World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4 with Classic’s ore veins in Classic’s zones, so WoW Forever ore farming starts from a known map. This guide ranks the farming zones for every ore by spawn points, shows the best eight on farming maps, and counts how much ore Blacksmiths and Engineers will need, so you know what to sell in launch week. Short version: Copper and Tin in Westfall or the Barrens, Iron and Gold in Thousand Needles, Mithril in the Hinterlands or the Badlands, Thorium in Winterspring and Un’Goro.
This is the farming guide, not the skill route: our WoW Forever mining leveling guide covers Mining 1-300 with six other maps, smelting and trainers. Forever also adds Scarce ores, ore crates and a camp object that grows its own vein; all of them are below. The other launch guides are on our WoW Forever hub.
How solid this is: WoW Forever keeps Classic’s ore spawns in the original zones, so the spawn counts and map dots below hold in Forever (counts: Wowhead for Mithril, Thorium and Truesilver, classicdb for the other ores; map dots: classicdb), and Forever’s maps of our eight zones match the Classic ones. What Forever changes: fewer Poor Copper Vein nodes in starter areas and faster respawns in five zones (October 1 notes), faster Incendicite Ore respawns in the Wetlands (October 15 notes), Scarce ores, the Rock Garden and zone borders redrawn for the new zones. Ores in the new zones and Heavy Thorium’s veins are unknown. Recipes, crates and Scarce ores come from the beta client (build 1.60.1.70374) and Zockify’s beta data; the beta, which ended October 23, stopped at level 30. Demand numbers are our estimate. Updated November 3: route maps redrawn so every loop stays on walkable ground, out of lakes and clear of the other faction’s towns. Forever’s ore spawns in the original zones are the same as Classic’s, so the counts and maps now apply to Forever without a caveat. Mithril, Thorium and Truesilver rankings now use Wowhead’s observed counts, which put the Hinterlands first for Mithril and Truesilver and Winterspring for Rich Thorium.
Best Ore Farming Zones in WoW Forever
The best WoW Forever ore farming zone for each ore is the one with the most spawn points in your level range. Both factions can farm every zone from Tin on; faction only decides where you fly in. Levels are from our WoW Forever zones by level guide.
| Ore (Mining skill) | Best zones (spawn points) | Level | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper (1) | Horde: Barrens 150, Durotar 141, Silverpine 87. Alliance: Elwynn 88, Loch Modan 87, Darkshore 82, Westfall 78 | 1-25 | Barrens, Westfall |
| Tin (65) | Westfall 67, Wetlands 52, Barrens 40, Redridge 34, Hillsbrad 30 | 10-35 | Barrens, Westfall |
| Silver (75) | Ashenvale 57; no other zone over 8 | 18-30 | Leveling guide |
| Iron (125) | Arathi 187, Thousand Needles 105, Desolace 87, Badlands 79, Alterac 71 | 25-45 | Thousand Needles |
| Gold (155) | Tanaris 58, Stranglethorn 51, Thousand Needles 35 | 25-50 | Stranglethorn |
| Mithril (175) | Hinterlands 130, Azshara 96, Tanaris 95, Desolace 89, Badlands 79 (Wowhead) | 30-55 | Badlands, Hinterlands |
| Truesilver (230) | Hinterlands 144, Winterspring 142, Azshara 134, Burning Steppes 126 (Wowhead) | 40-60 | Leveling guide |
| Small Thorium (245) | Un’Goro 59, Silithus 58, Burning Steppes 57, Winterspring 49 (Wowhead) | 40-60 | Un’Goro |
| Rich Thorium (275) | Winterspring 71, Eastern Plaguelands 67, Azshara 59, Burning Steppes 37 (Wowhead); Silithus hives 107 Ooze Covered | 45-60 | Winterspring, Un’Goro |
| Dark Iron (230) | Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes around Blackrock Mountain, Blackrock Depths, Molten Core | 45-58 | – |
| Heavy Thorium (new) | Unknown | Unknown | – |
Mithril, Thorium and Truesilver counts are Wowhead’s observed spawn points; the other ores use classicdb’s main vein object, which lists fewer spawn points in many zones (28 Mithril in the Hinterlands against Wowhead’s 130), so read those as a rough ranking. Silver, Gold and Truesilver share spawn points with common veins in Classic, so their numbers show where they can appear, not how many stand at once. Blizzard’s October 1 beta notes raised respawns of “creatures and objects” in Thousand Needles, Ashenvale, Hillsbrad, the Wetlands and Duskwood, and the October 15 notes name Incendicite Ore among the faster Wetlands respawns. Which ores spawn in the new Riverglades is unknown.
