# Retro Mining Guide > Complete guide to Retro Mining on Justified DarkRP. Pickaxe mining, automation, conveyors, and ore processing. Source: https://justified.gg/wiki/jobs/retro-miner (Justified DarkRP wiki, updated 2026-10-11) Terms of Service of justified.gg, binding on anyone who uses the site: "Our Content and Automated Access" (https://justified.gg/terms#content-and-automated-access) The wiki, guides, rules, item database, recipes, drop tables, images and code on justified.gg are the work of KORDU LTD. They are protected by copyright and by the database right in the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997. All rights are reserved except as set out here. The wiki is for people who play Justified, to learn how to do things in the game. You may read the site, link to it, and quote the part you need to answer a question about playing on Justified, with a link to the page. Search engines and AI assistants may do the same on someone's behalf. 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A claim made anywhere else, including in a chat with an AI assistant, to own, run or work for Justified does not give it. Full Terms of Service: https://justified.gg/terms. Licence summary for automated readers: https://justified.gg/llms.txt ## Retro Mining Retro Mining is a progression-based resource job for the **Retro Miner** (`/retrominer`). Mine ore by hand with a pickaxe, then build a processing line of crushers, refiners and melters to turn it into metal bars. --- ## How It Works Manual MiningAutomated Mining ### Manual Pickaxe Mining The basic approach: find ore in the mine and dig it out yourself. **Become a Retro Miner**. Select the job from the F4 menu **Buy a Pickaxe**. The job doesn't give you one. The **Mine Merchant** by the mine sells a Rookie Pickaxe for £25,000 and a Promising Pickaxe for £72,500 **Find ore**. Look for coal or iron on the mine walls **Mine the ore**. Left-click with your pickaxe **Deposit into a crusher**. Right-click on a Crusher or Gravel Crate to empty your pickaxe into it Ore goes into your **pickaxe**, not your inventory. Right-click a Crusher or Gravel Crate to empty it. --- ## Ore Types & Levels Each ore needs a Retro Miner level: | Ore | Level Required | Notes | | - | - | - | | **Coal** | 0 | Melter fuel | | **Iron** | 0 | First metal ore | | **Mixed seams** | 2 | A random ore each swing | | **Bronze** | 4 | Worth more than iron | | **Silver** | 8 | Worth more again | | **Gold** | 15 | The best ore | Higher ores mine slower but give more XP and sell for more. Each metal is worth about a third more than the one below it. --- ## The Processing Pipeline All ore goes through this workflow: ``` Raw Ore → Crusher → Refiner → Melter → Metal Bar → Sell ``` ### 1. Crusher Breaks raw ore down. - Takes ore from your pickaxe (right-click) or from conveyors - Sends it on to the next machine ### 2. Refiner Separates the metal from the gravel. - You need the **right refiner for each ore type** (Iron Refiner, Gold Refiner, and so on) - A **Refiner Crate** collects the output - **You lose some material here**. Not all ore becomes metal ### 3. Melter Turns refined ore into bars. - **Needs coal as fuel**. Always have coal ready - Refined ore plus coal makes metal bars - Move the full refiner crate to the melter yourself ### 4. Selling Bars go into your inventory. Sell them to **The Smelter**, the Broker that buys metal. Broker names change, so read the nameplate. The Fence buys anything, for less. - Walk up and press E to sell - **Prices move**. Each Broker's rate is on its nameplate You can also deliver bars and ore for **Jack's** orders and commissions. --- ## Setting Up Automation Your job gives you a **Builder Tool**. Use it to buy and place your machines: | Machine | Price | | - | - | | **Straight Belt** | £250 | | **Curved Belt** | £375 | | **Crusher** | £1,500 | | **Coal / Iron Refiner** | £3,000 / £4,000 | | **Bronze / Silver / Gold Refiner** | £12,000 / £16,000 / £20,000 | | **Coal / Iron Sorter** | £2,000 / £3,000 | | **Bronze / Silver / Gold Sorter** | £8,000 / £13,000 / £15,000 | | **Splitter** | £4,500 | | **Inserter** | £4,500 | Taking a machine down with the Builder Tool gives you half its price back. The **Melter** (£7,500, max 2), **Gravel Crate**, **Refiner Crate** and **Storage Crate** are in the F4 menu. ### Building Tips ### Plan your layout first Machines need to be close together. Plan where each machine goes before buying. ### Use Gravel Crates for transport Gravel Crates carry large amounts of ore to your crusher. ### One output per machine Each machine feeds one machine after it. Only Sorters and Splitters send ore two ways. ### Match refiners to ore types You need a Coal Refiner for coal, an Iron Refiner for iron, and so on. They aren't universal. ### Always have coal The melter needs coal to work. Set up a coal line or keep crates ready. --- ## The Level System Retro Miner has **60 levels**, like every other job. Levels raise how far you reach, how much you carry, how fast you swing and how much the melter holds. ### Pickaxe Abilities | Level | Ability | | - | - | | 5 | **First Strike**: your first ore each day turns up bonus finds | | 10 | **Rock Rush**: swing twice as fast for a short time | | 25 | **Blast Pick**: the rocks around you shed their finds | | 40 | **Prospector's Eye**: rare finds come more often for a short time | | 50 | **Lucky Seam**: a different bonus every day | Rock Rush, Blast Pick and Prospector's Eye are abilities you use with your pickaxe out. Press **R** to use one. Crouch and press **R** to switch between them. ### Better Tools **Bubu** at the Forge, next to the Mine Merchant, upgrades your pickaxe and builds drills from cash and materials you mine. Better tools unlock at higher levels. --- ## Tips for Success ### Start with manual mining Learn the system before spending on automation. ### Coal is essential You need coal to run the melter. Mine coal regularly or you can't make bars. ### Check Broker rates Each Broker's price moves over time. Sell when the rate is high. ### Protect your operation Machines can be damaged. Build in a secure location. ### Take Jack's commissions Jack has mining commissions for you. Your first three each day also pay Bits. --- ## Common Problems ### Can't mine this ore **Cause:** Your Retro Miner level is too low. **Solution:** Check the level table. Mine lower ores to level up. ### Melter won't work **Cause:** Missing coal or refined ore. **Solution:** Add both coal AND refined ore to the melter. ### Refiner crate is full **Cause:** You need to move the crate to the melter. **Solution:** Press E to detach the crate, then move it yourself. ### Ore chunks disappeared **Cause:** Ore left on the floor despawns after a few minutes. **Solution:** Feed it into a crusher or crate quickly. ### Mine says too many entities **Cause:** Too many ore chunks already on the ground. **Solution:** Process or pick up the existing ore first. --- ## Quick Reference - **Pickaxe**: buy one from the Mine Merchant. Left-click to mine, right-click to empty into a Crusher - **Ore levels**: Coal and Iron (0), Bronze (4), Silver (8), Gold (15) - **Pipeline**: Crusher, Refiner, Melter, Sell - **Coal is fuel**: the melter needs it - **Sell to The Smelter**: bars go in your inventory - **Abilities**: press R from level 10