Overview
Gold Ore is a valuable mid-to-late game mining resource in Starsand Island. It first becomes available after players reach the Moonlit Forest and defeat the Crystalith boss. Gold Ore is smelted into Gold Ingots at Furnace II, which are then used to craft advanced components like Alloy, Gold Wire, and Gold Sheet. Gold Ingots also sell for 88 coins each, making them one of the more profitable resources for earning money through mining.
How to Mine Gold Ore
Gold Ore cannot be mined with the basic pickaxe or the Impulse Pickaxe. Players need to upgrade to the Impact Hammer before they can break gold deposits. The Impact Hammer blueprint is available from Zerine's General Store after completing the Junior Crafter certification. Once you have the blueprint, craft the Impact Hammer at a Worktable II.
The Impact Hammer is also required for mining other Moonlit Forest ores like Magnetite and Oilstone, so upgrading your pickaxe is one of the first priorities when entering the forest.
Where to Find Gold Ore
Gold Ore spawns exclusively inside the Moonlit Forest, primarily in cave areas and along certain pathways. The deposits have a distinctive golden shimmer that sets them apart from other stone nodes.
Crystalith Hideout
The earliest Gold Ore deposits appear near the doorway leading away from the Crystalith Hideout camp. After defeating the Crystalith boss, look on both the left and right sides of the exit doorway. This area provides a small but reliable starting supply. The veins here do not extend far beyond the doorway, so gather what you can and push deeper into the forest for larger deposits.
Grain Haven Cave
Grain Haven is one of the richest Gold Ore farming locations. The cave interior contains multiple clusters of gold deposits grouped together, allowing you to mine a large batch in a single run. Travel west from the Crystalith Hideout camp and follow the trail until you reach Grain Haven.
Mural Valley
From the Crystalith Hideout camp, head west along the trail and continue straight. You will eventually arrive at a waterfall with a bubble bridge. Cross the bridge and turn left to reach Mural Valley, which contains additional Gold Ore nodes spread along the valley walls.
Glintortle Area
The Glintortle zone is deeper in the Moonlit Forest and requires two rune keys to open its bronze gate. The keys are obtained through Zephariah's explorer quests. Once inside, the Glintortle area offers some of the densest Gold Ore spawns in the game, making it the best late-game farming spot.
Gold Ore Locations Summary
Location | Access Requirements | Density |
|---|---|---|
Defeat Crystalith boss | Low (a few nodes near exit) | |
Grain Haven Cave | Reach Moonlit Forest mid-zone | High (clustered deposits) |
Mural Valley | Cross bubble bridge west of camp | Medium (spread along walls) |
Glintortle Area | Two rune keys from Zephariah | Very High (densest spawns) |
Smelting Gold Ore into Gold Ingots
Gold Ore is smelted into Gold Ingots at Furnace II using Coal as fuel. The smelting process follows a similar pattern to Iron Ore: combine raw ore with Coal to produce ingots. Each ingot takes approximately 13 seconds to smelt. Players who want to process gold in bulk should keep a healthy stock of Coal on hand, which can also be found in the Moonlit Forest or purchased from vendors.
If you have not yet upgraded to Furnace II, you will need to do so before smelting gold. The Furnace II blueprint is part of the Crafter profession progression and is available from Zerine's shop.
Crafting Uses for Gold Ingots
Gold Ingots are a core ingredient in several mid-to-late game crafting recipes. They are used to produce advanced components at various crafting stations.
Product | Crafting Station | Description |
|---|---|---|
Combined metal used in advanced equipment and vehicle parts | ||
Gold Wire | Thin wire used in electrical components and wiring assemblies | |
Gold Sheet | Cutter II | Flat sheet used in decorative crafting and premium equipment |
Selective Breeding House | Advanced breeding structure for targeted animal genetics | |
Jewelry Items | Various | High-quality NPC gifts that boost relationship levels |
Alloy is particularly important because it feeds into even higher-tier recipes like the Energy Converter and advanced vehicle components such as the Waverider hoverboard.
Buying Gold Ore from Zerine
After reaching the Senior Crafter rank, Zerine will begin stocking Gold Ore at her General Store for 25 coins per ore. Her base inventory holds a limited supply, but players who have upgraded their Supply Boost perk can increase her stock to up to 50 Gold Ore at a time. This is a convenient supplement to mining, especially for players who want to avoid repeated trips into the Moonlit Forest.
Farming Route and Tips
For efficient Gold Ore farming, follow this route through the Moonlit Forest:
Start at the Crystalith Hideout camp and mine the nodes near the exit doorway.
Head west along the trail toward Grain Haven Cave. Mine all clusters inside the cave.
Continue west to the waterfall and cross the bubble bridge. Turn left into Mural Valley and mine along the walls.
If you have the rune keys, proceed to the Glintortle area for the densest deposits.
Return to your base and smelt everything at Furnace II. Keep Coal stocked in advance.
Gold Ore nodes respawn after a period of in-game time, so you can repeat this loop daily. Pair your mining runs with smelting sessions to build up a steady supply of Gold Ingots worth thousands of coins.
Selling Gold Ingots
Each Gold Ingot sells for 88 coins, making it one of the higher-value smelted products in the game. A single productive mining run through the Moonlit Forest can yield dozens of ore, which translates to a significant income when smelted and sold. For players focused on earning money, gold mining is one of the most reliable mid-game strategies alongside fishing and cooking for profit.
Tips
Always bring extra food and healing items when farming in the Moonlit Forest. Hostile creatures spawn near ore deposits.
Carry a stack of Coal with you so you can smelt immediately at the nearest furnace rather than making a separate trip.
Consider placing a Robot Terminal near gold-rich areas once you unlock the automation system. Robots can mine basic resources while you focus on deeper exploration.
Gold Ingots make excellent gifts for certain NPCs who prefer premium or crafted items.