OSRS Mithril Bar Ironman Guide for Efficient Progression

OSRS Mithril Bar Ironman Guide for Efficient Progression

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), playing as an Ironman adds a thrilling layer of self-sufficiency to the game, where every resource counts. For Ironmen, mithril bars are a key item, bridging the gap between early and mid-game Smithing, Fletching, and questing. This guide dives into everything you need to know about obtaining, crafting, and using mithril bars as an Ironman, with tips to maximize efficiency and progress your account. Whether you’re smelting for experience or preparing for quests like In Aid of the Myreque, we’ve got you covered.

A mithril bar is a refined metal bar created by smelting one mithril ore and four pieces of coal in a furnace, requiring level 50 Smithing and granting 30 Smithing XP per bar. Ironmen can’t rely on the Grand Exchange, so gathering resources and deciding how to use mithril bars is a strategic choice that impacts your progression.

Why Mithril Bars Matter for Ironmen

Mithril bars are versatile, used in Smithing for weapons and armor, Fletching for darts, and quests like In Aid of the Myreque. They’re a mid-tier resource that helps Ironmen transition from low-level grinds to more advanced content, making them a focal point for efficient account planning.

Key Uses of Mithril Bars

Obtaining Mithril Ore and Coal as an Ironman

Becoming an Efficient Ironman OSRS Ironman Progress 20 Ded

Since Ironmen must gather their own resources, securing mithril ore and coal is the first step to smelting mithril bars. Here are the best methods to stock up efficiently.

Mining Mithril Ore

Mithril ore requires level 55 Mining, though you can start smelting bars at 50 Smithing. Here are top spots for Ironmen:

  • Mining Guild: At 60 Mining, the guild offers multiple mithril rocks and proximity to a bank.
  • Motherlode Mine: While slower for mithril, it passively yields ores while training for 72 Mining (for upper level access).
  • Hobgoblin Mine (Level 46 Wilderness): Riskier but has several mithril rocks; bring minimal gear to avoid PKers.

Tip: Use a gem bag and ore sack from Motherlode Mine to extend trips and save inventory space.

Gathering Coal

Coal is the bottleneck for mithril bars, as each bar needs four pieces. Efficient coal sources include:

  • Coal Trucks (Seers’ Village): Mine coal and store up to 280 pieces in trucks before banking, ideal for early-game Ironmen.
  • Mining Guild: Plenty of coal rocks, especially in the expanded area (60 Mining).
  • Miscellania Kingdom Management: After Throne of Miscellania, assign workers to coal for a steady passive supply.

Pro Tip: Unlock the coal bag from Motherlode Mine (100 nuggets) to double coal per inventory, drastically speeding up smelting.

Alternative Sources for Mithril Bars

If Mining isn’t your style, you can acquire mithril bars or ores through other methods:

  • Monster Drops: Chaos Dwarves (level 48) and Ice Giants (level 53) drop mithril bars, though rates are low.
  • Zalcano (Song of the Elves): High-level Ironmen with 70 Mining can farm Zalcano for mithril ores and bars, especially with a high Smithing level.
  • Muddy Chest (Lava Maze): Using a muddy key yields one mithril bar per chest, but it’s in deep Wilderness—use cautiously.

Smelting Mithril Bars Efficiently

Once you’ve gathered resources, smelting mithril bars is straightforward but can be optimized for speed and cost. Here’s how to do it right.

Standard Furnace Smelting

Any furnace (e.g., Edgeville, Falador) works for smelting mithril bars. With a coal bag, you can smelt up to 13 bars per trip (14 mithril ore, 14 coal, coal bag with 27 coal). Each bar takes about 3 seconds, yielding ~1,800 bars per hour and 54,000 Smithing XP.

Cost: Smelting in a standard furnace yields a profit of ~291 GP per bar due to ore costs versus bar value, but Ironmen focus on XP over GP.

Blast Furnace for Maximum Efficiency

The Blast Furnace in Keldagrim is the meta for smelting mithril bars, requiring only two coal per bar instead of four. At 60 Smithing, you avoid the 1,200 GP/minute coffer fee, but it’s still viable at 50 Smithing.

