Iron Ore

Iron Ore is the most abundant and essential resource in StarRupture, forming the foundation of your entire industrial progression. This dark metallic ore can be found in virtually every biome, making it accessible from the moment you land on Arcadia-7. While individual deposits may seem small, iron ore is so widespread that resource scarcity is rarely an issue. The real challenge is establishing efficient mining and smelting operations to keep pace with your growing demand for iron ingots. Every structure, tool, and machine requires iron in some form, making consistent ore collection a daily priority.

Primary Method: Mine iron deposits found in most biomes. More abundant in rocky areas and caves.

Detailed Methods:

• Primary Source: Mine iron deposits with Basic Pickaxe or better
• Found abundantly in Plains, Forest edges, Rocky areas, and Cave systems
• Surface deposits yield 10-20 ore, cave deposits yield 30-50 ore
• Respawns after 24 in-game hours (marked deposits)
• Cave systems have highest density - 3-5 deposits per cave
• No special tools required - accessible from game start
• Can be detected visually by dark gray/brown rock formations

Primary Uses:

• Smelt into Iron Ingots
• Basic construction materials
• Early-game tools

Detailed Applications:

• Smelting: Primary use - smelt in Furnace to create Iron Ingots (1:1 ratio)
• Direct Crafting: Some basic recipes accept ore directly
• Research: Can be analyzed for 5 DP at Research Station (inefficient)
• Export: Low value export, better to smelt first
• Automation: Can be mined automatically with Mining Drill
• Storage: Stack up to 100 units, use Storage Boxes for bulk storage

Stack Size: 100