Gold Ore

A valuable ore smelted into Gold Ingots for rings and necklaces, with Kolskeggr Mine as the best mining spot in Skyrim.

Gold Ore is the jeweler’s favorite. Two chunks make a Gold Ingot, which becomes gold rings and necklaces at the forge, no perk required. At 50 gold per chunk it is one of the more valuable ores, and it also turns up in a few quests, including The Raid, Bloody Nose and Ringmaker. There are 97 veins in total.

How to get it

The big one is Kolskeggr Mine in the Reach with 17 veins and 3 loose chunks, though you may have to evict some Forsworn first. On Solstheim, Frossel has 6 veins. Further veins sit near the Forgotten Vale (6), at Darkshade (3), in Lost Prospect Mine (3), in Labyrinthian and in Bthardamz (2 each).

Loose chunks are scattered around Solstheim near Ashfallow Citadel (6) and Brodir Grove (5), and in the Skaal Village Greathall (3). Dwemer ruins hold some too: Raldbthar has 5 across the ruin and its Deep Market, and Alftand has 2. Falmer occasionally carry it. There are no regular merchant listings for it in the game data, but Transmute is a handy workaround if you have spare silver lying around.

Smelting and tanning

Used to craft

Gold Ore appears in 1 recipe in the game files.

Weapons and other items

  • smelter: Gold Ingot (2)

The number in brackets is how many Gold Ore each recipe needs. Bold labels are the Smithing perk the recipe requires.

Good to know

  • Gold rings and necklaces are a solid way to level Smithing and make money at the same time.

Data from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): value, weight, ore veins, recipes and merchant lists. ID 0005ACDE is the item’s form ID for the console.

Where to find it

  • Kolskeggr Mine: 17 veins and 3 loose chunks
  • Frossel on Solstheim: 6 veins
  • Outdoor veins near the Forgotten Vale (6)
  • Darkshade and Lost Prospect Mine: 3 veins each
  • Transmute Silver Ore into Gold Ore with Transmute Mineral Ore

Crafting materials

Lore notes

Dropped by

Quest reward from

Where it appears

Alftand in Skyrim: the frozen Dwemer ruin of Elder Knowledge – the doomed expedition, Falmer, a Dwarven Centurion, the Blackreach entrance and scrap metal tips.
Bthardamz in Skyrim: the huge Dwemer ruin west of the Shrine to Peryite, opened by The Only Cure – Afflicted, Dwarven Spheres, traps and Orchendor.
Darkshade in Skyrim: a troll cave on the White River east of Valtheim Towers with four gold ore veins, a Heavy Armor skill book and several quest targets.
Kolskeggr Mine in Skyrim: Forsworn-held gold mine near Markarth with 17 gold ore veins, gold ingots and a quest from Pavo Attius at Left Hand Mine.
Labyrinthian in Skyrim: ruined Bromjunaar southeast of Morthal – Staff of Magnus, Morokei, Shalidor’s Maze, Konahrik’s shrine and two Word Walls explained.
Lost Prospect Mine in Skyrim: quiet mine east of Riften with lots of mushrooms, Hadrir’s journal and three hidden gold ore veins behind the waterfall.
Raldbthar in Skyrim: the Dwemer ruin east of Irkngthand – Alain Dufont, Mourning Never Comes, the gear-bridge puzzle, traps and the way into Blackreach.

Characters connected to it

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Sources checked: Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm, Dawnguard.esm, Dragonborn.esm): value, weight, ore veins, placements, merchant lists, recipes