Blast Furnace Cost OSRS A Comprehensive Guide

The Blast Furnace in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a popular members-only minigame located in Keldagrim, offering efficient smithing experience and potential profits. However, understanding the costs involved is crucial for players looking to maximize their gains. This guide breaks down the Blast Furnace cost in OSRS, including fees, equipment, and strategies to optimize your smelting sessions. Whether you’re a low-level smither or a seasoned player, this post will help you navigate the expenses and make informed decisions.

The Blast Furnace is a smithing activity that allows players to smelt bars using half the coal required by a regular furnace, making it highly efficient for high-tier ores like mithril, adamantite, and runite. Located in Keldagrim, it’s accessible after starting The Giant Dwarf quest. The minigame is run by dwarves on designated worlds, simplifying the process but introducing specific costs.

Why Use the Blast Furnace?

The Blast Furnace is favored for its efficiency and profitability. Here’s why players choose it:

• Reduced Coal Usage: Only half the coal is needed compared to standard furnaces, saving resources.
• High XP Rates: Smelting gold bars with goldsmith gauntlets can yield up to 370,000 XP per hour.
• Profit Potential: Smelting certain bars, like mithril or adamantite, can generate significant gold per hour.

Access Requirements

To use the Blast Furnace, you need:

• Started The Giant Dwarf quest to enter Keldagrim.
• OSRS membership, as the minigame is members-only.
• Optional: 60 Smithing to avoid additional fees (explained below).

Breakdown of Blast Furnace Costs

Operating the Blast Furnace involves several costs, including fees for usage, equipment, and resources. Let’s explore each in detail.

Hourly Usage Fee

On the 15 designated Blast Furnace worlds (e.g., 352, 355, 358, 386, 387), dwarves (Dumpy, Stumpy, Pumpy, Numpty, and Thumpy) operate the furnace mechanics, allowing solo smelting. This service costs 72,000 coins per hour (12 coins per game tick), deposited into the coffer near the bank chest. This fee is time-based and continues as long as you’re logged in, regardless of smelting activity.

If you’ve completed the Hard Falador Diary, this fee is reduced to 36,000 coins per hour, making it a worthwhile goal for frequent users.

Smithing Level Fee (Below 60 Smithing)

Players with less than 60 Smithing must pay an additional 2,500 coins every 10 minutes (or 15,000 coins per hour) to the Blast Furnace Foreman. Wearing a Ring of Charos (a) and following the correct dialogue (Chat 1-3-2-3) reduces this to 1,250 coins every 10 minutes (7,500 coins per hour). This fee can be avoided entirely by reaching 60 Smithing, which is recommended for long-term use.

Resource Costs (Ores and Coal)

The primary ongoing cost is purchasing ores and coal, which varies based on the bars you’re smelting. You can buy ores from Ordan’s Ore Seller in Keldagrim (up to mithril) or the Grand Exchange. Here’s a table of approximate costs based on recent Grand Exchange prices:

Bar Type	Ore Needed	Coal Needed (Blast Furnace)	Approx. Cost per Bar (GP)
Iron	1 Iron Ore	0	150
Steel	1 Iron Ore	1 Coal	400
Mithril	1 Mithril Ore	2 Coal	800
Adamantite	1 Adamantite Ore	3 Coal	1,900
Runite	1 Runite Ore	4 Coal	12,000
Gold	1 Gold Ore	0	350

Note: Prices fluctuate, so check the Grand Exchange before buying. Smelting gold bars is often a loss due to high ore costs but is used for XP. Mithril and adamantite bars are typically profitable.

Stamina Potions

Running between the bank, conveyor belt, and bar dispenser depletes run energy quickly. Stamina potions are highly recommended, costing around 8,000–10,000 coins per hour (assuming 36 doses per hour). These are essential for maintaining efficiency, especially without high Agility levels.

