100% more Scarce materials from Mining, Herbalism and Skinning | Beta data, see our Legacy System guide |
| Azerothium Bar | New bar from 2 Pitchblende and 1 Coal at Mining 275; used in Blacksmithing, Enchanting and Engineering | Beta data (Zockify, SeeMeta) |
| Heavy Thorium Ore and Bar | New endgame ore, smelted at Mining 300 at a Molten Foundry; where it spawns and what skill it needs is unknown | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Lodestone | Camp object at Mining 20 from the trainer; melee Attack Power buff that doesn’t stack with Blessing of Might | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Rock Garden | Camp object at Mining 140 (Blueprint); spawns a common mining node over time and keeps the Lodestone buff | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Molten Foundry | Camp object at Mining 300 (Blueprint); needed for Heavy Thorium Bars and other Foundry recipes | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Rockslicer | Zockify lists an item that mines Copper, Tin, Silver and Iron Veins without Mining (30 charges), but Forever’s item data has no such item, only the mining effect, so treat it as unconfirmed | Beta data (Zockify) |
| Mining for Dummies | Starter quest reward that teaches Mining and adds 2 skill, up to 15 | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Ore Waylaid Crates | Four tiers (Apprentice to Artisan; the client sets level 10, 10, 20 and 35) filled with ore or bars for Merchant’s Favor | Beta data (Zockify, client) |
| Fewer Poor Copper Veins | A copper node Classic doesn’t have; fewer of them in starter areas since October 1 | Confirmed (October 1 beta notes) |
| Faster respawns in five zones | “Creatures and objects” in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, Wetlands, Duskwood and Thousand Needles; veins not named | Confirmed, veins unconfirmed |
| Revealing Draught | A drink that shows “hidden Mining and Herbalism gathering nodes”; what hidden nodes are hasn’t been explained | Datamined (client spell text) |
The Rock Garden matters most while leveling: from skill 140 your campfire can grow its own vein, though how often and which ore are unknown. Its Blueprint drops from the Relic Guardian, the last boss of Excavation Site: Wetlands. Mining’s skill milestones earn no Legacy Points (only crafting professions’ do), so a miner’s Legacy perk to aim for is Bountiful Harvest. The camp table for all professions is in our WoW Forever professions guide.
Two readings of the client, both our estimates: Pyrite, Bauxite and Pitchblende have item levels 25, 45 and 60, which suggests they come from low, mid and top-level veins. And the client ties the new Death Lotus herb to Mount Hyjal through a glove enchant, so the level 60 zone is a likely home for Heavy Thorium too, though nothing in the data says so.
Does Mining give +5% health in WoW Forever?
No, not in the beta. Icy Veins’ professions overview lists “A 5% increase to total Health” as the Mining perk, next to 5% damage against Beasts and Dragonkin for Skinning and Natural Talent for Herbalism. The perk names trace back to a community transcription of the BlizzCon demo, which kami-labs labels unofficial; it calls Mining’s perk Made of Metal. Blizzard’s systems panel recap doesn’t mention profession passives, and Zockify says it found none in the beta data.
We checked build 1.60.1.70235 ourselves. The beta client’s list of Mining abilities holds Find Minerals, the smelting recipes and the three camp objects, and nothing else. No spell in the beta client’s spell data is named Made of Metal or carries its tooltip, and the Skinning and Herbalism bonuses are missing too, while Forever-only spells such as Bountiful Harvest and Rock Garden are there. A passive the player can see needs a spell entry in the client. Our verdict: the bonuses appeared in the BlizzCon demo, according to that transcription, but aren’t in the beta, so don’t pick Mining for health. Blizzard could still add them before November 4.
What Your Ore Is For: Blacksmithing and Engineering
Blacksmithing is the biggest buyer of ore in WoW Forever, and its leveling route eats a lot of Iron. Our own Blacksmithing route to skill 225, built from the beta client’s recipe data, uses 70 Copper, 317 Bronze, 225 Iron and 338 Mithril Bars, about 950 ore. WoW-Professions’ beta-tested route needs about 430 more ore, including 294 Steel Bars.
| Ore | For one Blacksmith, 1-225 (our math) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Copper Ore | 380 | 114 Copper Bars plus half of the 532 Bronze Bars |
| Tin Ore | 266 | The other half of the Bronze |
| Iron Ore | 608 | 90 Iron Bars plus 518 Steel Bars for 37 Steel Plate Helms (Steel also needs Coal) |
| Mithril Ore | 90-120 | Heavy Mithril Gauntlets or Shoulders |
| Stone | 382 | 90 Rough, 72 Coarse, 60 Heavy and 160 Solid Stone for grinding stones |
That is why we would hold Iron Ore in launch week instead of selling it early: every Blacksmith needs a few hundred Iron Bars, and routes with Steel Plate Helms at 215 to 225 need Iron for Steel on top. At the top end, Zockify lists Azerothium and Heavy Thorium Bars in new Blacksmithing and Engineering recipes, the beta client has Blacksmithing 300 plans for Heavy Thorium Gauntlets and Azerothium Legplates, and Alchemists can transmute a Heavy Thorium Bar and a Fel Crystal into Legionite Bar. Engineering uses bars and stone along its whole route too, and its new recipes take Scarce ores. Our professions guide pairs Mining with Blacksmithing for Warriors and Paladins.
FAQ
Where is the mining trainer in WoW Forever?
Every capital except Darnassus has a WoW Forever mining trainer for all ranks, for example Makaru in Orgrimmar’s Valley of Honor and Geofram Bouldertoe at Ironforge’s Great Forge. Pikkle in Gadgetzan trains both factions.
What level do you need for Expert and Artisan Mining in WoW Forever?
Expert Mining needs skill 125 and character level 10, Artisan needs skill 200 and character level 25, per Icy Veins’ beta table. Journeyman has no level requirement for gathering professions.
Can you level Mining by smelting in WoW Forever?
Only up to 185, per Zockify. In the beta data, Gold Bar is the last smelt with a real skill-up range; the Mithril, Truesilver and Thorium smelts are grey from 175, 230 and 250, when you are mining those ores anyway.
What is the fastest way to level mining in WoW Forever?
Mine while you quest and switch zones as your main vein turns green: your starting zone to 65, Ashenvale to 150, Arathi Highlands to 200, Tanaris to 270 and the Burning Steppes to 300.
Sources: Blizzard’s beta development notes (October 1 and 8) and Blizzard’s BlizzCon systems panel recap. Beta data from Zockify, SeeMeta, Icy Veins, kami-labs (BlizzCon perk transcription) and WoW-Professions, the beta client’s game data (build 1.60.1.70235, read via wago.tools), and Classic vein skill values and spawn points from classicdb. Maps: Blizzard Entertainment, from Warcraft Wiki’s map files.