What Will Sell: Ore Demand at Launch
The ores that sell best at launch are the ones every crafter needs in bulk before many miners can reach them. We turned the bars our own Blacksmithing and Engineering routes use from 1 to 300 back into ore; the last column is our estimate.
| Ore or stone | One Blacksmith, 1-300 | One Engineer, 1-300 | Used at skill | Our launch read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Ore | 228 | 121 | 1-140 | Most spawns of any ore. Sell in the first days. |
| Tin Ore | 159 | 56 | 50-175 | About one Tin spawn per three Copper, but Bronze needs both 1:1. Worth more than Copper. |
| Iron Ore | 225 | 2 | 140-175 | One Blacksmith eats a long Arathi session. Hold it in launch week. |
| Mithril Ore | 338 | 133 | 175-250 | Biggest need before Artisan, and miners need Mining 175 and level 30-plus zones to supply it. Our best seller for weeks two and three. |
| Thorium Ore | 914 (on paper) | 170 | 235-300 | Huge, but only once crafters reach Artisan (level 35) and find plans. |
| Coarse Stone | 182 | 47 | 50-140 | Only Tin Veins drop it, about one loot in four in Classic data. Likely short. |
| Solid Stone | 11 | 104 | 175-195 | From Mithril, about 40% of loots. Short until Mithril farming starts. |
Bronze counts as half Copper, half Tin. Our Blacksmithing route uses 70 Copper, 317 Bronze, 225 Iron, 338 Mithril and 914 Thorium Bars, the Engineering route 65 Copper, 111 Bronze, 5 Silver, 2 Iron, 133 Mithril and 170 Thorium Bars; the steps are in our WoW Forever blacksmithing leveling guide and WoW Forever engineering leveling guide. Silver, Gold and Truesilver have no leveling demand on either route; Tailoring’s new rare lines, Enchanting rods and ore crates use them.
How we would sell as a day-one miner: Copper while the first crafters level, Tin and stone a little later, Iron to Blacksmiths around their Expert rank, and Mithril in the second week. Thorium pays once crafters reach Artisan. Our WoW Forever professions guide pairs Mining with a crafting profession if you’d rather use the ore yourself.
Copper and Tin Farming: Westfall and the Barrens
The best Copper and Tin farms in WoW Forever are Westfall for the Alliance and the Barrens for the Horde, because both hold Copper and Tin in one loop. Tin needs Mining 65.
Westfall has 78 Copper and 67 Tin spawn points in classicdb, the Tin concentrated in Jangolode Mine and the hills south of Moonbrook. Loop from Sentinel Hill north along the eastern Copper strip, west past Jangolode Mine, south through the western hills and Gold Coast Quarry, then through the Tin hills south of Moonbrook and back to Sentinel Hill. Loch Modan (87 Copper) and the Wetlands (52 Tin) are the Alliance alternatives; our Tin Ore farming guide has routes for the Wetlands, Hillsbrad and the Barrens.
The Barrens has 150 Copper spawn points in classicdb and 40 Tin, mostly south of Camp Taurajo. Run the loop around the Crossroads for Copper and the dashed loop south of Camp Taurajo for Tin. The Horde’s Waylaid Crate turn-in camp sits just west of the Crossroads (49.7, 29.5, per Zockify). Below level 10, Durotar’s 141 Copper is the better farm, but skip the starting valleys: the October 1 notes “Reduced the amount of Poor Copper Vein nodes available in starter areas”. Poor Copper Vein is a node Classic doesn’t have; its yield hasn’t been published. Our Copper farming guide has Durotar and Elwynn Forest routes.
Iron and Gold Farming: Thousand Needles and Stranglethorn Vale
Arathi Highlands has 187 Iron spawn points in classicdb (map in our leveling guide), but Thousand Needles is the better Iron and Gold farm when Arathi is crowded: 105 Iron, 35 Gold, and faster respawns since October 1.
Run the canyon floor as one loop: east along the northern side to the canyon’s eastern end, then back west along the southern wall, well south of Freewind Post, and through a small cave that holds 12 Iron spawn points. Horde players fly to Freewind Post, Alliance players to Thalanaar at the canyon’s western end; the loop stays away from both. Our Iron Ore farming guide adds an Arathi Highlands route.
