Iron Mining & Smelting Guide
Iron is the strategic resource that transforms your colony from a wooden settlement into an armored, weapon-forging fortress. From iron swords and crossbows to plate armor and reinforced doors, nearly every mid-to-late-game upgrade depends on a steady iron supply. This guide covers iron deposit locations, deep mining setup, smelter efficiency optimization, fuel management strategies, and the complete steel production chain. Data below is based on community testing and is for reference only.
Where to Find Iron
Iron deposits appear in three forms across Going Medieval maps. Knowing all three sources ensures you never run out of this critical resource. Surface deposits are your early-game source, while underground veins sustain you through the mid and late game.
| Iron Source | Appearance | Yield | Depth | Best Biome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ironstone Outcrops | Dark grey boulders with rust | ~3-6 iron ore | Surface | Mountain, Hills |
| Underground Veins | Metallic streaks in rock walls | ~8-15 iron ore per tile | ~3-6 levels deep | All biomes |
| Iron Ore Deposits | Reddish-brown patches | ~4-8 iron ore | Surface to level 2 | River, Valley |
Data source: Community testing estimates
Early scouting tip: On day one, zoom out and scan your map for ironstone outcrops—those dark grey boulders with reddish rust streaks. Mark their locations with planning designations. Each surface outcrop yields enough iron ore for 3-5 weapons or 1-2 armor pieces. For sustained iron production, you must transition to underground mining by year 2 at the latest.
Deep Mining Setup
Deep mining is the only sustainable source of iron for medium and large colonies. Surface deposits run out quickly, but underground iron veins can sustain a colony indefinitely. Setting up an efficient deep mine requires careful infrastructure planning.
Shaft Construction
Dig a 3x3 vertical shaft from ground level, building stone staircases along one wall for settler access. Go down 4-6 levels before branching horizontally. Iron veins are most common between levels 3-6. The shaft should be close to your smelter (within 20 tiles) to minimize ore hauling distance.
Branch Mining Method
Once at the target depth, mine 2-tile-wide horizontal tunnels separated by 3-tile-wide walls. This pattern exposes the maximum number of rock faces for iron vein discovery while maintaining structural safety. Every 15 tiles, dig a cross-tunnel to connect branches, creating a grid. Settlers can then navigate efficiently between mining zones.
Safety & Support
Deep mining carries greater cave-in risk. Follow the 4x4 rule strictly—no ceiling span exceeds 4x4 tiles without support. In branch tunnels, place stone pillars every 4 tiles. If you hear cracking sounds (the cave-in warning), pause immediately, draft all miners out of the area, and reinforce before resuming.
Smelter Efficiency & Fuel Management
The smelter converts iron ore into iron ingots, consuming fuel in the process. Smelter efficiency directly determines how many weapons and armor pieces you can produce from your mined iron ore. Optimizing this conversion is one of the highest-ROI improvements you can make to your production chain.
| Fuel Type | Ore → Ingot Ratio | Burns Per Unit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | 2 ore → 1 ingot | 1 smelt | Early-game, small batches |
| Coal | 1 ore → 1 ingot | 3 smelts | Mid-game, efficient production |
| Charcoal | 1.5 ore → 1 ingot | 2 smelts | Alternative when coal is scarce |
Data source: Community testing estimates
The coal advantage is significant. With wood fuel, 100 iron ore produces ~50 ingots. With coal, the same 100 ore produces ~100 ingots — roughly double the output. Prioritize coal production as soon as you have a steady iron mining operation. Convert wood into charcoal (if that option is available on your game version) when natural coal is scarce on your map.
⚠ Fuel Supply Warning:A smelter running at full capacity consumes fuel continuously. If you're using wood as fuel, your lumberjack must dedicate significant labor to logging just for the smelter. Transition to coal as soon as your colony can support it to free up labor for other tasks. Exact fuel consumption rates are community estimates.
Steel Production Chain
Steel is the ultimate metal in Going Medieval — required for the best weapons and armor. The steel production chain is complex, requiring multiple processing steps and facilities, but the end result is superior equipment. The table below lists community-estimated recipes and values. These specific ratios may differ from your game version.
The complete steel production chain (community estimate): Iron Ore → Smelter (with coal) → Iron Ingots → Blast Furnace (with coal) → Steel Ingots → Smithy → Steel Equipment. Each steel ingot may require multiple iron ingots and coal in the blast furnace. This means a single steel sword ultimately consumes significant iron ore and coal.
Due to the high resource cost, steel production should be targeted, not mass-produced. Produce steel only for your best combat settlers' primary weapons and chest armor. Other settlers and secondary equipment pieces can use iron equivalents. The production chain isn't efficient enough for full steel loadouts.
FAQ
When should I start mining iron?
Start scouting for iron on day one, but don't prioritize mining until you have basic shelter, food production, and perimeter walls established. Typically, iron mining begins in earnest around day 15-20 (late spring/early summer of year 1). This gives you time to establish the colony before committing labor to mining.
How many miners should I assign to iron?
For a standard 8-settler colony, 1-2 dedicated miners is sufficient. One miner operating 6 hours daily can extract 20-30 iron ore, which produces 10-30 ingots depending on fuel type. Two miners double this output and can also assist with stone quarrying when iron demand is low.
What if my map has no surface iron?
Every map has underground iron veins—you must dig to find them. If surface iron is absent, prioritize building a mineshaft to level 3-4 as soon as practical. Trading with merchant caravans can provide temporary iron supplies while you establish mining operations. Iron ingots and iron ore are among the most commonly traded industrial goods from traveling merchants.