Mining and Gems

Overview

Mining is a gathering activity in inZOI that allows Zois to collect raw stones, minerals, and gemstones from rocky deposits found throughout the world. The mining system was introduced in the v0.3.0 update (August 20, 2025) alongside the free Island Getaway DLC and the Cahaya region. Mining spots are available in all three playable areas: Dowon, Bliss Bay, and Cahaya.

Raw gemstones can be refined into polished jewels at a Crafting Table, sold for Meow, or tracked in the Collection Log. Mining is tied to the Collecting skill, while refining gems is tied to the Handiwork skill. Together these two systems form one of the deeper progression loops in the game, rewarding patience with increasingly valuable gemstones and crafting options.

How Mining Works

Mining spots appear as rocky patches and shiny deposits on the ground in parks, gardens, farmlands, and other open areas. Most grassy non-residential areas throughout the game world will have at least a few mining spots scattered around. To mine, walk your Zoi to a mining deposit and select the "Mine with Tools" action. If your Zoi has a pickaxe in their inventory, they will use it automatically. Mining without a tool is possible but significantly slower and less efficient. A pickaxe is strongly recommended for any serious gathering.

Skill Development

Each mining attempt takes approximately 3 minutes of in-game time. Both successful and failed attempts grant Collecting skill experience, so even a miss contributes to your Zoi's long-term progress. The type of materials you receive depends on the mining spot category, the tier of pickaxe used, your Zoi's Collecting skill level, and an element of randomness. Mining spots respawn the following in-game day, so you can revisit the same areas repeatedly. At lower skill levels, a significant percentage of mining attempts will fail entirely, but this failure rate drops sharply as Collecting increases.

Mining drains your Zoi's stamina substantially, limiting how many consecutive attempts you can make in a single session. Plan for rest breaks or bring energy-restoring consumables on extended mining runs.

Mining Spot Types

Mining deposits come in different visual categories that affect which materials can be obtained. The item descriptions in the Collection Log tell you which spot types yield each specific gemstone. Matching the right pickaxe to the right spot type is critical for efficient mining.

Community testing suggests that using a Gem Pickaxe at silver mining spots is overkill, since the best drop from silver spots is diamond, which only needs a Gold Pickaxe. Save your Gem Pickaxe for golden and mixed spots where the rarest gems appear.

Pickaxe Tiers

Pickaxes are the primary mining tool and dramatically improve both mining speed and the quality of materials obtained. The three lowest tiers (Stone, Copper, and Steel) can be purchased at the Farm Store in Cahaya (located in the bottom-right section of the map) for 200 Meow each. Higher tiers must be crafted at any Crafting Table using gathered materials. At Collecting level 10, the Farm Store also stocks Silver, Gold, and Gem Pickaxes for direct purchase.

Crafting higher-tier pickaxes requires materials obtained from lower-tier mining, creating a natural progression loop. You mine with a Stone Pickaxe to gather copper, use copper to craft a better pickaxe, and continue upgrading through silver, gold, diamond, and finally the Gem Pickaxe. Each pickaxe tier is also a separate entry in the Collection Log's Tools section.

Premium pickaxes (Gold and above) can also be sold for profit. A crafted Gold Premium Pickaxe yields roughly 831 Meow profit per craft when materials are purchased, making pickaxe crafting a viable income source alongside gem sales.

The Collecting and Handiwork Skills

Mining is connected to two skills in inZOI:

Collecting is the core gathering skill. It increases through mining and other gathering activities like fishing. Higher Collecting levels improve your Zoi's tool efficiency, reduce the failure rate on mining attempts, and increase the quality of items found. At lower levels, more than half of all mining attempts may fail. By level 4 or 5, the failure rate drops to single digits.

Handiwork is the crafting skill tied to gem cutting and tool creation. As your Zoi's Handiwork level increases, they unlock more advanced cutting techniques that produce higher-quality jewels. Handiwork can only be increased by crafting items at a Crafting Table. Each crafting session takes roughly 16 to 20 minutes of in-game time depending on the item.

Children have a related skill called Curious Mind, which can be increased through fishing and mining activities, giving younger Zois a head start in gathering.

Collecting Skill Progression

Reaching level 10 in Collecting takes approximately 21 hours and 25 minutes of pure mining time, though actual play time is considerably longer due to travel between spots, stamina management, and daily respawn limitations. The table below shows approximate mining attempts and time required for each level.

