Mithril: The Metal That Saved Middle-earth | Tolkien Lore Explained
What made mithril worth more than the entire Shire? Tolkien's only invented mineral carries a story that spans from the golden age of Elf-Dwarf friendship to the fall of civilizations. When Durin's Folk discovered mithril beneath the Misty Mountains, it drew Celebrimbor's Noldor to settle nearby in Eregion -- forging an alliance that produced the Doors of Durin, the Ring Nenya, and ultimately the conditions Sauron exploited to create the Rings of Power. But mithril demanded a terrible price. The Dwarves mined too deep and woke Durin's Bane, destroying the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth. Yet…
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