WoW Dark Iron Mining Guide

Dark Iron is a special resource that can only be found in a few select zones bordering Blackrock Mountain. There are not many uses for Dark Iron except to make some gear with fire resistance and epic blacksmithing weapons. Engineers can also use Dark Iron in a few of their recipes and it is used as part of the Warlock epic land mount quest. Any of the ore that you get can only be smelted at the Black Forge inside of Blackrock Depths. Since Dark Iron is a special resource and can only be smelted at the Black Forge I do not recommend farming Dark Iron to level up your mining. However, if you need Dark Iron for a quest or for your profession, here are the best places to farm it.
Where to Mine Dark Iron in Burning Steppes

Burning Steppes: Levels 50-57



Dark Iron tends to be found more commonly in areas where there is lava, and usually within that lava. Not the big pools you take damage from but the little rivers that run through the zone. Cutting through the small lava rivers and sticking around Dreadmaul Rock will get you a good mix of Dark Iron. Dark Iron has a few dependable static spawn points on this route that you will be able to pick up on after a few times through. Some spawns are so reliable that you can run directly to them and almost always find a Dark Iron Deposit.
Where to Mine Dark Iron in Searing Gorge

Searing Gorge: Levels 43-49



The Searing Gorge has some good Dark Iron spots. If you take the middle path through the crater (The Cauldron) there are a ton of cave systems and small lava rivers that host Dark Iron Deposits. Around the outer edges there are yet more lava rivers that usually have Dark Iron Deposits in them or around them as indicated by density on the map.
Where to Mine Dark Iron in Instances

There are some very good runs that can be performed inside Blackrock Depths (49-56), I recommend that you try to get some groups in there if you are the recommended zone level or just run into the instance if you are high enough level where you can either solo the groups of elites or just walk past them without aggroing them. Unfortunately, I don't have a map of the route but it is easy to pick up on after running through the instance just once. You can also find Dark Iron in Molten Core (61-63).