Essential Equipment and Their Costs

Certain items can significantly reduce costs or improve efficiency at the Blast Furnace. Here’s what you need and their approximate costs:

Coal Bag

A coal bag (purchased from the Motherlode Mine for 100 gold nuggets, roughly 100,000 coins in value) allows you to carry up to 27 coal in one inventory slot, doubling your coal-carrying capacity. This is a one-time investment that’s crucial for smelting bars requiring coal, like mithril or runite.

Ice Gloves

Ice gloves, obtained from the Heroes’ Quest or by defeating the Ice Queen, allow you to instantly collect hot bars from the dispenser without using a bucket of water. They’re free once acquired and save inventory space, making them a must-have.

Goldsmith Gauntlets

For players smelting gold bars for XP, goldsmith gauntlets (from the Family Crest quest) boost XP per bar from 22.5 to 56.2. They’re free after completing the quest and essential for maximizing XP rates.

Weight-Reducing Gear

Wearing Graceful outfit, Boots of Lightness, or a Spottier Cape reduces your weight, lowering run energy depletion. The Graceful set costs around 2–3 million coins if purchased via the Grand Exchange, but it’s a worthwhile investment for frequent Blast Furnace users.

Strategies to Minimize Costs

While the Blast Furnace has unavoidable costs, you can employ strategies to reduce expenses and increase efficiency.

Use Designated Blast Furnace Worlds

Stick to the 15 Blast Furnace worlds for solo smelting. The 72,000 coins per hour fee is justified by the dwarves handling all mechanics, saving time and effort. Non-themed worlds require teamwork and manual operation, which is less efficient and not cost-effective for most players.

World Hopping Trick

A niche strategy to avoid the 72,000 coins per hour fee involves depositing ores on a non-Blast Furnace world, pedaling manually to process them, then hopping to a Blast Furnace world to collect bars. However, this is highly impractical due to time costs and minimal savings compared to ore expenses.

Optimize Inventory Management

Use this inventory setup for efficiency:

• 60+ Smithing: Coal bag, ice gloves (equipped), stamina potion, 26 ores.
• Below 60 Smithing: Coal bag, ice gloves or bucket of water, stamina potion, coins (for Foreman fee), 25 ores.

Preload the furnace with coal before smelting bars like steel or mithril to avoid delays.

Hybrid Smelting for Profit and XP

Combine gold ore smelting with mithril, adamantite, or runite to balance XP and profit. For example, alternate trips of gold ore (with coal in the coal bag) and mithril ore. This method yields around 200,000 XP per hour and decent profits, though it requires a coal bag and glove switching.

Profit vs. XP: Is It Worth the Cost?

The Blast Furnace’s costs can add up, but the potential rewards often outweigh them. Here’s a quick comparison:

Focusing on XP

Smelting gold bars with goldsmith gauntlets offers up to 370,000 XP per hour but typically results in a loss due to high gold ore prices (around 350 coins each). The cost, including stamina potions and the 72,000 coins fee, can exceed 400,000 coins per hour. This is ideal for players prioritizing fast Smithing levels.

Focusing on Profit

Smelting mithril or adamantite bars can yield significant profits. For example, mithril bars can generate up to 754,200 coins per hour after costs (ores, coal, stamina potions, and coffer fee), producing around 3,600 bars per hour. Adamantite bars are also highly profitable, especially with a coal bag.

Balancing Both

Hybrid methods, like combining gold and mithril, offer a middle ground. You’ll earn around 200,000 XP per hour and moderate profits, making it a cost-effective option for players who want both XP and gold.

In conclusion, the Blast Furnace in OSRS is a powerful tool for smithing, but its costs—ranging from usage fees to resource expenses—require careful planning. By using the right equipment, optimizing strategies, and choosing the appropriate bars, you can minimize costs and maximize rewards. Whether you’re chasing XP or profits, understanding the Blast Furnace cost in OSRS will help you make the most of this minigame.