ARK Resource Locations Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aberration features unique gems alongside regular crystal:

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

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

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

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 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

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 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

Premium Locations:

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

Ragnarok Unique Features:

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

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

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 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