Metal ore becomes metal ingots at a forge and supports advanced tools, weapons, structures, and crafting stations.
PC / Global, The Island map focus
WHERE & HOW TO FARM
Where to farm
Metal nodes marked on The Island resource map, especially deposits in mountain regions. Choose a cluster that fits your mount, equipment, and return route.
A metal run is most useful when you plan the gathering trip and the return trip together. The Island has marked metal deposits, but mountain travel can make a large load difficult to bring home. Decide which nodes you can reach safely, what will carry the ore, and where you will smelt it before setting out.
A pick, or a tamed Ankylosaurus for node harvesting.
A mount or enough carrying capacity to transport ore.
A forge and fuel at base if you intend to smelt the ore.
Open the Metal layer on The Island resource map and select a cluster reachable from your current base or staging point.
Use the in-game map to navigate to the chosen area. Check the mini-map against your intended location as you approach.
Look over the route and nearby threats before dismounting or unloading a harvesting tame.
Mine metal-rich nodes with a pick, or use an Ankylosaurus to harvest them.
Check your inventory and the carrier's weight before continuing to more nodes.
Return along the route you prepared, keeping enough capacity for the load and an unexpected detour.
At base, place the ore in a forge with fuel and collect the ingots when processing completes.
Farming tips
The ASA map displays may not align: compare the in-game mini-map with the full-map waypoint rather than trusting a single coordinate readout.
A smaller trip you can safely finish is more useful than filling a carrier on a route you cannot complete.
Repeat, collect and use
Repeat the map-to-node-to-forge loop whenever you need more metal. Each trip gathers a new load; ore must still be smelted into ingots before it serves recipes that require ingots.
Common mistakes
Treating a full-map waypoint as an exact mini-map coordinate: verify the landmark and adjust as you travel.
Filling the carrier before checking the return path: leave capacity and turn back when travel becomes unsafe.
Confusing ore with ingots: bring ore to a fueled forge and collect the processed output.
When to stop or switch
Stop mining when your carrier reaches a safe load limit, the route becomes dangerous, or you have enough ore for the next batch of ingots.
Metal nodes marked on The Island resource map, especially deposits in mountain regions. Choose a cluster that fits your mount, equipment, and return route.
A pick, or a tamed Ankylosaurus for node harvesting.
A mount or enough carrying capacity to transport ore.
A forge and fuel at base if you intend to smelt the ore.
Rate not listed
Related guides
More guides for gathering materials and making progress.
