The Best Way to Get Unidentified Minerals in OSRS: A Complete Guide

The Best Way to Get Unidentified Minerals in OSRS: A Complete Guide


If you’re an Old School RuneScape (OSRS) player looking to snag those elusive unidentified minerals, you’ve landed in the right place. Unidentified minerals are a rare and valuable resource obtained exclusively in the Mining Guild, and they’re your ticket to unlocking powerful mining gloves and other rewards. Whether you’re chasing the expert mining gloves or just want to stock up on soft clay packs, this guide will walk you through the best way to get unidentified minerals in OSRS. Let’s dig in!

Unidentified minerals are rare drops you can obtain while mining rocks in the members-only section of the Mining Guild. These minerals aren’t useful on their own, but they can be traded at Belona’s Mining Guild Mineral Exchange for items like mining gloves, superior mining gloves, expert mining gloves, soft clay packs, and bags full of gems. With the right strategy, you can farm these minerals efficiently and boost your mining game.

Why Are Unidentified Minerals Important?

These minerals are the key to unlocking gear that makes mining faster and more profitable. For example, the expert mining gloves (requiring 180 minerals total) give you a chance to keep rocks from depleting, increasing your ore yield and mineral drops over time. Plus, they’re a must-have for high-level miners tackling runite or amethyst.

Where Can You Get Unidentified Minerals?

You can only find unidentified minerals in the members’ area of the Mining Guild, located beneath Falador. You’ll need at least 60 Mining to enter, though higher levels will make the process smoother and more rewarding.

The Best Method: Power-Mining Iron Rocks

After testing various methods and digging into community insights, the consensus is clear: power-mining iron rocks is the fastest way to gather unidentified minerals in OSRS. Why? Iron rocks have a relatively high mineral drop rate (1/100) and respawn quickly, allowing you to mine continuously with minimal downtime. Here’s how to do it right.

Why Iron Rocks?

While higher-tier rocks like mithril (1/40) or runite (1/20) offer better drop rates per successful mine, their slower mining speed and longer respawn times make them less efficient overall. Iron rocks strike the perfect balance between speed and drop chance, netting you around 15-17 minerals per hour with decent focus.

Step-by-Step Guide to Power-Mining Iron

  • Requirements: 60 Mining to enter the Mining Guild, a good pickaxe (Rune or higher recommended), and optional mining gloves for extra efficiency.
  • Location: Head to the Mining Guild’s members’ area. Look for the two clusters of three iron rocks near the bank deposit box.
  • Method: Mine the three iron rocks in a triangle pattern, dropping the ore as you go (or banking if you prefer). The respawn time is halved in the Guild, so you can keep mining non-stop.
  • Pro Tip: Wear any tier of mining gloves to increase your chances of extra mineral drops by preventing rock depletion occasionally.

Expected Rates

With full concentration, you can mine around 1,500-1,700 iron ores per hour, translating to roughly 15-17 unidentified minerals. If you’re dropping the ore instead of banking, you could push this even higher—up to 20 minerals per hour with optimal efficiency.

Optimizing Your Setup for Maximum Efficiency

To get the most out of your mineral farming, you’ll want to fine-tune your gear and approach. Here’s how to level up your setup.

Best Gear for Mineral Farming

  • Pickaxe: Use the highest-tier pickaxe you can wield (Dragon or Crystal if possible) for faster mining.
  • Mining Gloves: Even the basic pair (40 minerals) helps by giving extra mining attempts per rock, boosting your mineral odds.
  • Prospector Kit: Optional, but it gives a Mining XP boost if you’re training alongside farming minerals.

Boosts and Enhancers

Consider these extras to speed things up:

  • Celestial Ring: Offers a +4 invisible Mining boost, obtainable from trading stardust with Dusuri.
  • Mining Cape: At 99 Mining, this gives a 5% chance of extra ore, indirectly increasing mineral opportunities.
  • Stamina Potions: Keep your run energy up if you’re banking ore instead of dropping.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Don’t waste time with Varrock Armour—it doubles ore but doesn’t affect mineral drops. Also, skip slower rocks like coal or mithril unless you’re after specific ores alongside minerals; they’ll drag your rates down.

Alternative Methods to Consider

While power-mining iron is the king of efficiency, other methods might suit your playstyle or goals. Here’s a rundown of alternatives.

Mining Coal or Mithril

Coal (1/60 drop rate) and mithril (1/40) are slower but offer decent XP and profit if you bank the ore. Expect around 8-10 minerals per hour with coal and slightly more with mithril, depending on your Mining level.

Runite and Amethyst Mining

For high-level players (85+ Mining), runite (1/20) and amethyst (1/20) provide the best drop rates per mine. However, their scarcity and long respawn times make them impractical for pure mineral farming—stick to iron unless you’re multi-tasking for profit.

Comparison Table: Mineral Farming Methods

Method Drop Rate Minerals/Hour XP/Hour Profit Potential
Iron (Power-Mining) 1/100 15-20 50k-60k Low (if dropping)
Coal 1/60 8-10 30k-40k Moderate
Mithril 1/40 10-12 40k-50k Moderate
Runite 1/20 5-7 20k-30k High

What to Do With Unidentified Minerals

Once you’ve stockpiled your minerals, it’s time to cash them in. Here’s what you can grab from Belona and how to prioritize your haul.

Reward Options and Costs

  • Mining Gloves: 40 minerals – Prevents rock depletion once on certain rocks.
  • Superior Mining Gloves: 100 minerals – Better depletion protection.
  • Expert Mining Gloves: 40 minerals + both gloves above – The ultimate mining upgrade (180 total from scratch).
  • Soft Clay Pack: 20 minerals – Best coin-per-mineral value at ~1,160 gp each.
  • Bag Full of Gems: 20 minerals – Decent profit via gem sales.

Prioritizing Your Purchases

Go for the expert mining gloves first if you’re serious about mining—it’s a 10-12 hour grind for 180 minerals but worth it for the long-term benefits. After that, soft clay packs are your best bet for profit, especially if you’re selling them on the Grand Exchange.

Time Investment Breakdown

Here’s how long it’ll take to hit key milestones power-mining iron:

  • 40 Minerals (Mining Gloves): ~2.5-3 hours
  • 100 Minerals (Superior Gloves): ~6-7 hours
  • 180 Minerals (Expert Gloves): ~10-12 hours

Tips and Tricks for Success

To wrap up, here are some final pointers to make your unidentified mineral farming as smooth as possible.

Stay Focused

Power-mining is click-intensive, so keep your attention on the screen. Use RuneLite’s idle notifier to avoid missing respawns if you’re multitasking.

Leverage the Community

Join the “Star Miners” Discord or OSRS forums for real-time tips and updates from fellow miners. They often share hotspot locations and strategies.

Bank or Drop?

Dropping ore is faster for pure mineral rates, but banking near the Guild’s deposit box (just a few tiles away) nets you extra profit without much time loss. At 150 gp per iron ore, 1,500 ores/hour could add 225k gp to your haul.

And there you have it—the best way to get unidentified minerals in OSRS! Power-mining iron rocks in the Mining Guild is your golden ticket to fast, efficient farming. Whether you’re gearing up for expert gloves or stacking clay packs for profit, this method delivers. Grab your pickaxe, head to Falador, and start swinging—those minerals won’t mine themselves!