Overview
Mining is a life skill focused on extracting minerals from ore deposits found throughout Pywel. The materials mined feed directly into crafting, equipment upgrades, and expansion of the Greymane Camp. Mining is classified as a "Knowledge" within the game's progression system, meaning it must be learned before it can be practiced. Will Powers of Pearl Abyss described the depth of the life skills systems: "Last week, I spent 50 hours playing the game, focusing primarily on side content. I was not even fishing; I was mining, upgrading weapons, and testing mechanics."
Learning to Mine
Like other life skills in Crimson Desert, mining must be learned through the Observation mechanic before it can be practiced. The Fextralife wiki describes mining as "another knowledge that you can acquire that will help you gather resources that are vital for Greymane's needs." Certain tools may be needed for mining, and these "can be crafted through Smithing or purchasing the needed tools from shops in town."
How Mining Works
Mining uses a Valheim-style gathering interaction. Players equip a pickaxe and strike ore deposits directly. Ore deposits appear throughout the world, often near cliffs, in caves, and along mountain paths. The GuruGamer guide describes the mechanics: "The gathering mechanics are designed like a survival-crafting game: you'll need to get your tools and strike the resource points Valheim-style."
Gathering also has progression. Initially, gathering is manual (picking up individual pieces), but as the player advances, there are ways to collect resources in bulk for larger construction projects. This progression encourages continued investment in life skills throughout the game.
Tool Durability
Unlike main combat weapons (which have unlimited durability), gathering tools such as pickaxes degrade with use. Will Powers confirmed: "That may not apply to certain resource-gathering tools, including blacksmith hammers, wood-cutting axes, and pickaxes." Tools become blunt over time and eventually need replacement. However, the system is designed to be forgiving: "Thankfully, they're easy enough to discover and craft, so you won't be feeling the crunch." Replacement tools can be bought from town shops, found in the world, or crafted.
Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
Pickaxe | Mining ore deposits for minerals |
Wood-Cutting Axe | Logging trees for wood and timber |
Blacksmith Hammer | Used in the weapon refinement process at blacksmiths |
Notably, Oongka (one of the three playable characters) wields a pickaxe that doubles as both a combat weapon and a mining tool, making him uniquely suited for resource gathering.
Known Minerals
Mineral | Details |
|---|---|
Garnet | Mined from red crystal deposits. The only mineral specifically named in pre-launch coverage. |
Precious Stones | A general category of valuable minerals obtained from ore veins. |
Abyss Remnants | Special artifacts used alongside conventional minerals for crafting and equipment upgrades. Obtained from defeating enemies and bosses, completing quests, or exploration. |
Additional ore and mineral types are expected across different regions and deposit tiers, but specific names beyond garnet have not been confirmed.
What Minerals Are Used For
Mined materials serve several interconnected progression systems.
Blacksmith Refinement
Blacksmiths in towns and at the Greymane Camp use minerals to forge new weapons and refine existing ones. Refinement incrementally enhances base stats. For example, a weapon called the Bolton Hammer saw its Attack value increase from 10 to 12 after a successful enhancement. Refinement requires gold, resources (including mined minerals), and the weapon itself. Will Powers noted that upgrade materials come from multiple sources: "You'll need to mine the materials necessary, but some of them may require taking out challenging bosses, hunting wild animals, completing quests, or venturing off the beaten path."
Camp Expansion
The Greymane Camp grows from a small tent settlement into a fully operational base throughout the story. Building and upgrading camp structures requires gathered resources including wood, minerals, and food. The Fextralife wiki states that mining is "vital for Greymane's needs, whether for upgrading your camp or forging equipment."
Camp Structure | Description |
|---|---|
Workshops | Facilities for crafting tools, weapons, and equipment |
Armories | Storage and display for weapons and gear |
Farms | Cultivation of crops for cooking and alchemy ingredients |
Trading Centers | Vendor facilities for buying and selling goods |
Food Shops | Purchase prepared meals and cooking ingredients |
Player Housing | Personal living space within the camp |
Upgrading the camp directly improves character stats, unlocks new skills, and expands the roster of available companions. Each new structure unlocks new services or progression options tied to character abilities and equipment.
Elemental Weapon Enhancement
Through alchemy, players can imbue weapons with elemental properties. While alchemy primarily uses flowers, insects, and herbs rather than mined ores directly, the crafting ecosystem connects these systems. Fire enhancements add burn damage, Frost slows or freezes enemies, and Shock can stun them.
Where to Mine
Ore deposits are found across all regions of Pywel. Common ore is available near the surface in most areas, while rarer minerals are found in caves, dedicated mines, and remote mountain locations. Some deposits are guarded by enemies, so players should come prepared for combat when venturing to resource-rich areas.
Region-Specific Materials
Different regions offer different materials, and this is used as a progression-gating mechanic. Will Powers explained that there are "smart ways of limiting how much you can advance your upgrade of your gear by changing the material requirements at certain thresholds of materials that are only in that area that you're in." This means players cannot max out their equipment using only materials from a single region; advancing requires exploring new territories.
Aligning with specific Houses (regional factions) can unlock additional resource nodes through reputation gains. Liberating areas from hostile occupation also grants access to new materials. Region-specific vendors, blacksmiths, and tailors offer unique gear and materials tied to their territory.
Companion Dispatch Mining
Players who prefer not to mine manually can dispatch Greymane companions (called Freeswords) on resource-gathering missions that include mining. These missions are managed through the Steinfell Fortress interface.
Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
Team Size | Typically requires 4 to 6 companions per mission |
Duration | Ranges from hours to multiple days depending on the mission |
Cost | Missions cost resources such as silver, wood, clay, or other materials |
Success Rate | Companion stats (Health, Attack, Defense, Speed, Critical Hit Chance) affect success. Team composition produces a conversion bonus percentage. |
Mission Types | Include gathering specific resources, building statues, and recapturing blockaded forts |
Missions run passively while the player focuses on other activities. Progress can be monitored through a Mission List tab with countdown timers. Greymanes can also be assigned to blockaded locations to reduce enemy occupants, making manual clearing easier.
Connection to Other Life Skills
Life Skill | Relationship to Mining |
|---|---|
Gathering | Ore deposits and gathering nodes (flowers, herbs, wood) are often found in the same areas, making combined trips efficient. |
Cooking | Does not directly use mined materials, but camp kitchen upgrades built with minerals improve cooking capabilities. |
Hunting | Another source of crafting materials. Boss drops and animal parts supplement mined minerals for equipment upgrades. See Hunting. |
Fishing | Provides cooking ingredients rather than crafting minerals. See Fishing. |
Alchemy | Uses flowers, insects, and herbs rather than mined ores. See Alchemy. |
Tips
Mine whenever you pass a deposit, even if you do not need ore right now. Camp upgrades and equipment refinement require large quantities of materials later in the game.
Keep spare pickaxes in your inventory. Gathering tools degrade with use, but replacements are cheap at town shops or easy to craft.
Combine mining with gathering trips since ore deposits and gathering nodes are often found in the same areas.
Build faction reputation in new regions to unlock additional resource nodes that are not available to newcomers.
Dispatch Freesword companions on mining missions to passively accumulate ore while focusing on quests and combat.
Explore caves and dedicated mines for rarer minerals not found on the surface.