Gold mine



Gold mines are outcroppings of rock where gold ore can be found and collected. In Warcraft I, Warcraft II, and Warcraft III, they are neutral buildings where worker units can gather gold inside of them. The harvested gold is then (in addition to lumber) used as a "currency" to build buildings, train units, and purchase items or upgrades for heroes. As such, gold mines are extremely important to achieve victory.

Human description
King Llane had sent many a surveyor into the hills and mountains throughout the kingdom in search of new deposits of gold. One could discover one of these sites, and find that there were still veins of the precious metal to be mined. Peasants could be trained in the skills required to mine and deliver this gold to a Town Hall for disbursement.

Orc description
Some rock faces held deposits of gold. One would recognize them because Blackhand had sent searchers out, and any that were located would have an entry way clearly marked. Peons would mine these holes and deliver the gold to a Town Hall for disbursement.

Second War
Mined from the rich earth of Azeroth and Lordaeron, this precious metal was commonly used in exchange for goods and services. As a rare substance that was always in short supply, Gold had to be dug out from the rock and soil within established Gold Mines. Many of these Mines were abandoned when the Orc raids began and the workers fled for their very lives. Since the beginning of the War, these sites were frequently operated while under the protection of military forces.

Third War
Mined from the rich earth of Azeroth and Lordaeron, this precious metal is commonly used in exchange for goods and services. As a rare substance that is always in short supply, Gold must be dug out from the rock and soil within the established Gold Mines. Many of these Mines were abandoned when the Orc raids began and the workers fled for their lives. Since the beginning of the War, these sites have frequently been operated while under the protection of military forces.

Gold mines can also become haunted or entangled.

A massive gold mine could be found in the dungeons and caverns beneath the Darkspear Islands, inhabited by gnolls led by a miser. The Stonetalon Peak caverns also had two gold mines, led by kobolds. The kobolds had another gold mine in Dustwallow Marsh.

Gold was scarce even in the height of the Alliance's power.

In the RPG
The RPG describes several mines that are not canon anymore, for example Opal Ridge and Goldcrease Mine.

World of Warcraft
Mines can be found all throughout Azeroth, Outland and, and even in battlegrounds such as Arathi Basin. While a few mines have been abandoned retaking them is often an important objective for the local factions.

Many sites in World of Warcraft are not true gold mines and are used to mine other ore veins instead such as Saronite or gems.

Mines in Lordaeron

 * Tirisfal Glades:
 * Night Web's Hollow


 * Silverpine Forest:
 * Skittering Dark
 * Deep Elem Mine


 * Gilneas:
 * Emberstone Mine
 * Gilnean Coast - Mines


 * Western Plaguelands:
 * Hearthglen


 * Plaguelands: The Scarlet Enclave:
 * Havenshire Mine


 * Ghostlands:
 * Underlight Mines


 * Hillsbrad Foothills:
 * Azurelode Mine


 * Alterac Mountains:
 * Alterac Valley - Coldtooth Mine, Irondeep Mine


 * Arathi Highlands:
 * Arathi Basin - Gold Mine

Mines in Khaz Modan

 * Twilight Highlands:
 * Elementium Depths


 * Dun Morogh:
 * Gol'Bolar Quarry Mine


 * Loch Modan:
 * Silver Stream Mine


 * Searing Gorge:
 * Slag Pit

Mines in Azeroth

 * Elwynn Forest:
 * Echo Ridge Mine
 * Fargodeep Mine
 * Jasperlode Mine
 * Darkhollow Mine (removed during the World of Warcraft alpha)


 * Westfall:
 * Gold Coast Quarry
 * Jangolode Mine
 * Deadmines


 * Duskwood:
 * Roland's Doom


 * Stranglethorn Vale:
 * Crystalvein Mine
 * Silvershard Mines


 * Blasted Lands:
 * Nethergarde Mines

Mines in the Great Sea and South Seas

 * Kezan:
 * Kaja'mine


 * Lost Isles:
 * Kaja'mite Cavern
 * Gallywix Labor Mine

Mines in Kalimdor

 * Azuremyst Isle:
 * Exodar - Crystal Hall


 * Azshara:
 * Mountainfoot Strip Mine


 * Ashenvale:
 * Splintertree Mine


 * Darkshore:
 * Lornesta Mine


 * Stonetalon Mountains:
 * Boulderslide Cavern
 * Windshear Mine
 * Deep Reaches


 * Mulgore:
 * Venture Co. Mine


 * Barrens:
 * Boulder Lode Mine
 * Unnamed mine at the Kor'kron elemental camp
 * Frazzlecraz Motherlode


 * Dustwallow Marsh:
 * Darkmist Cavern

Mines in Outland

 * Hellfire Peninsula:
 * Honor Hold Mine
 * Thrallmar Mine


 * Blade's Edge Mountains:
 * Draenethyst Mine
 * Trogma's Claim


 * Netherstorm:
 * Access Shaft Zeon
 * Trelleum Mine


 * Shadowmoon Valley:
 * Deathforge
 * Netherwing Mines

Mines in Northrend

 * Borean Tundra:
 * Farshire Mine


 * Howling Fjord:
 * Wildervar Mine


 * Dragonblight:
 * Wintergarde Mine


 * Grizzly Hills:
 * Hollowstone Mine


 * Sholazar Basin:
 * Swindlegrin's Dig


 * Storm Peaks:
 * Frozen Mine
 * Forlorn Mine


 * Isle of Conquest:
 * Quarry


 * Icecrown:
 * Saronite Mines
 * Weeping Quarry
 * Pit of Saron

Mines in Pandaria

 * Jade Forest:
 * Greenstone Quarry


 * Valley of the Four Winds:
 * Deepwind Gorge


 * Vale of Eternal Blossoms:
 * Big Blossom Mine


 * Krasarang Wilds:
 * Deep Crawl Mine
 * Ruins of Ogudei


 * Isle of Thunder:
 * Lightning Vein Mine

Mines in Draenor

 * Frostfire Ridge:
 * Frostwall - Frostwall Mine
 * Sootstained Mines
 * Bloodmaul Slag Mines


 * Lunarfall - Lunarfall Excavation
 * Elodor - Elodor Dig
 * Anguish Fortress - Shadowmoon Mine
 * Anguish Fortress - Shadowmoon Mine


 * Ashran:
 * Ogre Mine
 * Stormshield Excavation
 * Warspear Excavation


 * Talador:
 * Aruuna Crystal Mine
 * Jorune Mine
 * Kuuro's Claim
 * Deathweb Hollow


 * Abandoned Mine
 * Abandoned Mine

Mines in Kul Tiras

 * Drustvar:
 * Bleak Hills Mine (silver mine)


 * Tiragarde Sound:
 * Winterchill Mine (Azerite mine)

Mines in Zandalar

 * Vol'dun:
 * Redrock Mines