Stranglethorn Vale is the Gold farm: 51 Gold spawn points next to 44 Iron in classicdb and 66 Mithril and 58 Truesilver on Wowhead, mostly in the eastern hills between Booty Bay and the Duskwood border. The loop stays west of the Mosh’Ogg Ogre Mound, whose elite ogres sit on part of the northern Gold. Tanaris has slightly more Gold (58) and more Mithril (95 on Wowhead). Gold’s buyers are Tailors (the new Gilded and Nethergeld rare lines take 2 to 14 Gold Bars per piece) and ore crates.
Mithril and Truesilver Farming: Badlands and the Hinterlands
The Hinterlands has the most Mithril spawn points of any zone on Wowhead (130), the Badlands (79) borders the new Riverglades, where most players level from 35 to 45, and both add Truesilver.
The Badlands has 79 Mithril and 74 Truesilver spawn points on Wowhead, plus 79 Iron in classicdb. Dustbelch Grotto in the south-west is the densest Mithril spot; Truesilver clusters along the eastern ridges. Horde players fly to Kargath, Alliance players to Thelsamar in Loch Modan and ride south. The loop stays well east of Kargath, so both factions can run it.
The Hinterlands has 130 Mithril spawn points on Wowhead, the most of any zone, plus 144 Truesilver, also the most of any zone on Wowhead, and 21 Iron in classicdb, around the Altar of Zul, Jintha’Alor, Skulk Rock and the south-western hills, with flight paths at Aerie Peak (Alliance) and Revantusk Village (Horde). The loop stays clear of both towns, and the dashed spur reaches the Truesilver below Jintha’Alor. For Truesilver, Winterspring (142) and Azshara (134) come close on Wowhead; our Mithril farming guide compares more zones and routes.
Thorium Farming: Un’Goro Crater and Winterspring
The best place to farm Thorium in WoW Forever depends on the vein: Winterspring and the Eastern Plaguelands for Rich Thorium (71 and 67 spawn points on Wowhead), Un’Goro Crater for Small Thorium (59), and Un’Goro or Winterspring for both close together. Small veins need Mining 245, Rich ones 275.
Un’Goro has 59 Small and 24 Rich Thorium spawn points on Wowhead, not counting its Ooze Covered veins: Rich on Fire Plume Ridge and in the south-western hills, Small along the eastern and northern walls. The flight path at Marshal’s Refuge serves both factions. The north loop covers the crater wall from Marshal’s Refuge to the eastern Small Thorium, the south loop Fire Plume Ridge and the south-western hills, and the dashed link goes around the western end of the river instead of through it. Forever’s new Shaper’s Terrace dungeon (58-60) is in the crater, so expect company at the cap.
Winterspring has 71 Rich and 49 Small Thorium spawn points on Wowhead, at Lake Kel’Theril, on the ridges south of it and in Darkwhisper Gorge, which is also the way into Forever’s new level 60 zone, Mount Hyjal. Thorium Veins drop Arcane Crystals in about 3% of loots in Classic data; our Arcane Crystal farming guide and Thorium farming guide go deeper.
Dark Iron Ore and Heavy Thorium Ore
Dark Iron Ore needs Mining 230 and, in Classic data, spawns only around Blackrock Mountain: in Searing Gorge, the Burning Steppes side of the mountain, Blackrock Depths and Molten Core. You smelt it at the Black Forge in Blackrock Depths, 8 ore per bar. In SeeMeta’s beta recipe tables, Dark Iron Bars go into 28 recipes, all at skill 240 or higher, so demand starts late. Our Dark Iron Ore farming guide has routes for both zones.
Heavy Thorium Ore is new, and where it spawns is unknown. The beta client has the ore and its Mining 300 smelt at a Molten Foundry, but nobody found its veins in the level 30 beta. Heavy Thorium Bars go into 21 recipes from skill 250 up and into the Alchemy transmute for Legionite Bar, so the first farmers will set the price. Mount Hyjal is our guess, only because the client ties the new Death Lotus herb to Hyjal. The client also holds Torbernite, a new item level 60 reagent used in four skill-300 recipes, with an unknown source.
Scarce Ores: Pyrite, Bauxite and Pitchblende
Scarce ores are WoW Forever’s bonus drops from mining veins, per Zockify’s beta data. Which veins drop which is unknown; item levels of 25, 45 and 60 point to low, mid and top tiers (our estimate). Each becomes a reagent for the new rare gear.
