After HotM 7, players grind Gemstone Powder by mining hard stone and opening treasure chests in the Crystal Hollows. Max Great Explorer first, then Mole and Powder Buff. A common target is about 12-14m Gemstone Powder before switching to Mithril Powder.
summary of 3 sourcesnewest 2 Feb 2026
What you need
- Level
- HotM 7+
- Also needs
- Crystal Hollows access
Figures
Quoted from the sources below. Treat them as community estimates and read the conditions next to each one.
| Figure | What it measures and when |
|---|---|
| 12.1m-14m | Gemstone Powder (goal)Forum targets for a 'normal powder setup'; two replies disagree on 12.1m vs 14m. Jan-Feb 2026. |
Steps
- Wear 4/4 Mineral Armor and use an Armadillo or Snail pet.
- Use the best gemstone drill you can afford.
- Mine hard stone in the Crystal Hollows and open every treasure chest.
- Spend powder on Great Explorer first, then Mole and Powder Buff.
Tips from the sources
- SkyKings calls treasure chest mining the best powder method.
Sources
Each date is the one recorded for that source. Open them and check: they say more than this page does.