Copper and iron provide early bars for basic equipment, crafting stations, and ship progression.
PC / Global, final release
WHERE & HOW TO FARM
Where to farm
Underground deposits on planets you can safely explore; iron ore occurs on Low- and Moderate-threat planets. Copper is found on planets, but not on barren worlds or moons.
Use this early mining route to gather copper for basic crafting and iron for the first tier of gear. Iron has a documented Low- and Moderate-threat range; copper is a common ore, so search accessible planets that suit your equipment rather than restricting copper to that iron range. Smelt only what you need for planned crafting and keep the rest as ore until you decide its use.
A Matter Manipulator or pickaxe able to mine deposits.
Access to a planet suited to your current gear.
A Furnace and fuel if you plan to turn ore into bars.
Use the ship navigation console to select a planet within your current threat tolerance; choose Low or Moderate for iron prospecting.
Beam down and identify a natural cave entrance, or dig a controlled descent with a safe way back.
Mine exposed copper veins as you encounter them, following the ore through nearby stone rather than excavating whole chambers.
For iron, search Low- or Moderate-threat planets and mine visible veins along cave branches and deeper layers.
Collect useful fuel and materials on the route while leaving enough inventory space for ore.
Return to the ship when your inventory fills or the route becomes unsafe; use the teleporter instead of retracing a hazardous shaft.
Smelt the quantities needed for your next recipes at a Furnace, then store remaining ore for later crafting or Pixel conversion.
Farming tips
Ore is distributed through planetary layers; smaller planets have less ground between the surface and deeper deposits.
A cave route exposes ore while reducing the amount of blind digging.
Repeat, collect and use
Repeat on other suitable planets when you need more ore. Each explored deposit is finite; switch worlds when the caves you have searched stop yielding useful veins.
Common mistakes
Looking for iron on an unverified threat level; target Low or Moderate worlds for iron.
Assuming copper shares iron’s threat restriction; search accessible non-barren planets and moons for copper.
Smelting every find immediately; keep ore until you know the recipes and station upgrades you need.
When to stop or switch
Stop when your planned recipes have enough bars, or switch to higher-tier progression once copper and iron no longer meet your crafting needs.
Underground deposits on planets you can safely explore; iron ore occurs on Low- and Moderate-threat planets. Copper is found on planets, but not on barren worlds or moons.
A Matter Manipulator or pickaxe able to mine deposits.
Access to a planet suited to your current gear.
A Furnace and fuel if you plan to turn ore into bars.
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Related guides
More guides for gathering materials and making progress.
