The Complete Prospector

By Darkgolem



Prospecting is by far the most profitable of all the resource gathering
professions.  This is because metals have side a wide range of
uses.  Tailoring, Woodworking, Metalsmithing, Jewelrycrafting,
Weaponsmithing all have some (and often all) recipes which use
metals.  This is probably the profitable of all professions
relative to time spent, since you don't have to do spend time doing
crafting quests, or buying recipes, or anything else.

When prospecting, follow these basic rules:
• Leaving an iron node of any sort ungathered when soloing is a
  sin.  It is simply too valuable to pass buy unless you will die if
  you try to collect it.
• Never sell refined ingots, always sell the base smelted metal.
• When your specifically prospecting (not questing, etc.) just
  mine.  Don't get distracted.
• Get a horse as soon as possible.

These steps are key to successful and rapid prospecting.  Ideally,
by 35th level, you should be able to know where all the ore is in an
area, and travel from one to the other on your horse, and be able to
collect about 100 ore in about an hour.  The reason for this
grinding is simple.  Ore is very valuable, and in very high
demand.  A simple stack of 50 Dwarf-iron ingots sell in the
auction house for 1 gold piece.  Silver sells for a fortune too,
as does Rich Iron and others (none as much as Dwarf-iron though. 
Your money is made (and your crafting sped up if you have another craft
that uses metal) by your skill at prospecting quickly.

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Mining
Resource Locations
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; font-weight: bold;">Level
of Resource
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; font-weight: bold;">Areas
Found
Metal Resource
Precious
Metal Resource
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
1 (Levels 5 - 14)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> target="blank"
href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=496">Shire,
href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=498">Eastern
Bree-land, href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=491">Ered
Luin
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tin,
Copper
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Copper,
Agate, Amethyst, Copper Salts
Tier 2 (Levels 15 - 24) href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=496">Shire
(Greenfields), href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=491">Ered
Luin href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=491">
(Haugh Lin), href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=501">Lone
Lands (Western), href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=498">North
Downs Bree-Land (Old Forest, Eastern Bree-Fields)
Barrow-Iron
Silver, Bloodstone, Opal, Umber
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
3 (Levels 25 - 34) style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> target="blank"
href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=501">Lone
Lands (Eastern), href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=657">North
Downs (Eastern), href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=677">Evendim
(Eastern), Trollshaws style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Rich
Iron
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Gold,
Ruby, Sapphire
Tier 4 (Levels 35 - 44) href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=677">Evendim
(Western),
Dwarf-Iron
Platinum, Adamant
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
5 (Levels 45 - 50) style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Forochel,
Angmar, Misty Mountains
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Ancient
Iron,

Ancient Nickel
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Ancient
Silver, Beryl, Moonstone

The Recipes

href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=album13&id=Mining_is_difficult_at_the_edge_of_the_wild&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Prospecting"
src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album13/Mining_is_difficult_at_the_edge_of_the_wild.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 173px;" align="left">

The recipes you can use as a prospector are used in a variety of
crafts.  Certain woodworking crafts use the, as do a few of the
tailoring recipes.  Of course metalsmithing, jewelrycrafting and
weaponsmithing all use lots of ore.  There are certain
complications in some of these recipes, based upon complications in
crafting.  For example, bronze is made of both tin and
copper, used for tier 1 metalsmithing, while copper is used for just
jewelrycrafting.  This can make one wonder what to make.  In
general, make metals in their original state.  Almost always,
someone has more use for based ingots rather than alloys or refined
ingots. 



All recipes have a 6% chance of having a critical result once you have
achieved mastery in a tier, and a critical gains you 3 rather than 1
products (or 5 for those that have 2 ingots as a result of a normal
recipe.)  For tier 4 and higher ore, you must go to Thorin's Hall
or have a high level of reputation with the Rivendell Elves or
Forochel, since these three places have superior forges (and only
Thorin's Gate has public forges).



For each tier, you have a different amount of tier points you must earn.

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Crafting Tier Point Requirements
Tier

Proficiency

Mastery

style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">200
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">400
2
280
560
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">3
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">360
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">720
4
440
880
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">5
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">520
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1040

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Prospector
Recipes
Tier
1 (Apprentice)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216); font-weight: bold;">Name
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216); font-weight: bold;">Description
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216); font-weight: bold;">Contents
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216); font-weight: bold;">Tier 
Points Earned
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216); font-weight: bold;">Value
Smelting style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Bronze
Ingot (2)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"A
smelted ingot of bronze."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2
Copper Ore

1 Tin Ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">8
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">88C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Copper
Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"A
smelted ingot of Copper." style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2
Copper Ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">8
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">44C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
2 (Journeyman)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Refining
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Low-grade
Steel Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"An
ingot of carbon steel.  Though the metal quality is poor, the
impurities have been expertly removed."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1
Barrow-iron ingot

1 Coal
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">66C
style="font-weight: bold;">Smelting
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Barrow-iron
Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"A
smelted ingot of low-quality iron."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2
Barrow-iron Ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">8
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">66C
Silver Ingot
"A smelted ingot of pure silver,
suitable for jewellery."
2 Silver Ore
8
66C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
3 (Expert)
style="font-weight: bold;">Refining
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">High-grade
Steel Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"An
ingot of purified carbon steel."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1
Rich Iron Ingot

1 Coal
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1S,
10C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">White
Gold (2)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"A
lustrous ingot of alloyed gold."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">1
Gold Ingot

1 Silver Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2S,
20C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Smelting
Gold Ingot
"An ingot of smelted gold."
2 Gold Ore
8
1S, 10C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Rich
Iron Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"An
ingot of smelted iron." style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2
Rich Iron Ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">8
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1S,
10C
Tier
4 (Artisan)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Refining
Dwarf-steel Ingot
"An ingot of purified steel,
smelted in a fiery forge."
1 Dwarf-iron Ingot

1 Coal
6
1S, 61C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Westernesse
Steel Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"An
ingot of purified steel, smelted in the manner of the ancient world of
man."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1
Dwarf-iron Ingot

1 Coal style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1S,
61C style="font-weight: bold;">Smelting
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Dwarf-iron
Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"A
high-quality ingot of smelted iron."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2
Dwarf-iron Ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1S,
61C
Platinum Ingot
"An ingot of purified platinum,
it is quite heavy."
2 Platinum Ore
6
1S, 61C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Tier
5 (Master)
style="font-weight: bold;">Refining
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Ancient-steel
Ingot (2)
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"This
purified steel, wrought from ancient iron, can only be forged by a true
master."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">1
Ancient Iron ingot

1 Westernesse Steel Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">6
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">4S,
14C
Elven-steel Ingot
"An ingot of purified steel,
smelted in an elven forge."
1 Ancient Iron ingot

1 coal
6
2S, 7C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Smelting
Ancient Iron Ingot
"This ingot is dark, difficult
to work, but full of potential."
2 Ancient Iron ore
8
2S, 70C
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Ancient
Nickel Ingot
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">"This
ingot of nickel is silvery-white, difficult to work, but full of
potential."
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2
Ancient Nickel ore
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">8
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">2S,
70C
Ancient Silver Ingot
"This ingot of ancient silver
can be used to product beautiful adornments."
2 Ancient Silver ore
8
2S, 70C

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