Motherlode Mine Calculator

1 · Your goal

Current level

Target level

2 · Percy's shelf

The number is when you buy it. Top to bottom as nuggets come in, but the upper level waits for Mining 57, so the jacket can come first.

Nuggets you have

2 Upper level 100 nuggets · ~5,100 pay‑dirt, Mining 63 8 in 10: 4,617–5,637
3 Upper level hopper 50 nuggets · ~6,700 pay‑dirt, Mining 66 8 in 10: 6,142–7,311
1 Prospector jacket 60 nuggets · ~1,900 pay‑dirt, Mining 54 8 in 10: 1,615–2,239
4 Prospector legs 50 nuggets · ~8,300 pay‑dirt, Mining 68 8 in 10: 7,676–8,977
5 Prospector helmet 40 nuggets · ~9,600 pay‑dirt, Mining 70 8 in 10: 8,908–10,306
6 Prospector boots 30 nuggets · ~10,550 pay‑dirt, Mining 71 8 in 10: 9,834–11,300
7 Larger pay-dirt sack 200 nuggets · ~16,950 pay‑dirt, Mining 76 8 in 10: 16,038–17,896
Coal bag 100 nuggets · not in this plan
Gem bag 100 nuggets · not in this plan

3 · Your setup · optional

Pay-dirt an hour

Falador elite diary Ironman

Your result

Example: Mining 30 to 99

153,200pay-dirt

Mining XP: 13,021,068
Time: about 228 hoursWiki pace: assumes upper level at 57, dragon pickaxe at 61
Golden nuggets: 4,787 expected8 in 10 players: 4,700–4,874
Sack loads: 879108 a load, then 189 with the larger sack

Ore value: loading GE prices

Each pay-dirt at Mining 30

74.5 XP each60 mined + 14.5 cleaned

Coal 97%
Gold Mining 40
Mithril Mining 55
Adamantite Mining 70
Runite Mining 85
Nugget 1 in 32

Ore from this plan

Ore	Expected	Cleaning XP	GE value
Coal	51,425	15 each	Loading
Gold ore	36,373	15 each	Loading
Mithril ore	38,269	30 each	Loading
Adamantite ore	20,444	45 each	Loading
Runite ore	1,881	75 each	Loading
Golden nugget	4,787	0	Untradeable

Expected ore uses the share at each level you pass. GE value: each ore at its own instant-sell price, minus the 2% GE tax. An ore with no sale in 48 hours withholds the total.

Anything wrong or missing in this tool?

What this plan doesn't count

Your luck. Nuggets and ores are random; ranges show 8 in 10 players.
Your pace. Hours use the OSRS Wiki table, which assumes the upper level from 57 and a dragon pickaxe from 61.
Gems from the veins (no XP) and a charged amulet of glory.
Boosting above your level while mining (dwarven stout, dragon pickaxe special).
Strut repairs (Smithing XP) and rockfalls (10 Mining XP).
Price moves while you mine.

How this is worked out

Each pay-dirt is 60 Mining XP, plus a cleaning bonus when it reaches the sack: coal and gold 15, mithril 30, adamantite 45, runite 75.
Ore chance: the OSRS Wiki skilling-chance curve per ore, rolled from runite down to gold for each ore your level allows; coal is what is left. The ore is set at your level when you mine it.
Golden nugget: 1 in 32 per pay-dirt at every level.
Falador elite diary: about +1 point runite, +2 adamantite and +1 mithril (a Jagex moderator's estimate).
Prospector outfit: helmet 0.4%, jacket 0.8%, legs 0.6%, boots 0.2%, +0.5% for all four. It counts from the moment the plan buys it.
Upper level: base Mining 57 (not boostable) and 100 nuggets; its hopper 50 more. Larger sack: 200 nuggets, 189 pay-dirt.
Pace: the OSRS Wiki's XP an hour at each level divided by the XP per pay-dirt. Your own pay-dirt an hour replaces it.

About the Motherlode Mine

The Motherlode Mine is a low-effort Mining area under Falador, in the Dwarven Mine. You mine ore veins for pay-dirt, put it in the hopper, and the water wheel carries it to the sack, where it turns into coal, gold, mithril, adamantite or runite ore and the odd golden nugget. Better ores come with higher Mining levels. Prospector Percy sells the Prospector outfit, the coal bag and the gem bag for nuggets, and unlocks the upper level at 57 Mining, its hopper and a larger sack.

The Mining calculator compares the Motherlode Mine with every other Mining method, and the Blast Furnace calculator turns the ore and coal into bars.

Motherlode Mine FAQ

How many golden nuggets do you get per pay-dirt?

Each pay-dirt has a 1 in 32 (3.1%) chance to be a golden nugget, at every Mining level. A full sack of 108 pay-dirt gives 3.4 nuggets on average, or 5.9 from the larger 189 sack. Nuggets are luck: in 8 of 10 sacks of 108 you get between 1 and 6.

How much pay-dirt do you need for the full Prospector outfit?

The four pieces cost 180 nuggets (helmet 40, jacket 60, legs 50, boots 30), which is 5,760 pay-dirt on average. 8 in 10 players get there between 5,226 and 6,308 pay-dirt. The full set gives +2.5% Mining XP: each piece's own bonus plus 0.5% for wearing all four.

How much XP does one pay-dirt give?

60 Mining XP when you mine it, plus a cleaning bonus when it reaches the sack: 15 for coal or gold ore, 30 for mithril, 45 for adamantite and 75 for runite. With better ores at higher levels that averages 82.2 XP per pay-dirt at level 85, or 84.2 with the full Prospector outfit, and 85.6 at 99 without it.

What ore do you get from pay-dirt at level 99?

At 99 Mining, without the Falador elite diary: coal 24.6%, gold ore 24.2%, mithril ore 26.9%, adamantite ore 18.8%, runite ore 2.3% and golden nuggets 3.1%. At 85 runite is only 0.8%. The ore is decided when you mine the pay-dirt, so a boost counts while mining, not at the sack.

Does the Falador diary increase Motherlode Mine ore?

Only the elite Falador diary. It adds roughly 1 percentage point to the runite roll, 2 to adamantite and 1 to mithril (a Jagex moderator's "about" figures, not exact). The medium and hard diaries no longer change pay-dirt. It does not change nuggets.

How long does it take to unlock the upper level and the full outfit from level 30?

The upper level needs 57 Mining (not boostable) and 100 nuggets, and its hopper 50 more. Buying in the OSRS Wiki order (jacket first, then the upper level when you reach 57, its hopper, legs, helmet and boots), an average player from level 30 unlocks the upper level at about 5,120 pay-dirt (Mining 63) and finishes the outfit at about 10,560 pay-dirt (Mining 71).