| Scarce ore | Item level, vendor price | Turned into | Used in (beta recipe data, our count) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pyrite | 25, 1 silver | Sulfuric Acid (Alchemy 50): 2 Pyrite, Empty Vial | Acid: 45 recipes, 30 of them Blacksmithing rare plans, 9 Leatherworking. Pyrite itself: 9 Tailoring, 4 Enchanting |
| Bauxite | 45, 2.5 silver | Sandpaper (Engineering, about 130): 2 Bauxite, Bolt of Linen | Sandpaper: 27 recipes, 25 of them Blacksmithing rare plate |
| Pitchblende | 60, 3.75 silver | Azerothium Bar (Mining 275): 2 Pitchblende, 1 Coal | Azerothium: 14 recipes from skill 250 (10 Blacksmithing) |
Pyrite is the one to watch at launch, because Blacksmiths need Sulfuric Acid for the new rare gloves, gauntlets and other plate on their leveling plans from skill 80. Blizzard’s systems panel recap says the Legacy perk Bountiful Harvest increases “the materials gathered from mining, herbalism, or skinning”; in the beta client it adds 20% more Scarce materials per rank, up to 100% at rank 5 (see our WoW Forever Legacy System guide). Coal is a 5 silver vendor item in Classic, and the beta client keeps that price.
Waylaid Crates, Rock Garden and Other Forever Tools for Miners
Ore Waylaid Crates
Waylaid Crates drop from monsters in WoW Forever; you fill them with materials and turn them in for Merchant’s Favor, the recipe currency. Two crate types take metal, per Zockify’s beta data, with the level to use them from the beta client:
| Crate rank (level) | Ore crate: one of | Ingots crate: one of |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice (10) | 20 Copper or 20 Tin Ore | 20 Copper, 20 Tin or 10 Bronze Bars |
| Journeyman (10) | 10 Silver or 20 Iron Ore | 10 Silver or 20 Iron Bars |
| Expert (20) | 10 Gold or 20 Mithril Ore | 20 Mithril, 15 Steel or 10 Gold Bars |
| Artisan (35) | 10 Truesilver, 20 Thorium or 20 Dark Iron Ore | 2 Dark Iron, 10 Truesilver or 20 Thorium Bars |
Zockify lists 5 or 10 Favor for an Apprentice crate and 10 or 20 for a Journeyman one, depending on quality; ingot crates are uncommon and ore crates common in the client, so ingot crates should pay double (our reading). The cheap fills: 10 Bronze Bars cost only 5 Copper and 5 Tin Ore, and 2 Dark Iron Bars only 16 Dark Iron Ore. Turn-ins are at Three Corners in Redridge (Alliance) and west of the Crossroads (Horde).
Rock Garden, Revealing Draught and the Gnomish Army Knife
The Rock Garden (Mining 140) is a camp object that “spawns a common mining node over time”, per the client. Its Blueprint drops from the Relic Guardian in Excavation Site: Wetlands, per Zockify and Icy Veins; our Excavation Site: Wetlands guide covers the run. Which ore it grows and how fast are unknown, and camp objects share a one-hour cooldown: a bonus vein, not a farm.
Revealing Draught is an Alchemy potion (yellow at 205, grey at 210 in the beta client; 3 Fadeleaf, a Khadgar’s Whisker, a Leaded Vial) that lets you “see hidden Mining and Herbalism gathering nodes”. What a hidden node is, the duration and the recipe source are unknown.
The Gnomish Army Knife counts as a Mining Pick, Skinning Knife, Blacksmith Hammer and four more tools. It needs level 45, no profession, and doesn’t bind, so Engineers can sell it (schematic: 270 Merchant’s Favor, Engineering 250).
Farming herbs on the same trips? Our WoW Forever herb farming guide lists the best zone for every herb.
FAQ
Where is the best place to farm Thorium in WoW Forever?
For Rich Thorium, Winterspring (71 spawn points on Wowhead) and the Eastern Plaguelands (67); for Small Thorium, Un’Goro Crater (59), which has Rich veins close by too.
Where do you find Heavy Thorium Ore in WoW Forever?
Nobody knows yet. The ore and its Mining 300 smelt are in the beta client, but no one found its veins in the beta, which stopped at level 30.
Is Mining good for gold in WoW Forever?
Very likely in the first weeks. By our count one Blacksmith needs about 950 ore to reach 225 and an Engineer about 490 to reach 300. We expect Copper prices to drop first and Mithril and Thorium to hold longest.
Sources: Blizzard’s beta development notes (October 1 and 8) and Blizzard’s BlizzCon systems panel recap. Beta data from Zockify, SeeMeta and Icy Veins; the beta client’s game data (build 1.60.1.70374, read via wago.tools); Mithril, Thorium and Truesilver spawn counts from Wowhead’s Classic database; other vein spawns and loot from classicdb. Maps: Blizzard Entertainment, from Warcraft Wiki’s map files.