Overview
Copper Ore is the first ore players encounter in Starsand Island. Found in brown-tinted rock nodes across the island surface and the early sections of the Moonlit Forest, it is the foundation of the mining and crafting progression. Copper Ore is smelted into Copper Ingots at the Furnace, and those ingots are used in tools, machines, and the Gear Smith.
Where to Find
Starting Area: Copper nodes are plentiful south of your house and along pathways leading to the forest. They are the most common ore on the island surface.
Moonlit Forest Entrance: The Evernight Forest section and areas past the Gate of Life contain dense Copper deposits. You stop finding Copper roughly halfway through the Moonlit Forest as higher-tier ores take over.
Rocky Outcrops: Any rocky area on the island may contain Copper. Look for brownish-orange specks in the rock face.
Tool Requirements
Copper Ore can be mined with the starter Stone Pickaxe. No upgraded tools are needed, which makes Copper the most accessible ore from day one.
Smelting and Crafting
Recipe | Ingredients | Station | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
Copper Ingot | 4x Copper Ore + 1x Charcoal | Copper Ingot | |
1x Copper Ingot + 1x Tin Ingot + 1x Charcoal | Bronze Ingot |
Each Copper Ingot requires 4 Copper Ore and 1 Charcoal, and takes six seconds to smelt. Two dedicated stations are needed: a Charcoal Kiln for producing Charcoal from wood, and a Furnace for the actual smelting. Both blueprints unlock during the Apprentice Crafter questline.
What Copper Ingots Are Used For
Tools: Copper-tier tools are an early upgrade from stone variants.
Machines: Several crafting stations require Copper Ingots or Copper Sheets in their construction.
Gear Smith: The Gear Smith uses Copper Ingots for equipment crafting.
Bronze Alloy: Combined with Tin Ingots, Copper Ingots produce Bronze Ingots, the first alloy in the game.
Tips
Copper Ore requires 4 pieces per ingot, so mine generously. A single trip should yield at least 20 or more ore.
Build multiple Furnaces early to avoid bottlenecks. Processing time adds up when smelting large batches.
Save some Copper Ingots for Bronze production. The Bronze Pickaxe unlocks Iron mining, which is the next major progression step.
Charcoal is the hidden bottleneck. Keep your Charcoal Kiln running constantly by feeding it Softwood.