Method Coal per Bar Bars per Hour Smithing XP per Hour Notes
Standard Furnace 4 ~1,800 54,000 Accessible, no fees
Blast Furnace 2 3,300–3,600 99,000–108,000 Requires coal bag, stamina potions

How to Use Blast Furnace:

  1. Travel to Keldagrim (Grand Exchange trapdoor after visiting once).
  2. Deposit 72,000 GP in the coffer if under 60 Smithing.
  3. Place mithril ore on the conveyor belt, followed by coal from your coal bag.
  4. Retrieve bars from the dispenser (use ice gloves or a bucket of water).
  5. Repeat, using stamina potions to maintain run energy.

With a coal bag and moderate attention, you can produce 3,300–3,600 bars per hour, making Blast Furnace the fastest Smithing XP method for mithril bars.

Superheat Item Spell

If you have 43 Magic, the Superheat Item spell (4 Fire runes, 1 Nature rune) can smelt mithril bars without a furnace, granting 30 Smithing XP and 53 Magic XP per cast. It’s slower (~1,200 bars/hour) and rune-intensive, but useful for AFK training or if you’re low on coal.

Best Uses for Mithril Bars as an Ironman

Deciding what to do with your mithril bars depends on your goals—Smithing XP, Fletching XP, Ranged training, or quest progression. Here are the top options, with pros and cons.

Giant’s Foundry (Best Smithing XP)

Unlocked after Sleeping Giants, Giant’s Foundry offers ~10x Smithing XP per mithril bar compared to traditional smithing. Combine mithril with steel or adamant bars for optimal molds (e.g., 18 mithril + 10 adamant).

  • Pros: 250,000–300,000 Smithing XP per hour, some GP from rewards.
  • Cons: Requires initial quest, burns through bars quickly.

Recommendation: Use most mithril bars here if aiming for 70+ Smithing (e.g., for Song of the Elves).

Mithril Darts (Fletching and Ranged)

Smithing mithril dart tips (54 Smithing) and fletching them (52 Fletching) provides dual XP and ammo for Ranged training. Each bar makes 10 dart tips, yielding 50 Smithing XP and 38 Fletching XP per 10 darts.

  • Pros: Decent Fletching XP (~100,000/hour), usable for Slayer or barraging.
  • Cons: Mithril darts are outclassed by adamant/rune later, lower Smithing XP rate.

Note: Save some bars for darts if you’re pre-blowpipe or training Ranged on a budget.

Platebodies for Alching

Smithing mithril platebodies (68 Smithing) and high-alching them (1,200 GP) recoups some costs, providing 250 Smithing XP per bar (5 bars per platebody).

Tip: Alching is less relevant for late-game Ironmen, as Slayer drops provide ample GP.

Quest Requirements

A mithril bar is needed for In Aid of the Myreque to progress the Myreque questline, unlocking Burgh de Rott. If you’re below 50 Smithing, consider getting a bar from the Muddy Chest or monster drops to avoid grinding.

Tips for Optimizing Your Mithril Bar Strategy

To make the most of your mithril bars as an Ironman, balance your goals and resources with these tips:

Prioritize Blast Furnace

Even if you pay the coffer fee, Blast Furnace saves coal and time, letting you stockpile bars faster for Giant’s Foundry or darts.

Plan Around Quests

Save at least one bar for In Aid of the Myreque, but don’t hoard bars early—use them to train skills and unlock better content.

Combine Training Methods

Fletch mithril darts while training Agility or doing other AFK activities to double-dip on XP gains.

Monitor Resource Bottlenecks

Coal is often the limiting factor, so prioritize Miscellania coal output or Coal Trucks to keep your smelting pipeline flowing.

Final Thoughts: Mithril bars are a cornerstone of Ironman progression, offering flexibility across Smithing, Fletching, and questing. By focusing on efficient gathering (Mining Guild, Coal Trucks), smelting (Blast Furnace), and usage (Giant’s Foundry or darts), you can turn this mid-tier resource into a springboard for high-level content. Experiment with these methods to find what fits your playstyle, and enjoy the self-sufficient grind!