Summary
- The Quarry is a reliable spot for mining all ores and gems, with rare finds like the Mystic Stone.
- The Quarry Mine contains the Golden Scythe, enhancing farming efficiency.
- The Skull Cavern is the best location for Iridium ore, featuring unique features like descending shafts.
Mining is one of the key skills players can develop in Stardew Valley, the coziest indie farming simulator out there. A trip to the mine lets players gather resources, both common and rare, which help to accomplish a bunch of projects across the town and the farm.
What's Your Favorite Season in Stardew Valley?
I don't really enjoy the Winter in Stardew Valley because the cold weather changes the atmosphere and makes everything look a lot sadder. Therefore, I'm always particularly happy when Spring begins and I know Winter is finally over.
There are a lot of places where players can go mining across the world, from the Mine and Quarry in town to the Skull Cavern in the Desert and the Volcano Dungeon on Ginger Island. All mining locations have the possibility of turning up some gems, both literally and figuratively, but where can players hope to gain the heftiest loot, and where are the rarest nodes, recipes, and food items found?
7 The Quarry
A Reliable Ore Mining Spot
- Unlocked early-mid game
- Randomly generates new material daily
- Small chance of finding rare items
The Quarry is unlocked when players complete the Crafts Room Bundle in the Community Centre. Every ore and gem in the game can be found here, but the Quarry's spawn rate is unique, with a chance of new nodes appearing every day.
Rare finds in the Quarry include the Mystic Stone, which has a small chance of giving players a highly sought-after Prismatic Shard, and the Iridium Node, at a 0.0133% likelihood.
While this is not the most rewarding mining location in Stardew Valley, it is a reliable location to regularly mine essential crafting ores, with the chance of occasionally discovering something rare.
6 The Quarry Mine
Grab the Golden Scythe
- Limited space for mining
- Doesn't offer any very valuable nodes
- Home to one unique item
Inside the Quarry area is a unique single-floor mine known as the Quarry Mine. Like the Quarry, this mine is unique because it respawns every day.
Stardew Valley: Most Profitable Marriages, Ranked
Those looking to profit as much as possible in Stardew Valley should consider pursuing certain marriage candidates over others.
While the Quarry Mine doesn't offer any unique or special drops or nodes, it does contain the Golden Scythe, which can be gained by the player interacting with the Grim Reaper Statue. This is a valuable item for improving speed and efficiency while farming, particularly harvesting hay and crops such as hops.
5 The Mine: Floors 40-79
The Frozen Floors
- Lots of valuable nodes and gems available
- Floor 60 offers rare fishing opportunities
All the enemies and treasures here have a chilly, wintry feel. These floors are great for mining Iron Ore, Aquamarine, Frozen Tears, and Jade, all items great for crafting and gifting. There's also the fun of geodes to be found aplenty on these floors, which Clint can break open for players.
There's also a great underground fishing spot at level 60, where players can fish for Ice Pip, Ghostfish, and Cave Jelly. These fish are vital for completing players' collections, especially the rare and challenging Ice Pip, which players will have to grapple with in order to catch.
4 The Mine: Floors 80-120
The Lava Levels
- Even more precious gems down here
- Better rewards at deeper levels
- Only place in town to find the Lava Eel
For crafting, miners should look for Gold Ore and Fire Quartz, while precious gems like Emeralds and Rubies make great gifts for a number of residents, including Clint and Emily.
At level 100, players can fish for the Lava Eel and Cave Jelly. Below level 100, players will start to find Mystic Stones, which hold rarer nodes and gems, including Iridium, Gold, and Prismatic shards. There's also a fair chance of finding Magma Geode's down here, with a whole variety of valuable minerals and resources within! Level 120 marks the bottom of the mine, allowing access to the Skull Cavern.
3 The Skull Cavern
The Best Location For Iridium
- A unique and dangerous place
- Unlocked after players reach the bottom of the mine in town
- Lots of valuable items to be found
The Skull Cavern is unlocked when players reach the bottom floor of the Mine in Stardew Valley, level 120. There, players are given the Skull Key, which unlocks the door to the Cavern in the upper left corner of the desert. Fans of the game would recommend bringing lots of restorative food to the Skull Cavern, especially items with special buffs to protect players on the treacherous journey.
There are plenty of unique features to the Skull Cavern: shafts make descending the mine a lot quicker, if not slightly dangerous! And there's no practical limit to the number of floors here, although many players will agree that mining here feels a lot more precarious than the regular mine, with bombs the recommended weapon for clearing enemies quickly.
On Floor 100 of the Skull Cavern the player will encounter Mr. Qi, triggering a cut scene in which he gives the player a special present.
Rare items at the Skull Cavern include Iridium Ore, Iridium Bars, and the Qi Gem. Players can gain Iridium Ore and Bars in the Skull Cavern not only through mining nodes but by killing enemies, making a journey to the Skull Cavern all the more lucrative.
2 Volcano Dungeon
Find Unique Items On Ginger Island
- A unique ten-room mine with a forge in the final room
- Different enemies on Ginger Island drop rare rewards
- Find great farming items here
Once players have completed the Community Center and helped Willy build his boat, they'll have access to Ginger Island. One of the key components of the Ginger Island adventure is venturing into the Volcano Dungeon.
Stardew Valley: The Best Spring Crops
These are the best spring crops for a thriving farm in ConcernedApe's Stardew Valley.
Items like the Magma Cap mushroom and Cinder Shard will help players complete their collections, while excellent farming opportunities arise from Pineapple Seeds and Taro Tubers. Players can also find Golden Walnuts in the mine, the essential currency of Ginger Island, which can be used to unlock new areas and purchase upgrades from the parrots.
Rare items at the Volcano Dungeon include the Dwarf Sword, Dwarf Hammer, and Dwarf Dagger.
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
