Ores and construction
Iron Ore
Iron provides a useful early metal tier for workbench and equipment progression.
WHERE & HOW TO FARM
Iron Ore
Caves across the world; Snow Caves are an optional route if one is convenient.
Before you go
- Cave access and a Pickaxe.
- A weapon, food and space for collected materials.
- A Furnace at the settlement to smelt ore.
Farming steps
- Choose an accessible cave entrance and prepare for the route with combat supplies.
- Follow cave corridors and inspect exposed ore-bearing rocks.
- Mine Iron Ore with the Pickaxe, clearing nearby enemies before stopping to work.
- Explore revealed branches while watching inventory space and health.
- Return to base when the planned amount is collected or your pack is crowded.
- Smelt Iron Ore at a Furnace to make Iron Bars.
- Spend the bars on the Iron Workbench, equipment or other recipes you have selected.
- Use nearby accessible caves first; visiting Snow for Iron is optional, not a prerequisite.
- Keep a small reserve of bars if you expect to build more than one progression item.
Repeat, collect and use
Repeat as needed for later crafting. Each cave trip yields a variable amount, so plan around recipes rather than assuming a fixed vein count.
Common mistakes
- Treating Snow Caves as mandatory: Iron is available in cave networks generally, so use the nearest suitable route.
- Carrying ore without processing it: return to a Furnace and smelt it before crafting bar-based recipes.
- Ignoring survival supplies: bring food and a weapon so gathering can continue safely.
When to stop or switch
Stop the run when your smelted bars cover the next planned workbench or equipment recipe; resume mining when another recipe requires Iron.
Sources & fact checks
What you can get here
Open a guide to find other locations and see what the item is used for.