Mining

Route from skill 1 to 300 for Classic Era. Mining is the basis for blacksmithing and engineering.

Trainers and requirements

Apprentice: level 5. Buy a Mining Pick from the mining vendor.
Journeyman: skill 50 required, level 10. Smelting silver from skill 75.
Expert (from skill 125): level 20. Smelting gold from skill 155.
Artisan: level 35, training at skill 225 (requires skill 200). Pikkle in Tanaris.
Rich Thorium Veins can be mined from skill 275.

Route Classic Era (1-300)

Skill	What	Where
1-65	Copper Ore	Durotar, Mulgore, Tirisfal Glades, Elwynn Forest, Darkshore, Dun Morogh
65-125	Tin, Copper, Silver Ore	Hillsbrad Foothills, Redridge Mountains, Ashenvale, Barrens
125-175	Iron, Tin, Gold Ore	Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Thousand Needles
175-245	Mithril, Truesilver Ore	Hinterlands, Tanaris
245-275	Mithril, Truesilver, Thorium Ore	Un’Goro Crater, Blasted Lands, Felwood
275-300	Thorium, Rich Thorium Ore	Un’Goro Crater, Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring, Burning Steppes

Route from skill 300 to 375 for TBC Classic. The route for 1-300 is in the Classic Era tab.

Trainers and requirements

Trainers: Hurnak Grimmord (Alliance, Honor Hold) and Krugosh (Horde, Thrallmar), both on Hellfire Peninsula. You learn the TBC mining skill there.
The flying routes need a flying mount (level 70 recommended).

Route TBC Classic (300-375)

Skill	What	Where
300-325	Fel Iron Ore	Hellfire Peninsula (with or without a flying mount)
325-350	Fel Iron and Adamantite Ore	Zangarmarsh (two caves) and Terokkar Forest. Rich Adamantite Veins only from 350.
350-375	Adamantite and Fel Iron Ore	Nagrand, Netherstorm and Shadowmoon Valley (with a flying mount). Without a flying mount: Terokkar Forest and Zangarmarsh.

Source: Compiled from the MoP Classic guide on wow-professions.com (skill 1-600).

Trainers and requirements

Every trainer teaches every rank: Journeyman (50), Expert (150), Artisan (200), Master (300), Grand Master (350, level 55), Illustrious (425). For 500-600 visit a trainer in Pandaria.
Buy a Mining Pick at a mining supply vendor near the trainer (must be in your bags).
Trainers include: Orgrimmar (Makaru), Stormwind (Gelman Stonehand), Ironforge (Geofram Bouldertoe), Undercity (Brom Killian), Tanaris (Pikkle), Jade Forest (Rockseeker Guo for the Alliance, Stonebreaker Ruian for the Horde, Smeltmaster Ashpaw neutral).
Alternative to mining: smelting up to 525 (needs a few thousand gold, second table).

MoP Classic route (1-600)

Skill	What	Where
1-50	Copper Ore	Durotar, Darkshore
50-100	Tin Ore, Silver Ore	Hillsbrad Foothills, Northern Stranglethorn. Learn Journeyman at 50. In Hillsbrad clear the red zone, look for tin outside, then return.
100-150	Iron Ore, Gold Ore	Western Plaguelands, Feralas
150-200	Mithril Ore, Truesilver Ore	Felwood, Burning Steppes, Badlands. Learn Expert at 150. In the Burning Steppes avoid Dreadmaul Rock.
200-275	Thorium Ore	Un’Goro Crater, Winterspring. Learn Artisan at 200. From 275 optionally Hellfire Peninsula for Fel Iron.
275-325	Fel Iron Ore	Hellfire Peninsula. Learn Master at 300. With heavy competition or no flying mount farm Thorium up to 325.
325-350	Adamantite Ore	Zangarmarsh, Terokkar Forest (flying mount, a route without flying exists). Walk through both marked caves completely. Rich Adamantite Deposits can be mined from 350.
350-400	Cobalt Ore	Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord (each with a route without flying). Learn Grand Master at 350 (from level 55).
400-450	Saronite Ore	Sholazar Basin (alternative: The Storm Peaks). Use the Storm Peaks if Sholazar is crowded.
425-475	Obsidium Ore	Mount Hyjal (better when few players), Vashj’ir. Learn Illustrious Mining at 425. In Vashj’ir do the starting quests first, up to the underwater mount.
475-500	Elementium Ore	Twilight Highlands. Rich Elementium Veins need Mining 500, Pyrite Deposits 525.
500-600	Ghost Iron Ore	Jade Forest, Valley of the Four Winds, Townlong Steppes. Recommended from level 90. The Valley of the Four Winds is often crowded, Townlong Steppes are quieter. According to the guide Ghost Iron gives skill points up to 600 even when grey.

