OSRS: The 10 Best Mining Pickaxes (Ranked)

What are the best mining pickaxes in OSRS?

Pickaxes are tools needed to mine materials and clear blockages in Old School Runescape, and they can be held in your inventory or wielded.

However, not all of the pickaxes in OSRS are made equal, and higher-level ones provide better mining chances and opportunities.

As you level up, you’ll want to constantly update the pickaxes you use so that you can gain more XP and better materials!

The 10 Best Mining Pickaxes in OSRS

All of the pickaxes on this list have been chosen for the unique benefits they can provide to various mining skill levels.

We’ll be covering everything you need to know about each of these pickaxes so that you can easily find the best one for your character.

Get your prospector kit ready because here’s our list of the 10 best mining pickaxes in OSRS:

10. Iron Pickaxe

Up first, we have the iron pickaxe, which is stronger than bronze pickaxes but requires the same mining and attack levels of 1 to wield.

While iron pickaxes can’t be smithed, they can be purchased in Lovakengj, Prifddinas, the Dwarven Mines, and the Mining Guild.

If you’re a member, you can also find them spawned in the Digsite Dungeon, Rellekka, and Weiss.

Alternatively, you can purchase one from the Grand Exchange for around 200 gold, though it is a bit cheaper at in-game shops.

When you’re just starting out at level 1 in mining, this is the pickaxe you’ll want to use first.

However, you won’t need to use it for too long before moving on to our next best mining pickaxe, which unlocks at mining level 6!

9. Steel Pickaxe

Once you hit mining level 6, you can start using the steel pickaxe, though you will also need a combat level of 5 to wield it.

If you’re not a member, you can buy this pickaxe from Nurmof’s Pickaxe Shop and Yarsul’s Prodigious Pickaxes.

However, members can find it in the shops in Keldagrim, Lovakengj, and Prifddinas for around 300 coins.

The steel pickaxe also spawns in the Abandoned Mine, the Daeyalt Essence Mine, and the Sisterhood Sanctuary Mine.

Alternatively, for 500 coins, you can find this pickaxe on the Grand Exchange, though this isn’t the most cost-efficient way to get it.

Whichever way you go about getting this pickaxe, it will definitely be helpful while gaining mining experience past level 6.

8. Black Pickaxe

Next, we have the black pickaxe, which requires a mining level of 11 and an attack level of 10 to wield.

Unfortunately, to find this pickaxe, you’ll have to complete beginner and easy Treasure Trails clues, as they aren’t sold in shops.

However, it can be found on the Grand Exchange, though it will cost you about 1.3k to buy outright.

As the lightest mining pickaxe, players often favor this one for activities that include running, such as runecrafting or questing.

It also provides players with a +11 strength bonus when wielded, along with a +10 to stab and +8 to crush attacks.

While it won’t hold up to the best OSRS weapons of all time, once you hit level 11 in mining, you won’t want to pass it up!

7. Mithril Pickaxe

The Mithril pickaxe is our next pick, and you can start using it as soon as you hit mining level 21 and attack level 20.

While it isn’t as light as the black pickaxe, it is still one of the lightest options in the game.

This makes it a good choice for activities that require a lot of running around, such as runecrafting in the Abyss.

While you can buy a Mithril pickaxe at many of the specialty mining stores in OSRS, this will often cost you around 700 gold.

Meanwhile, these pickaxes tend to actually be cheaper on the Grand Exchange, costing players about 400.

Of course, these pickaxes can also be found while playing the Impetuous Impulses minigame, which is centered around the hunter skill.

During this minigame, electric implings will have a 1/10 chance of dropping a Mithril pickaxe.

If you want to maximize the amount of mining XP you can gain at level 21, you won’t want to miss out on this pickaxe!

6. Adamant Pickaxe

At mining level 31, you can switch over to the Adamant pickaxe, which is stronger and faster than its Mithril counterpart.

This axe can be bought from Nurmof’s Pickaxe Shop in one of the best mining locations in OSRS, the Dwarven Mines.

If you opt to buy it from this shop, expect to spend about 3k coins, though it is a bit cheaper on the GE.

On the Grand Exchange, the Adamant pickaxe can usually be found for 1.6k and rarely for 1.9k when demand is high.

While it is more expensive than the others we’ve covered so far, it is a necessary investment for anyone training their mining skill.

Alternatively, this pickaxe has a 1/27 chance of spawning in the Reward Chest found inside The Gauntlet.

So, if you’ve finished Song of the Elves, finishing this minigame a few times can be a good way to grab this pickaxe.

5. Rune Pickaxe

If you’re ready to hit up the best places to mine coal in OSRS, you’ll want to bring along this pickaxe.

The rune pickaxe is the third-best pickaxe in Old School Runescape for members and the best overall for free-to-play players.

Requiring a level 41 mining and 40 attack skill to equip, this is a much-needed upgrade that you shouldn’t pass up.

While it can’t be smithed, it can be purchased from many of the mining specialty stores dotted around the map.

It can also be found on the Grand Exchange, though it will cost you around 18k, which is fairly expensive.

However, if you aren’t a member, this is going to be the pickaxe to use from mining level 41 all the way to 99.

That said, it can sometimes be found as a drop as well if you don’t want to spend the coin on it.

