Using a Forge/Smelting
Now that you have the precious metal, you can smelt it into bars that can be used for creating armor, weapons, or other items through the blacksmithing or engineering skills. Find yourself a forge. They are located in main towns and some smaller towns. If you can't find one, ask around to determine their locations. To confirm you have in fact found a forge, move your mouse over the location and see if it says "forge". You can also try smelting the metals. You do not need to interact with the forge; you only need to be near it. Now that you have found a forge, its time to smelt the metal. Open up your abilities book and locate the smelting icon. Press that to see your recipes. Some examples of what you can create with smelting are: converting copper ore into copper bars and creating bronze by combining copper bars and tin bars. To gain additional smelting recipes/options, you will need to learn them from a mining trainer. The mining screen will tell you how many of each bar that you can smelt based on the types and amounts of raw material that you have.
Becoming a Skinner
First, find an NPC who can teach you the skinning profession (look for the word "" under the NPC's name). They will likely be somewhere near leatherworking trainers. Ask a guard for directions. Now, you need to purchase a skinning knife. You can find skinning knives at merchants who sell Profession-related items. Place the skinning knife somewhere in your bag. You do not need to equip it. Master SkinningTo get master skinning (375 maximum skill) you need to travel to Hellfire Peninsula or visit Seymour in Shattrath City. Alliance players can visit Jelena Nightsky in the inn at Honor Hold. Horde players can find Moorutu in Thrallmar right outside the inn. To raise your skill from 300 to 375 is a long process. On average, you will gain a skill point in one in every 5+ successful skin attempts. Some suggested beasts to hunt are hellboars, ravagers, talbuks, clefthoofs, and nether drakes. Skinning higher level creatures will give more leather; you will not get a single leather scrap. Grand Master Master SkinningTo get master skinning (450 maximum skill) you can find a trainer in Northrend. Horde players can talk to Roberta Jacks in Vengeance Landing or Tiponi Stormwhisper in Taunka'le Village, Borean Tundra. Alliance players can train from Trapper Jack in Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra. Both sides can travel to Dalaran and talk to Derik Marks in the Magus Commerce Exchange.
Becoming a Skinner
First, find an NPC who can teach you the skinning profession (look for the word "" under the NPC's name). They will likely be somewhere near leatherworking trainers. Ask a guard for directions. Now, you need to purchase a skinning knife. You can find skinning knives at merchants who sell Profession-related items. Place the skinning knife somewhere in your bag. You do not need to equip it. Master SkinningTo get master skinning (375 maximum skill) you need to travel to Hellfire Peninsula or visit Seymour in Shattrath City. Alliance players can visit Jelena Nightsky in the inn at Honor Hold. Horde players can find Moorutu in Thrallmar right outside the inn. To raise your skill from 300 to 375 is a long process. On average, you will gain a skill point in one in every 5+ successful skin attempts. Some suggested beasts to hunt are hellboars, ravagers, talbuks, clefthoofs, and nether drakes. Skinning higher level creatures will give more leather; you will not get a single leather scrap. Grand Master Master SkinningTo get master skinning (450 maximum skill) you can find a trainer in Northrend. Horde players can talk to Roberta Jacks in Vengeance Landing or Tiponi Stormwhisper in Taunka'le Village, Borean Tundra. Alliance players can train from Trapper Jack in Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra. Both sides can travel to Dalaran and talk to Derik Marks in the Magus Commerce Exchange.