Expedition planning
Gather for the next unlock
A resource is only valuable when it advances a tool, oxygen upgrade, base system, or vehicle. Choose the project first, then collect its ingredients together.Batteries and scanning
Keep Copper and Acidic Raion Pouches available so your Scanner, Multitool, and other equipment stay usable.
Oxygen capacity
Prioritize Silver and the supporting materials for a Standard Air Tank before stretching every route farther.
Base and storage
Bring home Titanium, Quartz, and Copper in planned batches once the Habitat Builder is unlocked.
Bulk mining
Collect loose Lead and Resonator ingredients so large mineral blocks become accessible.
Field routes
Five gathering runs that grow with you
Distances are measured from the Lifepod. Treat bearings as route guidance and use visible landmarks plus your return signal rather than swimming by distance alone.Lifepod supply loop
Titanium · Quartz · Copper · Water Slugs · Fibrous PulpCircle the coral domes, shallow caves, and vegetation around the Lifepod. This is the safest route for tools, batteries, food support, and the first base shell.
Northern caves and Old Habitat
Silver · Quartz · Titanium · Copper · Sonic Resonator scansUse the Lifepod signal as your return bearing. Bring extra oxygen and a Portable Locker when the goal is a large Silver haul.
Lead ravine
Lead · Quartz · Copper · TitaniumFollow the blue natural current into the ravine and collect loose Lead before worrying about the large deposits that require better equipment.
Southeast sulfur pillar
Sulfur · Salt · nearby blueprint fragmentsTravel past the Welcome Center toward the Coral Crab area. Stop before the volcanic water unless Heat Tolerance is already unlocked.
Heat-zone expedition
Gold · later Lithium · advanced mineral depositsThis is a prepared expedition, not a casual extension of the shallow loop. Equip Heat Tolerance and carry recovery supplies before crossing the temperature boundary.
Route safety: caves consume return oxygen quickly. Carry an Air Bladder, keep the Lifepod signal visible, and leave before the inventory is completely full.
Shallows and early routes
Materials you will use repeatedly
These resources support the opening toolkit, oxygen progression, basic electronics, and your first powered habitat.Titanium
Tools, ingots, base structure, and fabricated equipmentGather for the current build. It is common enough that carrying too much can crowd out rarer finds.
Quartz
Scanner construction, glass, and Habitat Builder progressionPick up small crystals by hand; break medium crystals with the Survival Multitool.
Copper
Basic Batteries, Copper Wire, and early electronicsKeep raw Copper in reserve instead of converting every piece into batteries immediately.
Fibrous Pulp
Fiber, Fiber Mesh, food, fins, and breathing equipmentCut harvestable plants with the Survival Multitool. Feather Kelp is common in caves.
Acidic Raion Pouch
Basic Batteries for scanners, tools, and portable equipmentCut the outer pouches first. Removing the central Medical Gel Sack can release damaging acid.
Water Slug
A dependable opening source of fabricated drinking waterCollect a few during normal gathering runs rather than dedicating your entire inventory to them.
Silver
Standard Air Tank, Wiring Kits, and important base electronicsSilver is the first major bottleneck. Mark productive caves and return with spare oxygen and storage.
Lucifer Rotsac
Rubber for oxygen equipment, tools, and fabricated componentsBring a light and scan the plant before harvesting so it is easier to recognize on future trips.
Collection methods
Match the deposit to the right tool
Not every formation can be gathered immediately. If the game reports that an unknown tool is required, mark the location and return after the Resonator unlock.Hand collection
Loose mineral pieces, small crystals, and portable biological resources can be picked up directly.
Best for early tools and targeted top-upsSurvival Multitool
Cut harvestable flora and break medium mineral formations that do not require resonance.
Keep a charged battery availableSonic Resonator
Break large ore blocks and turn productive mineral areas into efficient gathering routes.
Major transition into bulk miningScanner Station
Use a powered base facility to locate selected resources within its surrounding scan range.
Strongest when the base sits near mixed depositsBulk-mining milestone
Sonic Resonator
Scan two fragments, then prepare a Basic Battery, two Titanium Ingots, two Lead, and a Wiring Kit. Once crafted, it turns the large Titanium, Silver, Lead, and Quartz formations into practical supply sources.Beyond the shallows
Materials tied to progression gates
These become important after your basic base, oxygen, and mining loop are stable. Several require Adaptations, vehicles, or travel into more dangerous regions.Lead
Sonic Resonator and later processed-metal requirementsCollect the loose pieces first; the large blocks become useful after the Resonator is crafted.
Sulfur
Repair Tool, Strong Acid, and advanced electronicsSmall pieces can be collected by hand. Large yellow deposits require the Sonic Resonator.
Salt
Food preservation and later Power Cell fabrication chainsStore a modest reserve; it becomes more valuable once longer vehicle expeditions begin.
Gold
Advanced Wiring Kits, System Chips, Strong Acid, and Thermal PowerDo not enter the orange heat zone until the correct Adaptation is equipped.
Lithium
Plasteel processing and higher-capacity oxygen progressionThe early route is hazardous. Bring mobility, backup oxygen, and a clear escape plan.
Celestine
Strontium processing and advanced Tadpole progressionTreat it as an objective material; gather it when a known upgrade requires it.
Necrolei Cyst
Strong Acid and the Power Cell chain used by vehiclesScan before harvesting and keep it separate from food and common flora supplies.
Creature Enamel
Enameled Glass and advanced fabrication projectsThis is not an opening resource. Wait until equipment and vehicle range make the route practical.
Storage planning
Stockpile by project, not rarity
A few clearly labelled lockers make crafting faster and expose the exact material stopping the next upgrade.Basic exploration
Titanium, Quartz, Copper, Fibrous Pulp, Acidic Raion Pouches
Scanner, batteries, fins, oxygen support, and replacement tool power
First powered base
Titanium, Quartz, Copper, plus a reserve of battery materials
Habitat shell, hatch, Solar Panels, Fabricator, and organized storage
Longer dives
Silver, Rubber materials, Fiber products, and common metals
Standard Air Tank, breathing upgrades, and safer repeat trips
Bulk mining
Lead, Titanium Ingots, Silver electronics, and a Basic Battery
Sonic Resonator plus the infrastructure needed to recharge it
Vehicle preparation
Gold, Salt, acid-chain ingredients, Lithium, and processed metals
Power Cells, advanced electronics, Tadpole construction, and upgrades
Wasted dives
Common gathering mistakes
Efficient resource runs are mostly inventory discipline, route discipline, and knowing when the correct tool has not been unlocked yet.Leaving without a named target resource
Filling every slot with common Titanium
Mining a cave without preserving return oxygen
Forgetting a spare battery for the Scanner or Multitool
Taking the Medical Gel Sack before Acidic Raion Pouches
Entering heat zones without Heat Tolerance
Ignoring Portable Lockers on planned bulk runs
Spending all Silver before the next electronics project
Materials secured