Basically, I got put in the prison for murder, and discovered that if I attacked the ore veins with a pickaxe, it mined them, and now I am stuck. I mined EVERYTHING and can't figure out another way out. Does the ore respawn? This is a 40+ hour character, and I'd rather not have to start over. Thanks for any help you guys can give.

You can't work your way out of Cidhna Mine. So theres only one option......

Reload a save just before you were thrown in the prison. Then 40+ hours wont go to waste -.-

I was going more for escape, but i guess you could. Lol

There's a whole quest for it there. Talk to the big orc guy guarding a gate. That's where you want to go, one way or another.

I can't find a way out and all the saves are while I was in the prison trying to get out.

U should have done your time.

I was doing my time, I was just doing it in an indirect manner. Manually.

You were prepared to mine until they came to let you out? When there's people who've been down there for over a decade? You're a better man than I, sir.

There are two options that come to mind - many people mistakenly think there is only one then end up killing a guard or two and are confused and angry when they have a huge bounty. You can escape with the king in rags/madanach (and help fight guards and get a bounty or simply let them to the fighting for you) or you can kill him and escape on your own. One will obviously make the town far happier than the other option.

if ur on a pc, u can just teleport urself somewhere

i typically use:
coc whiterun

otherwise... cant u just wait for them to come and let u out of prison?

You're a lifer. They tell you this when you get put in - that nobody actually gets released ever. The other prisoners also explicitly say that nobody is every actually let out.

Also, teleporting out like that with the developer console rather than chosing one of the 2/3 means of escape could break several quests in the city having ultimately related to the shamefully run prison. I would strongly recommend against dong that unless a glitch has caused you to be thrown in there or stuck in there in the first place. Note: having a defacto life-sentence is not a glitch, its part of the plot for that area. It's corrupt.

Talk to the prisoner sitting down in the middle of the main room. Actually, talk to all the prisoners. Eventually you'll be able to either brawl or persuade the Orc to let you see his boss. That should get you started. Do keep in mind that you do not have to cooperate with this man to get out. You can kill him, take his key, and use the escape tunnel they've just completed (you will want to run through the thing pretty much.) Also, be aware that this is probably the escape method which will most endear you to the people in the city.

It's not a part of a quest, I've basically found a loop-hole stopping me from getting out, as I cannot 'Serve my sentence', because I battered all the ore veins with a pick.

Dont u have a lockpick? U usually get to keep one when they put u inn jail..

either brawl the big green orc or get a shiv and give it to him. Talk to the Forsworn leader and follow his instructions.....

wait one month in game for the ore to respawn.

Thanks dude, that what I've been looking for