The Ultimate Mining Guide for Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley
If you're diving into Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley (HoLV) and wondering how to master mining and craft beautiful jewelry, you've come to the right place!
This guide will take you through everything you need to know about mining, unlocking special locations, and making the most out of your hard-earned ores.
Getting Started with Mining
To begin mining, head to Funland Mine, located next to Harvest Goddess Spring, right in front of the Funland office. However, you won’t be able to collect ores immediately.
First, you must work five times by speaking with Rudolph when he’s inside the mine at 9AM. Once you've completed this task, you’ll have full access to mine without checking in with Rudolph each time.
Unlocking the Mine’s Special Areas
The mine expands as you progress through the game, unlocking different areas based on the year and season:
- Open from the beginning: Initial mining areas
- Opens in Year 1: Summer: Additional areas unlocked, Fall: More rooms become accessible, Winter: Further expansion
- Opens in Year 2: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter: Each season unlocks more sections
- Opens in Year 3: Full access to all mining areas
Special Locations
- Underground Lake: A hidden fishing spot, unlocked after collecting 20 Fishprints.
- The Secret Fossil: Special event location for discovering rare fossils.
- Mecha Event: Where you’ll encounter the Mole Mecha event.
- HG Temple: The site for The Tale of the Harvest Goddess Temple event.
Mining Efficiently – The 1-Hit Strategy
Mining consumes time and stamina, so efficiency is key. By solving puzzles strategically, you can break rocks with just one hit!
Here’s what to do:
- Position the yellow crystal exactly as shown in the guide.
- Strike the designated spot where your character stands.
With this technique, you’ll save energy and maximize your mining output.
Ore and Gemstone List
Common Ores and Their Uses
| Item | Location | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap Metal | All rooms | Used to craft jewelry with Zann |
| Mineral Crystal | All rooms | Enhances crops |
| Coal | Excludes Room 5 | --- |
| Iron Ore | Excludes Rooms 5 & 7 | --- |
| Copper Ore | Excludes Rooms 5 & 7 | --- |
| Silver Ore | Excludes Rooms 5 & 7 | Upgrades Fishing Rod |
| Gold Ore | Excludes Rooms 5 & 7 | Upgrades Fishing Rod |
| Blue Rock | Excludes Rooms 5 & 7 | Upgrades Tools (Level 1) |
| Orichalcum | Excludes Room 7 | Upgrades Tools (Level 2) |
| Rare Metal | Excludes Room 7 | Upgrades Tools (Level 3) |
Rare Fossils & Artifacts
| Item | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonite Fossil | Rooms 6-10 | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Trilobite Fossil | Rooms 6-10 | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Plant Fossil | Rooms 6-10 | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Ancient Fossil | Rooms 6-10 | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Mysterious Object | All rooms | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Clay Soldier | All rooms | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Pottery | All rooms | Stored in the Collection Room |
| Earthenware | All rooms | Stored in the Collection Room |
Read: How to Complete Rare Items in the Storeroom - Harvest Moon HoLV
Crafting Jewelry in Year 3
One of the most rewarding parts of mining is using ores and gemstones to craft beautiful jewelry with Zann. Here's how:
- Bring Scrap Metal and a gemstone to Zann.
- He will craft earrings based on the gemstone used.
Gemstones & Jewelry
| Gemstone | Location | Jewelry Created |
|---|---|---|
| Moonlight Stone | Excludes Room 5 | Moonlight Earrings |
| Amethyst | Room 6 | Moonlight Earrings |
| Ruby | Room 6 | Ruby Earrings |
| Aquamarine | Room 8 | Aquamarine Earrings |
| Sapphire | Room 8 | Sapphire Earrings |
| Emerald | Room 9 | Emerald Earrings |
| Garnet | Room 9 | Garnet Earrings |
| Opal | Room 10 | Opal Earrings |
| Diamond | Room 10 | Diamond Earrings |
Selling Prices for Ores & Gemstones
Knowing when and where to sell ores can maximize your Gold (G) income! Here’s a breakdown of normal and best seasonal prices:
| Item | Normal Price | Best Price (Season & Location) |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap Metal | 10 G | 30G (Fall, Louis); 20G (Winter, Carpentry) |
| Mineral Crystal | 30 G | 40G (Spring, Zann); 50G (Fall, Lyla); 60G (Winter, Zann) |
| Coal | 20 G | 40G (Spring, Lyla); 40G (Summer, Carpentry); 50G (Winter, Louis) |
| Iron Ore | 60 G | 80G (Spring, Louis) |
| Copper Ore | 40 G | 60G (Spring, Louis); 50G (Spring, Carpentry) |
| Silver Ore | 80 G | 90G (Spring, Carpentry); 100G (Summer, Carpentry) |
| Gold Ore | 140 G | 160G (Summer, Carpentry) |
| Blue Rock | 90 G | 110G (Winter, Carpentry) |
| Orichalcum | 160 G | --- |
| Rare Metal | 180 G | --- |
| Moonlight Stone | 100 G | 120G (Fall, Zann) |
| Ammonite Fossil | 500 G | --- |
| Tribolite Fossil | 500 G | --- |
| Plant Fossil | 500 G | --- |
| Ancient Fossil | 500 G | --- |
| Mysterious Object | 10 G | --- |
| Clay Soldier | 750 G | --- |
| Pottery | 750 G | --- |
| Earthenware | 750 G | --- |
| Amethyst | 120 G | --- |
| Ruby | 180 G | 200G (Fall, Carpentry) |
| Aquamarine | 160 G | --- |
| Sapphire | 180 G | 200G (Fall, Carpentry) |
| Emerald | 170 G | --- |
| Garnet | 160 G | --- |
| Opal | 140 G | 160G (Fall, Carpentry) |
| Diamond | 200 G | --- |
Final Thoughts
Mining in Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley is an essential way to earn gold, upgrade tools, and craft valuable jewelry.
By using efficient mining strategies, unlocking special areas, and selling ores at the right time, you can maximize your success in the game. Happy mining!