WoW Mining

Mining is a World of Warcraft gathering profession that involves the collection of minerals and gems from mining veins. Players activate their mining skill so that mining veins appear on their mini map. Once mines are spotted the players must run to them and then click on them to begin mining them for minerals and gems (which can sometimes be found in veins). Next, they can smelt the ore they received at a forge. They can then sell the components they mined and smelted or use the items to support their other profession. Another important skill of miners is their ability to turn certain primals back to motes.

Mining is a very common profession for players to train, which is probably due to the fact that it is the main gathering support profession for blacksmithing, jewelcrafting, and engineering. This means that these three professions require items derived from mining in order to make the majority of their crafted items. Because there is a high demand for items derived through mining, these items often sell well in the auction house. This leads some players to create characters with mining just for the sole purpose of mining, smelting, and selling the materials. 

The downside to mining is that of a typical gathering profession, meaning you must spend a lot of time running around looking for veins to mine. If you want to get your mining skill up there is really no way to get around this process of mining veins...that is unless you buy all of your ore on the auction house. It is possible to do blacksmithing, jewelcrafting, and engineering without mining but then players must rely on the auction house to have the items they need, which it often times does not. Because of this, most players with professions that are primarily supported by mining choose to learn mining as their second profession.

Mining is really a neat World of Warcraft profession that allows players to venture out into the “world” with their mining pick and collect valuable minerals and gems for their own use or to put up for sale in the auction house. It's importance to the game is outlined by the fact that the components derived through it directly support three other professions. Whether players mine for money or to support their other professions they are likely to spend much time running through zones, up mountains, around rivers, and fighting mobs in order to “get” mines they have spotted.