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ARK Resource Locations Guide

Last Updated: September 2025

Master resource gathering with this comprehensive guide to finding metal, crystal, obsidian, and other valuable materials across all ARK Survival Ascended maps. Coordinates and farming strategies included!

Pro Farming Tip

Always bring an Ankylosaurus for metal/crystal, a Doedicurus for stone, and an Argentavis for transport. This combo maximizes efficiency!

The Island Resource Locations

πŸ”© Metal Locations

Metal is found throughout The Island, with highest concentrations in mountainous regions.

⭐ Best Location

Volcano (42.0, 38.8)

Massive amounts of Rich Metal nodes. Ideal for industrial-scale farming.

❄️ Alternative

Northwest Snow Biome (25.2, 27.3)

High metal density but extreme cold. Bring fur armor!

Other Notable Locations:

  • Herbivore Island (84.7, 85.5): Safe farming spot with decent metal
  • Crystal Hill (76.8, 47.3): Metal with small amounts of crystal
  • Redwood Mountain (56.5, 48.0): Good amounts at mountain top
  • Southern Coast (80.8, 63.7): Small amounts, beginner-friendly
πŸ’Ž Crystal Locations

Crystal is primarily found in caves and mountain peaks across The Island.

πŸ”οΈ Prime Locations

  • Central Volcano (42, 39): Massive crystal deposits in crater
  • Northern Snow Biome (15, 15): Largest deposits but very dangerous
  • Northwest Coast (10, 40): Good amounts near frozen waterfalls

Cave Locations with Crystal:

  • Lower South Cave (68, 56): Easy cave with crystal clusters
  • Central Cave (41, 47): Moderate difficulty, good crystal yield
  • Upper South Cave (70, 86): Challenging but crystal-rich
Cave crystals respawn slowly. Don't overfarm a single location!
⚫ Obsidian Locations

Obsidian is the rarest basic resource, found only at the highest mountain peaks.

Best Farm
Volcano Summit
Coords: 43, 39
Yield
High
500+ per run
Danger
Extreme
Rexes, Gigas

Obsidian Farming Locations:

  • Whitesky Peak (35, 55): Second-best location, slightly safer
  • Frozen Tooth (35, 15): Good amounts but extreme cold
  • Far's Peak (55, 45): Small amounts, easier access
  • Blue Obelisk Mountain (29, 25): Limited but accessible

The Center Resource Locations

The Center has the highest metal density of any ARK map!
πŸ”© Metal Locations

πŸŒ‹ Ultimate Metal Farm

Volcanic Island (13.4, 57.5)

Lava puddles surrounded by metal nodes on all sides. Best metal farming location in The Center!

⚠️ Extreme heat - bring Desert/Ghillie armor and lots of water

Other Excellent Locations:

  • Snowy Mountains (55, 20): Closest to spawn, good for early game
  • Center Island: Scattered throughout, especially near cliffs
  • Floating Island (37, 32): Decent metal with crystal bonus
  • Underground World: Hidden metal veins in cave systems
πŸ’Ž Crystal Locations

Top Crystal Spots:

  • Floating Island (37.2, 31.5): Best early-game crystal location
  • Volcano Island: Ground-level crystal, easy pickings
  • Ice Palace Cave: Massive crystal formations
  • Underworld: Crystal caverns with high yield
Pyromane (paid creature): Commonly spawns around Lava Island coastlines (e.g., ~18, 46). Bring water to extinguish before mounting to tame.
⚫ Obsidian Locations

πŸ’€ Best Obsidian Farm

Skull Island (65, 69)

Small island packed with obsidian. Watch for aggressive creatures!

Note: The Center has more obsidian nodes than The Island, making it easier to farm polymer materials.

Aberration Resource Locations

Aberration resources are zone-specific. Always check your hazard suit before venturing deep!
πŸ”© Metal Locations

Zone Distribution:

  • Green Zone: River rocks only (limited metal)
  • Blue Zone: Abundant craggy rocks with metal
  • Purple Zone: Highest concentration but dangerous
  • Surface: Rich metal during nighttime only
Rich Metal is rare in Aberration. Focus on regular metal nodes in Blue/Purple zones.
πŸ’Ž Crystal & Gem Locations

Aberration features unique gems alongside regular crystal:

Green Gems

Green Zone edges

Blue Gems

Blue Zone (38.5, 56.5)

Red Gems

Deep Purple Zone

Regular crystal is found throughout all zones. Harvesting gems also yields crystal!

⚫ Obsidian Locations

Obsidian in Aberration appears as shiny black rocks throughout most zones.

  • Found everywhere except Mushroom Forest interior
  • Available on Mushroom Forest outskirts
  • Most abundant in Blue and Purple zones
  • Surface has high concentrations during night

Scorched Earth Resource Locations

Extreme heat! Always carry water and wear Desert Cloth or Ghillie armor during the day.
πŸ”© Metal Locations

Metal is abundant in Scorched Earth's canyons and mountains.

  • Canyon Areas: Scattered throughout canyon walls
  • Mountain Peaks: High concentrations on mountaintops
  • Desert Edges: Near rock formations
  • Oasis Surroundings: Moderate amounts near water sources
πŸ’Ž Crystal, Salt & Sulfur

Unique Resources:

  • Crystal: Mountain peaks and caves
  • Salt: Salt flats in low desert areas (white deposits)
  • Sulfur: Near mountains and rock formations (yellow deposits)
  • Silk: From purple/white flowers or Lymantria

Extinction Resource Locations

Element nodes and corrupted creatures provide unique resources!
πŸ”© Metal & Element Locations

Extinction features both traditional and futuristic resources.

