New to Stardew Valley and trying to figure out how to best take advantage of the Mines? Does it feel like mining takes too long, and isn’t profitable enough? We’re here to help!
Where are the Mines?
The mines in Stardew Valley can be found in the upper right corner of the Map. If you’re playing on a fresh save, you’ll notice that the entrance to the mine is blocked by a large stone. The stone will be removed by day five and you can get to spelunking!
Why Mining is Useful
1. To Collect Stone
Stone is one of the most important resources in Stardew Valley. It’s used in many recipes and necessary to construct several farm buildings. Taking many trips into the mines will result in a big stock of stone for you to use whenever you need it.
2. To collect Ore
Ore is another highly valuable resource that you can get from the mine. It can be smelted into bars with the Furnace, and those bars can then be used to craft new items and gear.
3. To Collect Gems
A large assortment of gems can be found in the mines. Gems can be sold at high prices, duplicated using the Crystalarium, or given to NPCs as gifts.
4. To Find Geodes
You can find several types of Geodes in the mine. These can be broken at the Blacksmith’s and grant you rare and valuable pieces of loot – weapons, artifacts, gems and more. Omni Geodes are also used as currency with the Desert Trader.
5. To Gather Unique Resources
The Mine is a treasure trove of items of all kind. Aside from gems and ore, you may find unique pieces of gear, weapons, rings, and artifacts.
Overview of the Mine Layout
The Mine consists of 120 floors which are segmented into three distinct categories.
The first 40 floors of the mine are the easiest to tackle. The enemies aren’t very strong, and there’s plenty of Copper and Stone for you to find.
Between the 40th and 79th floor, the mine is ice-themed. The rocks here are more difficult to destroy, so it’s recommended that you upgrade your Pickaxe before you get to this point. You’ll be able to collect a lot of Iron and Coal in these levels.
Between the 80th and 119th floor, the mine is lava-themed. These floors are full of very tough enemies such as the Shadow Brute and Shadow Shamans. You’ll need to upgrade your Pickaxe once again to keep up with the durability of the rocks. You’ll be able to collect a lot of Gold in these levels, and there’s many mushrooms to forage.
How to get Started
First thing’s first. Store anything non-essential into your chests at home. You’ll be getting a lot of resources at the mine, and you don’t want to go there with your pockets full. All you really need is a Pickaxe, a weapon (if you have one), and maybe some food.
Once you arrive at the mine for the first time, you’ll witness a cutscene with Marlon, the NPC in charge of the Adventurer’s Guild. He will give you the Rusty Sword so you can defend yourself.
Inside the mines you’ll notice a round hole. Hop down to begin your journey! From then on, here’s all you need to know!
1. How do I go Deeper?
Use your pickaxe to destroy the rocks around you. One of these rocks will reveal a hidden ladder that leads you deeper in the mine.
2. How do I kill Monsters?
The Rusty Sword Marlon gave you can help you kill the monsters. You’ll be facing fairly easy enemies in the first few levels of the mine. A couple of whacks should get the job done.
3. What if I’m low on Health or energy?
Eventually, you will run out of one or both of these. You can replenish both by consuming food. If you didn’t cook anything or bring anything along, there’s a chance you can find Cave Carrots by tilling the ground with a Hoe and destroying barrels.
If you have no way of getting your Energy or Health up, you’ll need to leave the mine. Staying any longer risks passing out, which will cost you up to 1000g.
4. Can I save My Progress?
Every five levels, your progress in the mine is saved. This is signaled by the presence of an elevator on your floor. The next time you come to the mine, you’ll be able to select any level with an elevator if you have previously discovered it.
Five Tips to Improve at Mining
Those were all the basics, but if you’re looking to go the extra mile, check out our tips below as well!
1. Upgrade Your Pickaxe ASAP
A regular Pickaxe will not be useful for long. Try to get your pickaxe upgraded at some point before you reach level 40 in the mines. This requires you to have 5 copper bars in your inventory and 2000 gold to spend. Head over to Clint’s and select the “Upgrade Tools” chat option. Clint will have your axe ready in two days!
