Graveyard Keeper 2 Iron Guide: Ore Locations and Mine Unlock

You'll need iron in Graveyard Keeper 2 long before the game gives you a reliable source. At first, you'll have to mine individual surface deposits by hand, while the proper mine only becomes available after progressing through the story, obtaining a Forest Pass, and taking part in a small scheme involving Larry, two retired bandits, and one skeleton.There is another important detail: simply getting inside the Old Mine is not enough. To make iron truly stop being scarce, you need to open both passages, research Zombie Mining, and build a Zombie Miner. Below, we'll walk through the entire process, from the first deposits near the Graveyard to fully automated mining.

Where to Find Iron Early in the Game

You can mine Iron Ore before unlocking the mine. Look for large brownish rocks and use a Pickaxe on them. Mining requires Smithing Mastery 3. The easiest early deposits are right near the Graveyard: one to the southeast and another to the southwest. Each full iron rock is mined in two stages and gives 3 Ore per stage, meaning an untouched deposit yields 6 Iron Ore before bonuses.Other deposits can be found:

• near the Quarry;
• around the Forest Outpost;
• around the Bandit Camp;
• in the Forest;
• near the Swamp;
• south of the Vineyard.

Unlike the Copper vein, regular iron rocks do not respawn. They are a temporary supply that is enough for your first Ingots, tools, and parts, but you cannot rely on surface Ore forever.If you have a Pickaxe but still cannot mine the deposit, check your Smithing Mastery specifically. The tool belongs to a different system and does not replace the required skill level. We explain how Mastery, technologies, and tool bonuses work in detail in our Graveyard Keeper 2 technologies and Mastery guide.

Can You Buy Iron Ore?

Yes. While the surface deposits are running out and the mine is still locked, you can buy Iron Ore from the Trademaster. He sells a limited amount and restocks over time. This is a useful emergency option if you are a couple of Ingots short for a story-related repair. Buying iron constantly is expensive, though, so sooner or later you will still need to unlock the Old Mine.

How to Enter the Forest

The mine questline begins after visiting the Town Warehouse and speaking to Jack about supplies. He points you toward the old Quarry and the mine west of the Village. Head to the Forest Outpost. The guards will not let Cohen... or rather, the Keeper, pass without proper papers, so you first need to obtain a Forest Pass.The sequence is:

1. Speak to Januarius in the Village Tavern and ask him to call Jully.
2. Talk to Jully about entering the Forest.
3. Repair the Royal Services mailbox next to the Tavern.
4. Collect the Temporary Head of Village Certificate from it.
5. Return to Jully and exchange the document for the Forest Pass.
6. Show the pass to the guards at the Forest Outpost.

After that, the route into the Forest remains open permanently.

Where Is the Entrance to the Old Mine?

The Old Mine runs beneath the Forest between the Quarry and the Factory. The earliest entrance is located at the far end of the Quarry. There is a warning sign and a large rock blockage. You cannot blow it up immediately. First, you need to enter the Forest and meet two former bandits, Hans and Sven. They live at the old Bandit Camp and happen to have the explosives you need. The problem is that they have no intention of handing over the Dynamite for free.

How to Get Dynamite for the Mine

After meeting Hans and Sven, progress through the Can't See The Forest for the Iron quest. You will learn that the gang's old leader, Robert, died long ago, while the remaining bandits are convinced that only he knew where their treasure was hidden. This is where Larry comes in.Find him at home or at the Inquisition Base and convince him to impersonate Robert. The plan requires a Simple Candle. You can craft one at the Formulation Bench after unlocking the corresponding Church technology:

• 2 Beeswax;
• 1 Flax Thread.

Give the candle to Larry and continue the scene with the bandits. Larry impersonates their late leader and delivers a remarkably profound message: the real treasure was the friendship they had all along. Somehow, it works. After the conversation, Hans and Sven will give you 1 Dynamite.

How to Unlock the Iron Mine

Return to the blockage at the far end of the Quarry. Clearing it requires:

• 1 Dynamite;
• Building Mastery 8.

You do not need a Pickaxe for the explosion itself. Interact with the blockage and complete the job. Once it has been destroyed, the passage into the Old Mine will open. Inside, you can find a chest, several Marble deposits, and other resources. But if you came here for an infinite iron supply, the job is not finished yet.

Why Isn't There Infinite Iron After Opening the Mine?

There is no infinite Iron Ore vein that you can mine manually. Renewable production works through a Zombie Miner. The Zombie Mining technology also does not appear immediately after the first explosion. To reveal it, you need to open both ends of the Old Mine:

1. the Quarry entrance with Dynamite;
2. the Factory-side passage by clearing the underground blockage.

For the second passage, you will need:

• 4 Building Kit I;
• 1 Reinforced Beam;
• a Pickaxe;
• Building Mastery 8.

If you reach an obstacle inside the mine that tells you to approach it from the other side, do not keep hitting it forever. This is the second end of the tunnel, and it has to be opened from the Factory side.

How to Unlock Zombie Iron Mining

Once both passages are cleared, the Zombie Mining technology appears in the Metallurgy branch. It comes after Iron Smithing and costs:

• 60 red Technology Points;
• 10 blue Technology Points.

After researching it, you can build a Zombie Miner inside the Old Mine. Construction requires:

• 2 Wooden Planks;
• 4 Bricks.

Assign a zombie to it and give it a Pickaxe. The worker will then continuously produce:

• 1 Iron Ore;
• 2 Coal per cycle.

The resources are deposited in the mine's storage. If you build a Porter Station and assign another zombie, the Iron Ore and Coal can be transported automatically to the Factory. This is the point where you can consider the Iron Mine truly unlocked. From then on, you no longer need to run around the map looking for brown rocks by hand.

How to Make Iron Ingots

Iron Ore alone is not enough for iron parts and tools. For normal smelting, you need the Iron Forge technology and Furnace II.The basic recipe is:

• 3 Iron Ore;
• 30 Fuel;
• 3 Iron Ingots as the output.

With the Fireman talent, the output increases by one additional Ingot. Later, iron can also be smelted at the Factory Smithy, where 1 Iron Ore and 1 Coal become 1 Iron Ingot. This opens up the full iron production chain, including Nails, Details, upgraded tools, workstations, and Building Kits.

What to Do If You Run Out of Iron Before Unlocking the Mine

Don't panic. Before you gain access to infinite mining, the game still gives you several options:

• mine the two deposits near the Graveyard;
• check the Quarry and Forest Outpost areas;
• after unlocking the Forest, mine the deposits near the Bandit Camp;
• buy small amounts of Ore from the Trademaster;
• do not spend your first Ingots on items you do not currently need for quests or production upgrades.

The most common mistake is assuming that surface Ore deposits respawn and freely processing them into whatever you want. They are finite. The real permanent source only becomes available after opening the Old Mine, clearing the second passage from the Factory side, and setting up Zombie Mining.In short: first mine individual iron rocks with Smithing Mastery 3, then unlock the Forest, get Dynamite from Hans and Sven through Larry, blow open the Quarry entrance, clear the second passage from the Factory side, and build a Zombie Miner. After that, iron practically stops being a problem.