  • City (Sanctuary): Lamp posts contain metal and element dust
  • Wasteland: Corrupted nodes throughout
  • Desert Dome: Traditional metal nodes
  • Snow Dome: Rich metal deposits in mountains
  • Sunken Forest: Scattered metal and rare resources
⚑ Special Resources

Extinction-Exclusive:

  • Element Dust: From lamp posts, benches, tables in city
  • Corrupted Nodules: From corrupted creatures
  • Blue/Red Crystalized Sap: From crystallized trees
  • Silicate: Desert dome rocks

Ragnarok Resource Locations

Ragnarok has some of the richest resource deposits in ARK!
πŸ”© Metal Locations

Ragnarok features extremely rich metal deposits throughout the map.

  • Viking Bay Mountains: Massive metal deposits
  • Volcano: Rich metal nodes around and inside
  • Murder Snow: High-yield metal in dangerous area
  • Scotland Mountains: Abundant metal with moderate danger
  • Desert Canyons: Good metal yields in canyon walls
πŸ’Ž Crystal & Obsidian

Premium Locations:

  • Ice Cave: Massive crystal formations
  • Volcano Peak: Obsidian in abundance
  • Murder Snow Mountains: Both crystal and obsidian
  • Desert Caves: Crystal clusters throughout

ASA Additions (July 2025)

Blue Gems, Fungal Wood, Aggeravic & Auric Mushrooms now spawn on Ragnarok (patch v68.5). Missing crystal nodes were also added/fixed.

Early Metal Callouts

  • Viking Bay cliff faces and nearby hills
  • Highlands ridges and the volcano foothills
🌟 Special Resources

Ragnarok Unique Features:

  • Ice Wyvern Eggs: Murder Snow ice cave
  • Black Pearls: Deep ocean trenches and Eurypterid
  • Cactus Sap: Desert biome cacti
  • Plant Species X Seeds: Swamp areas

Valguero Resource Locations

Coming to ASA: September 30, 2025

According to Studio Wildcard’s Community Crunch schedule, Valguero Ascended is planned for Sep 30, 2025. Details below are based on ASE hotspots and may shift at launch.
πŸ”Ž Expected Resource Hotspots (ASE baseline)
  • Chalk Hills (White Cliffs): Rich metal along cliff edges and plateaus.
  • Aberration Trench: Blue/Green/Red Gems, Congealed Gas Balls, Fungal Wood.
  • Wyvern Trench: Crystal clusters; check alcoves and ledges.
  • Arctic Peaks: High-yield metal with extreme cold.
  • Deep Ocean Trench: Silica and Black Pearls; beware Tusoteuthis.

We’ll replace this placeholder with confirmed ASA coordinates and maps after launch.

Astraeos Resource Locations

Premium DLC Map ($14.99)

Greek mythology-themed with ~264 sq km. Lemnokis Island expansion added June 2025.
πŸ”© Metal Locations

Astraeos features abundant metal across its diverse biomes.

  • Mountain Regions: Appalachian-inspired peaks with rich deposits
  • Marble Cliffs: Mediterranean coastal areas with metal veins
  • Volcano Island: Dangerous but resource-rich area
  • Lemnokis Valleys: Deep valleys with scattered metal nodes
  • Abyssal Zones: Underwater metal in resource-rich depths
Volcano Island hosts lightning creatures - bring shock protection!
πŸ’Ž Crystal Locations

Crystal formations are found throughout Astraeos's mythical landscape.

  • Cherry Blossom Zones: Serene areas with crystal clusters
  • Glacier Cave (Lemnokis): Ice-rimmed cave with crystal deposits
  • Build-Friendly Caverns: Network of caves with resources
  • Temperate Redwoods: Crystal nodes in forest clearings
⚫ Obsidian & Special Resources

Obsidian Locations:

  • Volcano Island: Traditional volcanic obsidian deposits
  • Mountain Peaks: High-altitude obsidian nodes
  • Underwater Deposits: Unique underwater obsidian farming spots
  • The Maelstrom: Storm-tossed ocean landmark with rare resources

Astraeos-Exclusive Features:

  • Enhanced Loot System: Blessed by Zeus - OSDs and Element Veins
  • Teleportation Network: Fast travel between spawn areas
  • Mythical Dungeons: Loot-filled labyrinths with unique rewards
  • Silica Pearls: Abundant in coastal and underwater areas
Teleportation tip: open the map’s fast-travel radial by holding R (PC), X (Xbox), or Square (PS5) to choose a spawn-area waypoint.

πŸ“ Interactive Resource Maps

For precise resource locations with visual markers:

Universal Farming Tips

Best Farming Dinos:

  • Ankylosaurus: Metal, Crystal, Obsidian
  • Doedicurus: Stone (for cementing paste)
  • Mammoth / Megaloceros: Top thatch gatherers; Mammoth also excels at wood
  • Argentavis: Weight reduction for metal transport

Efficiency Tips:

  • Level melee damage on farming dinos
  • Use Mining Drill/Chainsaw for thatch and small deposits
  • Build forges near farming locations
  • Use Argentavis/Quetzal for transport
  • New (v68.5): set β€œHarvest Only” on Anky/Doed/Dunky to target a single resource