2. Cook some Good Food
If you want to spend the whole day mining, you’ll need to bring some food with you to keep your Health and Energy up. Any food you can cook up is good, but foods that grant a bonus to Mining, Combat, and Luck are your best bet.
Below is a short list of items that are fairly simple to cook, but super handy for a day in the mine:
The Miner’s Treat (Any Season)
The Miner’s Treat is a great all-around option for mining. You’ll unlock it by reaching level 3 Mining. To cook this, you’ll need to purchase Sugar from Pierre’s, collect some Milk from your Barn, and forage a Cave Carrot from within the Mines. The Miner’s Treat grants you a boost to Mining and Magnetism, and it boosts your Energy by 125.
Bean Hotpot (Spring Dish)
Bean Hotpot is a hearty meal that grants a good amount of both Energy and Health. You’ll get the recipe for this dish from Clint once you reach 7+ hearts with them. The Max Energy can help you stay in the mines longer, and the Magnetism makes collecting Stone and Ore a little simpler.
Pink Cake (Summer Dish)
There are not too many great mining options in the summer, but consider the Pink Cake. It is made from Melon, a popular Summer crop, 1 Egg, 1 Sugar, and 1 Wheat Flour. It grants 250 Energy, enough to completely energize you after a long day in the mine.
Cranberries (Fall Dish)
Cranberries are used for several very helpful dishes. Cranberries are an extremely profitable Fall crop, so you’re bound to have a lot laying around in this Season.
Cranberry Sauce is the simplest, requiring only 1 Cranberry and 1 Sugar to cook. You’ll acquire the recipe from Gus after reaching 7+ hearts with them. Cranberry Sauce boosts your Mining by +2!
The Super Meal is cooked with Bok Choy, Cranberries, and Artichoke. All these crops are available in the Fall, so stock up on these seeds once the season starts. Kent will send you the recipe for Super Meal when you reach 7+ hearts with them. The dish increases your Max Energy by 40, and boosts your speed!
Stuffing is made from Bread, Cranberries, and Hazelnuts. Bread can be purchased from Gus and Hazelnuts are common forageables during Fall. Pam will send you the recipe for Stuffing after you reach 7+ hearts with them. Stuffing grants you a whopping +170 Energy and increases your defense by +2!
Roots Platter (Winter Dish)
Roots Platter is unlocked by getting Combat level 3. To cook it, you need 1 Cave Carrot and 1 Winter Root. Both of these can be foraged during Winter, making this a good Winter go-to. It grants you a +3 to Attack, which can help you greatly in fending off the monsters in the mine.
3. Craft Staircases
Staircases are craftable items that you unlock when you get to Mining level 2. To craft a Staircase, you need 99 Stone. You can place the Staircase anywhere in the mine and instantly gain access to the level below you. This can be very useful if you’re really close to a milestone level, but time is running out. It’s also great for bypassing infested floors.
4. Bring Bombs
Bombs can speed up mining exponentially. There are three different types of bombs, each more destructive than the last. You can use a bomb whenever you see a large cluster of rocks, when you’re in a rush to get the next level, or when you see a lot of ore in one area. Rocks with ore in them are more durable, so they cost more energy to destroy. Bombs take care of that!
The first type of explosive is the Cherry Bomb. You can craft a Cherry Bomb with just 4Copper Ore and 1 Coal. It creates a small explosion, enough to destroy up to three blocks in every direction.
The Bomb’s recipe is acquired when you reach Mining level 6. It generates a larger explosion, and requires 4 Iron Ores and 1 Coal to craft.
The Mega Bomb is the most destructive type of bomb. You get the recipe for this explosive at Mining Level 8. You need 4 Gold Ore, 1 Solar Essence, and 1 Void Essence to craft it.
You can also purchase all of these bombs from the Dwarf for 300g, 600g, and 1000g respectively.
5. Watch the Fortune Teller
The Fortune Teller is a TV channel available in Pelican Town. Check this channel every morning when you wake up to find out what your daily luck is. Higher luck means more fortune in the mines, and low luck means you’re probably better off doing something else that day.