Like the Adamant Pickaxe, it has a chance of spawning in The Gauntlet’s Reward Chest if you play the minigame.

It can also be dropped by bosses, including Artio, Callisto, Spindel, Calvar’ion, Venenatis, and Vet’ion.

We highly recommend grabbing a rune pickaxe as soon as you hit mining level 41, as its increased speed definitely makes gaining XP much easier.

4. 3rd Age Pickaxe

The 3rd Age Pickaxe is a piece of 3rd Age equipment, which also includes some of the best woodcutting axes in OSRS as well.

However, what makes this pickaxe stand out is that it has the same mining speed and special attack as the powerful dragon pickaxe.

Its special attack, rock knocker, boosts players’ mining level by three temporarily, which can increase the chance of successful rolls.

This pickaxe is very highly sought after, and it requires a mining level of 61 and an attack level of 65 to wield.

Unfortunately, because it is a 3rd Age item, it can only be found in-game as a possible reward from master Treasure Trails.

Even so, it can take a long time to come across, making it fairly rare when compared to other pickaxes in OSRS.

That said, it can be found on the Grand Exchange, though its price tag demonstrates how popular it is.

If you want to buy the 3rd Age Pickaxe from the GE, it will cost you roughly 2.1 million coins overall.

This easily makes it one of the most expensive pickaxes in the entire game!

We would recommend trying to find it first via Treasure Trails unless, of course, you have the money to spare to buy it.

Whichever way you go about getting it, this pickaxe is definitely worth grabbing, if only as a status symbol!

3. Dragon Pickaxe

This pickaxe came to Old School Runescape as part of the Wilderness Rejuvenation that was released in 2014.

Ever since, it has stood out as one of the most popular mining pickaxes in the entire game!

Requiring a level 61 mining and a level 60 attack to wield, this is the second strongest and fastest pickaxe in OSRS.

While it is similar to the 3rd Age pickaxe in many ways, this one also comes with some unique benefits.

The most significant is that it has a chance to mine an ore every three ticks and a 1/6 chance to reduce this to two ticks.

This means you will have a much better chance of mining ore quickly, allowing you to level up much faster.

Furthermore, its special attack, rock knocker, which boosts players’ mining level, can be useful for mining higher-level materials.

For example, if you’re at mining level 67 and want to mine adamant ore, which requires level 70, this special attack can allow you to mine it.

The dragon pickaxe can be found as a drop from various bosses, including the Chaos Elemental, Callisto, and the Kalphite Queen.

However, it can also be purchased on the Grand Exchange if you have 2 million gold to spend!

2. Infernal Pickaxe

The infernal pickaxe is up next, and it is created by using a smouldering stone on a dragon pickaxe.

This pickaxe stands out for a number of reasons, but making it requires some high-level smithing.

The process of creating it requires a level 85 smithing, which cannot be boosted by any gear or potions.

You also will need to use a tradeable dragon pickaxe, as any other variants can’t be used and will only generate a chatbox message.

Additionally, once created, the infernal pickaxe cannot be turned back into a regular dragon pickaxe.

However, once made, the infernal pickaxe has a 1/3 chance of combusting ore, granting the player some smithing XP.

Because of this, players leveling their smithing and mining together often favor this pickaxe.

That said, this pickaxe also degrades over time, starting off with 5k charges that will deplete with each use.

To recharge the pickaxe, you will need to use another smouldering stone on it, which will fully restore its charges.

While you can’t purchase the infernal pickaxe on the GE, you can purchase the dragon pickaxe and a smouldering stone.

However, buying both of them together will cost you roughly 8 million coins, making it a significant investment!

1. Crystal Pickaxe

Taking our number one spot is the crystal pickaxe, which requires a mining level of 71 and levels 50 agility and 70 attack to wield.

You will also need to complete Song of the Elves before it becomes available, as you will need crystal shards from Prifddinas.

While it possesses the same special attack as the dragon pickaxe, it is 3.03% faster than its counterpart.

When fully charged, it has a chance to mine an ore every three ticks and a 1/4 chance to reduce this to two ticks.

However, when uncharged, it functions nearly identically to the dragon pickaxe, which is still significant.

The crystal pickaxe can be created at a singing bowl by combining a dragon pickaxe with 120 crystal shards and a crystal tool seed.

This requires level 76 smithing and crafting skills, though you’re not out of luck if you don’t meet these requirements.

Players can also have Conwenna or Reese create this pickaxe, though it will cost 180 crystal shards instead of 120.

As for charging it, this pickaxe starts off with 10k charges, and crystal shards can be used to add 100 charges each.

If you’re working at the mining guild, which is one of the best guilds to unlock first in OSRS, this pickaxe definitely makes things easier!

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the 10 best mining pickaxes in OSRS and found the right one for your character.

While you can’t start out using some of the higher-tier ones, they are definitely worth working your way up to.

Just make sure to keep an eye on your mining level so you’ll know when to upgrade to the next best one on this list!

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best mining pickaxes in OSRS:

1. Crystal Pickaxe
2. Infernal Pickaxe
3. Dragon Pickaxe
4. 3rd age Pickaxe
5. Rune Pickaxe
6. Adamant Pickaxe
7. Mithril Pickaxe
8. Black Pickaxe
9. Steel Pickaxe
10. Iron Pickaxe

Which pickaxe are you going to use first? Leave a comment below.