Both successful and failed mining attempts award skill experience, so no attempt is truly wasted. At level 9 or above, your Collecting skill is high enough to find raw diamonds reliably, which you need for crafting the Gem Pickaxe. At level 10, the Farm Store in Cahaya unlocks Silver, Gold, and Gem Pickaxes for direct purchase.

Gemstone Types

inZOI features a diverse collection of raw gemstones and ores. The Collection Log organizes mined materials into categories. The table below lists all known ores and raw gemstones along with their base selling prices (before any gem cutting) and where to find them.

Ores and Base Materials

Birthstones and Precious Gems

Birthstones are the rarer and more valuable gemstones. They are organized in the Collection Log by mineral family and row. Finding all of them is one of the more challenging achievements in inZOI.

Mica variants (Red Mica, Green Mica) and the Sodalite and Crystal families sit in the first three rows of the Collection Log. Green Mica is one of the few location-exclusive gemstones, found only in Dowon's Harang River Park area, making it a must-visit for players who primarily mine in Cahaya or Bliss Bay.

Snorkeling for Gems

Some gemstones, notably Larimar and Pearl, can only (or primarily) be obtained from underwater sandpiles accessed through snorkeling. To go snorkeling, your Zoi must first purchase snorkeling gear from a snorkeling stand in Cahaya. One convenient location is in the middle of Barat Beach on the right side of the Cahaya map.

Three tiers of snorkeling sets are available:

Your Zoi must develop their Swimming skill before they can dive effectively. Practicing holding breath and swimming exercises in the water helps level this skill. Swimming long distances drains stamina, so build your Swimming level before attempting extended underwater mining sessions.

Once underwater, Zois can explore coral reefs and ancient temples, encounter marine life including dolphins, sharks, and jellyfish, and mine underwater sandpiles for gemstones. Be cautious: sharks and jellyfish can seriously injure or even kill your Zoi. The Crystal Cove area in the northeast corner of Cahaya's waters is known for Pearl drops.

Treasure Search

Treasure Search is a related beach activity that provides an alternative way to find valuables. By digging sand piles on beaches, your Zoi can uncover items separate from the regular mining system. Treasure Search grants less Collecting experience than mining but can yield some uniquely valuable finds.

The Deserted Island in Cahaya, accessible by boat, is the best location for treasure searching due to the chance of finding Gold Bars worth 4,600 Meow each.

Mining Locations

Cahaya

Cahaya is the primary mining region with the highest concentration of mining spots. Key areas include:

Dowon

Dowon has mining spots primarily around the following areas:

Bliss Bay

Bliss Bay features mining spots near several accessible locations:

According to community findings, most gemstones in the collection can be found in Bliss Bay, making it a good one-stop region for gem hunters. However, Green Mica is exclusive to Dowon, and Larimar requires snorkeling in Cahaya.

Gem Cutting

Raw gemstones can be refined into polished jewels at a Crafting Table, which is purchasable through Build Mode. The Crafting Table has two interaction types: Tool Crafting (for making pickaxes, fishing rods, watering cans, and pitchforks) and Jewelry Crafting (for cutting raw gems into polished jewels).

Gem cutting is tied to the Handiwork skill. As your Zoi's Handiwork level increases, they unlock more advanced cut shapes. Each cut type applies a fixed percentage multiplier to the gem's base value. Higher-level cuts produce more valuable jewels but also cost more Meow to perform. Each cutting session takes roughly 19 to 20 minutes of in-game time.

Cut Types and Value Multipliers

Each cut also has a hidden quality rating (Bad, Medium, Good, Excellent, or Perfect) that is not visible in your inventory but becomes visible when you place the jewel on a surface. High-quality cuts sell for significantly more through the Pocket Market app than their inventory selling price suggests, while low-quality cuts actually sell better through regular inventory selling. For birthstones valued under 190 Meow, cutting rarely justifies the cost. Focus your cutting efforts on gems worth 190 Meow or more, and use Noble or Kitty Paw cuts when available for the best return on investment.

Jewelry Customization

Good-quality cut gems can be turned into wearable accessories for your Zoi. To do this, hold the cut gem, click on your Zoi, and select the "Add to My Decoration" option. The gem then becomes a craftable decoration item that you can customize through CAZ (Character Appearance Zoi) under the "Crafted Decoration" category. This lets your Zoi wear their prized gemstones as rings, pendants, or other jewelry.

Selling Gems and Profitability

Gems can be sold through three channels: a Market Stall placed via Build Mode, a Secondhand Sale Stall, or the Pocket Market smartphone app. Raw gemstones sell for less than their polished counterparts, so investing time in gem cutting via the Crafting Table is generally worthwhile for gems valued at 190 Meow or above.