Alternative: smelting up to 525

Skill	What	Where
1-50	Smelt Copper Ore (70x)	Smelt up to 50
50-70	Smelt Tin Ore (70x)	Grey from 75, but needed later
70-90	Smelt Bronze (70x, from tin and copper bars)	Maybe only up to 80-90
90-100	Smelt Silver Ore (10-15x)	If there is no silver ore at the auction house, continue with bronze up to 100
100-125	Smelt Iron Ore (40x)
125-135	Smelt Steel (20x)	Buy coal from blacksmithing, mining or trade supply vendors
135-150	Smelt Gold Ore (15x)	Without gold ore smelt iron
150-175	Smelt Mithril Ore (50x)
175-200	Smelt Truesilver Ore (25x)	Only after smelting mithril, catch up on mithril up to 190 if needed
200-275	Smelt Thorium Ore (130x)
275-325	Smelt Fel Iron Ore (350 ore, 175x)	Up to 325
325-340	Smelt Adamantite Ore (120 ore, 60x)	Up to 340
340-350	No recipe	Mine a few adamantite or ghost iron ores
350-375	Smelt Cobalt Ore (50x)	Up to 375
375-400	Mine cobalt or ghost iron ore	Smelting recipes are harder to sell. Alternatives: smelt Khorium or Hardened Adamantite
400-425	Smelt Saronite Ore (140 ore, 70x)	Up to 425
425-475	Smelt Obsidium Ore (320 ore, 160x)	Up to 475
475-500	Smelt Elementium Ore (200 ore, 100x)	Up to 500
500-525	Smelt Ghost Iron Ore (140 ore, 70x)	Up to 525

Beta data. WoW Forever has not been released yet. This route is based on the beta data from wow-professions.com and may change before launch.

Trainers and requirements

Journeyman: Mining 50 (not taught by junior trainers). Expert: 125. Smelt Gold from 155. Artisan: 200 (needed to train above 225).
Darnassus has no mining trainer, the nearest is Kurdram Stonehammer in Auberdine.
Find Minerals is learned with Mining, it must be activated and switches off on death.
Bonuses: Enchant Gloves – Mining +2 and Advanced Mining +5, Goblin Mining Helmet +5 (Engineering 205 to wear), Miner’s Cape +2 (Deadmines).

WoW Forever route (1-300)

Skill	What	Where
1-65	Copper Ore	Durotar (Horde) or Elwynn Forest (Alliance); Mulgore, Tirisfal, Dun Morogh, Teldrassil, Zephras Isle. Optionally smelt copper (120-140x).
65-75	Learn Journeyman, smelt tin	Smelt tin 70x, then bronze 70x (to about 100-110)
65-125	Tin Ore, Copper Ore, Silver Ore (from 75)	Alliance: Wetlands cave (3 veins). Horde: Silverpine Forest or Hillsbrad Foothills. Also Westfall, The Barrens, Ashenvale, Stonetalon Mountains.
105-120	Smelt silver	35-45x, then mine again from 120
125-175	Iron Ore (from 125), Gold Ore (from 155)	Arathi Highlands (4 caves), Thousand Needles (lower level) or Desolace. Learn Expert first. Optionally smelt gold (from 155, about 22 ore).
175-245	Mithril Ore (from 175), Truesilver Ore (from 230)	The Hinterlands or Tanaris. Learn Artisan from skill 200.
245-275	Mithril, Truesilver, Thorium (small veins from 245)	Un’Goro Crater, Blasted Lands (Garrison Armory, Horde only) or Felwood (Jaedenar cave, only with stealth)
275-300	Thorium, Rich Thorium Veins (from 275)	Un’Goro Crater, Winterspring or Burning Steppes. Eastern Plaguelands only with good gear.