Dark Iron (metal)

This article is about the mineral Dark Iron. For the PvP server Dark Iron, see Server:Dark Iron.

Found in Burning Steppes, Blackrock Depths and Molten Core. Aside from Arcanite and Elementium, Dark Iron is the most challenging mineral to acquire, especially in the large quantities needed to create bars.

All Dark Iron smithing must be performed at the Black Anvil in the Blackrock Depths. No other anvil will do.

Dark Iron sources

Dark Iron

Dark Iron deposits can be found in Blackrock Depths, Molten Core, Searing Gorge, and the Burning Steppes. They drop Dark Iron ore, along with  [Black Vitriol], Black Diamonds, and  [Blood of the Mountain].

Dark iron ore also drops from the elite golems in the BRD instance.

See the Map on thott for where to mine in Searing Gorge / Burning Steppes.

Farming with Stealth

See : Dark Iron stealth guide on how to mine dark iron as a Rogue / Druid.

Smelting Dark Iron

Dark Iron

Mining Dark Iron requires 230 skill in mining, but the only way to learn how to smelt it into bars is by speaking with Gloom'rel, a ghost in the Summoner's Tomb in the Blackrock Depths and giving him 20 Gold bars, 10 Truesilver bars, and 2 Star Rubies. After you speak to Gloom'rel, a bowl will appear at his feet. Touching the bowl will give him his tribute. Speak to him again, and he will teach you to smelt.

It is important to talk to Gloom'rel before any other dwarf, as Hate'rel will begin the event to open the door, requiring you to kill Gloom'rel. Dead dwarves make poor teachers.

Unlike most smelting normal ore, it requires eight Dark Iron ore to create a bar of Dark Iron. Dark Iron can only be smelted at the Black Forge deep in the instance. You should take this into account, as many of the smithing recipes require as much as eighteen Dark Iron bars. That translates into at least one hundred and forty-four Dark Iron ore.

Also, Gloom'rel will remember that you paid him, so if you ever decide to temporary drop mining as a skill, you can relearn the ability to smelt it again at a later time, by simply paying him a visit.

Uses for Dark Iron

This metal is used for a handful of powerful smithed items and several engineered ones. Of these recipes, all require use of the Black Anvil, except a few engineer recipes, such as the  [Dark Iron Bomb].

Dark Iron ore can be given to Lokhtos Darkbargainer to gain faction with the Thorium Brotherhood. With higher faction, he sells epic recipes, many of which also use Dark Iron.

4 Dark Iron bars are also needed for the tier 0.5 armor set.

See  [Dark Iron Bar] for info on crafting with Dark Iron.

Outside Resources

• Thottbot - Some examples of what Dark Iron can be used for
• Mining Guide - A good mining guide for stealth classes, but also location reference for the rest of us. In other news, I'm working on tagging the other locations, too.