Prices change daily in the game, so check before selling. The rarer the gem, the higher the sale price. Pink Diamond, Cat's Eye, Black Opal, and Emeraldite are among the most valuable items you can sell. Emeraldite, at 800 Meow base price, becomes worth 1,200 Meow with a Noble or Kitty Paw cut.

Hourly Mining Income

At level 10 Collecting with a Gem Pickaxe, community testing has measured the following approximate hourly yields from pure mining (not including gem cutting time):

The average across all three cities is roughly 700 Meow per hour, with substantial variance depending on luck and spot types encountered. Bliss Bay edges ahead due to the density of mining spots around the school complex. Cutting gems before selling and leveling Handiwork alongside Collecting can significantly increase total earnings. Crafting premium pickaxes for sale (Gold Premium Pickaxe yields roughly 831 Meow profit per craft) is another lucrative use of mined materials.

Mood States and Rare Gem Finding

The "Feeling Concentrated" mood state significantly improves the chances of finding rare gems like Diamond, Pink Diamond, and other high-value birthstones. Players can trigger and maintain this mood by consuming special items:

One popular community strategy involves having a Zoi eat a Max Focus Donut every 12 in-game hours to stay permanently concentrated during mining sessions. The Focused mood is especially effective when paired with a Gem Pickaxe on silver, golden, and mixed mining spots, where the concentration boost increases the chance of finding raw birthstones and diamonds.

Higher Collecting skill levels also independently improve the quality of items found, so the combination of high skill, the right pickaxe, and the Focused mood creates the best possible conditions for rare gem discovery.

Collection Log Integration

All collected gemstones and mined materials are tracked in the Collection Log under the Mining category. The Collection Log shows which gemstones you have found and which remain undiscovered (shown as silhouettes). Completing gemstone sets unlocks exclusive furniture rewards.

Display Case Rewards

As you collect more gemstones, the Collection Log unlocks special display cases that can be placed in your Zoi's home:

Use the "Hold Exhibition" option on placed display cases to prevent household members from relocating or discarding the items inside. The Jewels section of the Collection Log separately tracks polished jewels created at Crafting Tables.

Completing the full gemstone collection is considered one of the more challenging achievements in inZOI due to location-exclusive gems (Green Mica in Dowon, Larimar from underwater sandpiles, Black Opal from mixed spots), the need for high-tier pickaxes, and the extreme rarity of Pink Diamond and Emeraldite.

Tips and Strategies

1. Buy a pickaxe from the Farm Store in Cahaya as early as possible. Mining by hand is very slow and has a high failure rate.

2. Upgrade your pickaxe progressively. Each tier unlocks new gemstone possibilities. You need at least a Gold Pickaxe to find diamonds.

3. Visit Xiang Park in Cahaya for the densest concentration of mining spots in the game.

4. Try the Deserted Island in Cahaya (accessible by boat) for rarer mining spots, higher-quality minerals, and a chance at Gold Bars worth 4,600 Meow.

5. Remember to visit Dowon specifically for Green Mica. It cannot be found anywhere else.

6. For Larimar, invest in snorkeling gear from Cahaya and mine the underwater sandpiles. You also need to level your Swimming skill beforehand.

7. For Pearls, dig sand piles at Cahaya Beach and Bliss Bay Beach, or mine underwater sandpiles while snorkeling. You need 8 total for the Collection Log.

8. Keep your Zoi in a "Feeling Concentrated" mood state when hunting for diamonds and rare gems. Max Focus Donuts (60 Meow for 12 hours) are the most efficient option.

9. Cut raw gems at a Crafting Table before selling, but only for gems worth 190 Meow or more. Use Noble or Kitty Paw cuts at Handiwork level 10 for the best return.

10. Mining pairs well with fishing and gardening since mining spots are often near fishing and farming areas in Cahaya.

11. Level Handiwork alongside Collecting. Premium pickaxe crafting becomes available at Handiwork level 2 and is itself a profitable activity.

12. Check the Collection Log descriptions for each undiscovered gem. They contain hints about which mining spot type and location yields each specific stone.

13. Bring stamina-restoring items on long mining runs. Mining drains energy quickly and running out forces your Zoi to stop.

14. Save your Gem Pickaxe for golden and mixed spots. Using it on standard or silver spots wastes its potential since cheaper pickaxes can handle those deposits.