A fixed exploration haul of early standard stones helps reinforce an ordinary weapon before recurring shop stock is unlocked.
PC / Global, base game plus Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
WHERE & HOW TO FARM
Where to farm
Limgrave Tunnels, the mine beside Agheel Lake in Limgrave.
Limgrave Tunnels contains visible mining deposits and side paths with early Smithing Stones. These are world pickups rather than an endlessly replenishing quarry, so explore the branches carefully and use the haul to reinforce a standard armament. Once you need a steady supply, the Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing route makes later tiers purchasable. This is a base-game route and remains available with Shadow of the Erdtree installed.
Bring a weapon and healing for miners and other cave enemies.
Have a standard armament in mind; unique weapons use Somber Smithing Stones instead.
Enter Limgrave Tunnels and activate the Site of Grace inside if available.
Follow the descending mine passages and check the glowing deposits along the walls.
Look into side chambers and small gaps rather than following only the central descent.
Defeat or bypass miners when they block a deposit or narrow passage.
Collect the visible Smithing Stones and any safe pickups on the route.
Continue toward the lower passages, then return to the grace or leave the tunnel when your supply is gathered.
Use the stones at a smithing table or with a smith, checking the weapon’s next tier requirement.
Farming tips
Miners can be resilient to ordinary attacks; use a strike weapon or another effective approach if a fight drags on.
Mark which tier you collected and compare it with your weapon requirement before spending the haul.
Repeat, collect and use
The deposits are fixed pickups, not an unlimited repeat farm. Revisit only to check missed branches; use Bell Bearing purchases for recurring supply once unlocked.
Common mistakes
Assuming every visible deposit respawns: gather this finite cache, then change to a purchase route for sustained needs.
Entering without a standard weapon plan: Somber armaments do not consume these stones.
Fighting every miner for its own sake: focus on safe deposits and leave enemies you can bypass.
When to stop or switch
Stop exploring when the remaining passages are too risky or you have enough stones for the next reinforcement; switch to Bell Bearing stock for later replenishment.
![Related icon: Smithing Stone [1] — Gather early Smithing Stones in Limgrave tunnels](/assets/guides/elden-ring-guide-gather-early-smithing-stones.png "Smithing Stone [1] game icon. Shown as a representative reward or material for this activity.")
![Related icon: Smithing Stone [1] — Unlock standard Smithing Stone purchases](/assets/guides/elden-ring-guide-unlock-standard-smithing-stone-purchases.png "Smithing Stone [1] game icon. Shown as a representative reward or material for this activity.")
![Related icon: Smithing Stone [1] — Purchase standard stones for several weapons](/assets/guides/elden-ring-guide-purchase-standard-stones-for-multiple-weapons.png "Smithing Stone [1] game icon. Shown as a representative reward or material for this activity.")