ARK Resource Locations Guide
Last Updated: October 2025Master 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
About Coordinates in ASA
The Island Resource 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
Crystal is primarily found in caves and mountain peaks across The Island.
🏔️ 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
Obsidian spawns on mountain peaks and in several caves on The Island. It is rarer than metal but not limited to the highest 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
The Center Resource Locations
🌋 Ultimate Metal Farm
Lava Island metal band (≈ 12–16 lat, 48–52 lon)
Farm the lava puddles; rich metal surrounds them. Sample pins players use: ~14.5, 48.4 and ~10.5, 58.2.
⚠️ Extreme heat — bring Desert/Ghillie armor and plenty of water. Note: ASA mini‑map vs GPS can differ slightly here.
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
- Lava Island: Ground‑level crystal, easy pickings
- Cliffside Cavern (Ice Palace): Massive crystal formations
- Underworld: Crystal caverns with high yield
💀 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
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:
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 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
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 Resource 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
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 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
ASA Adjustments (July 2025, v68.5)
Added Blue Gems and Fungal Wood to Ragnarok and adjusted resource spawns (including Aggeravic & Auric Mushrooms). Several missing crystal nodes were also added/fixed.
Early Metal Callouts
- Viking Bay cliff faces and nearby hills
- Highlands ridges and the volcano foothills
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
Valguero Ascended is live
Valguero’s ASA remaster spans more than 60 km² across layered biomes, so prep for drastic climate shifts before committing to long farm routes.
- White Cliffs (Chalk Hills): Cliffside Deinonychus nests and Chalk Golem ambushes near premium drops.
- Aberration Trench: Irradiated caverns packed with Rock Drakes, Reapers, gem nodes, and gas veins-hazmat gear is mandatory.
- Ancient Redwoods: Cave mouths hide arachnid guardians before you reach artifact vaults.
- Frozen North: Snow Desert patrols of Ice Golems and wyverns demand fur armor and cooked stews.
Pair glider suits or zip-lines with an Argentavis hauler so you can extract loot without leaving pack dinos in trench hazards.
| Spot | Target Resource | Lat | Lon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Cave | Crystal, obsidian clusters | 10.6 | 33.1 |
| Metal & Crystal Cavern | Rich metal, crystal | 79.2 | 50.3 |
| Oil Cave | Oil rocks, black pearls | 85.0 | 59.8 |
| Beaver Dam Cave | Silica pearls, paste | 58.9 | 44.1 |
| White Cliff Drop #1 | High-tier supply drop | 54.3 | 35.4 |
| Red Drop Canyon | Mastercraft/Ascendant drops | 41.8 | 62.5 |
Need more? The ASA Valguero map on community tools such as Ark Unity layers every metal, gem, and drop node for on-demand scouting.
- Megaraptor Altars: Claim an altar, swing a lit torch during the duel, and feed Superior Kibble or Raw Mutton once the apex drops.
- Elderclaw Companion: Unlock the Fantastic Tames: Elderclaw drop from the Lost Colony Expansion for a Valguero-ready support tame.
- Chalk & Ice Golems: Rock Elemental variants unique to the White Cliffs and Snow Desert-cannon or rocket headshots still drive torpor.
- Grendel Encounter: Patch v73.12 adds a Valguero-exclusive boss fight alongside the legacy Forsaken Oasis arena.
Prep hazard gear plus cannons or rockets before fighting these events so you can harvest their tribute drops efficiently.
Astraeos Resource Locations
Premium DLC Map ($14.99)
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:
- OSDs and Element Veins: Included on Astraeos; recent patches improved OSD spawns and vein behavior
- Teleportation Network: Astraeos‑exclusive fast travel between spawn areas
- Mythical Dungeons: Loot-filled labyrinths with unique rewards
- Silica Pearls: Abundant in coastal and underwater areas
📍 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 “Harvest Only” on Anky/Doed/Dunky to target a single resource