How to make a metal farm in Subnautica 2

The metal farm is perhaps the most important thing you will build in Subnautica 2, as it prevents a softlock that may happen when you spend your finite resources too quickly. Even if you manage your troilite and mangalloy ingots carefully, it’s still plenty difficult to unlock the metal farm blueprint and figure out how to use the farm.

Here’s where to find the metal farm blueprint and how to use the metal farm in Subnautica 2.

[Ed. note: Before you dive in, be sure to open the character menu and enable all landmark signals. This will make it easier to spot the locations mentioned in this guide.]

To unlock the metal farm blueprint (crafting recipe), you must find and scan three metal farms. Luckily, you can find them all in the same spot, at the yellow metal fields east of the Alien Ruins and Angel Comb. It’s highly recommended to get the first depth module for your tadpole first. Don’t forget to bring a scanner and a sonic resonator (to collect resources while you’re there).

To reach the metal farm remains, start from the Alien Ruins and travel 520 meters east to the Angel Comb. The Angel Comb is a plant with massive purple roots, growing right below a massive alien structure.

From there, take the chasm to the northeast. You will see the yellow metal fields at the end. Be careful, as the leviathan (the giant squid) patrols this area; check whether you see him (or hear boss music) before proceeding. The other deep-sea fish will attack you on sight, but only if you leave the tadpole.

Graphic: Marloes Valentina Stella/Polygon | Source images: Unknown Worlds Entertainment/Krafton via Polygon

Now, scan the metal farm remains to unlock the metal farm blueprint. Any large piece of metal farm will do, but here are three examples of farms you can scan:

Graphic: Marloes Valentina Stella/Polygon | Source images: Unknown Worlds Entertainment/Krafton via Polygon

With the metal farm crafting recipe unlocked, be sure to grab some troilite, axum bacterial cultures, and atacamite before you head back. You only need one of each, but bring more if you’d like to get more metal farms. Here’s the full metal farm crafting recipe.

• 1 axum bacterial culture. It grows on the yellow metal fields between the old metal farm remains.
• 1 mangalloy ingot. Craft it at the processor using the following resources:
  • 1 titanium. It grows in abundance around the Alien Ruins.
  • 1 troilite. This is a rare green ore that only spawns in the same area as the metal farm blueprint. Look for seven green ore deposits around the metal fields.
  • 1 atacamite. This is a dark ore that spawns very close to the Alien Ruins.

When you’ve got the resources, make sure that the first thing you build is the metal farm. As troilite and axum bacterial cultures are scarce and neither seems to respawn, it’s best to set up an ore production so you can get more troilite. If you spend these resources on other things or lose them, you won’t be able to craft a metal farm anymore!

To place the metal farm, equip the habitat builder and go to the “cultivation” menu. Select the metal farm and connect it to a power source. The easiest way to power the metal farm is to place it near a hydroelectric turbine (which, in turn, should be placed in a current as shown in the picture below). If you place the metal farm further away, use power transmitters to connect it.

Graphic: Marloes Valentina Stella/Polygon | Source images: Unknown Worlds Entertainment/Krafton via Polygon

To use your metal farm, open its inventory and place a piece of raw ore inside. A timer will start to run; once it’s finished, you will receive three pieces of the same resource. To collect the new resources, use the sonic resonator on the metal stave that has grown on top of the metal farm:

Graphic: Marloes Valentina Stella/Polygon | Source images: Unknown Worlds Entertainment/Krafton via Polygon

Beware that removing the metal piece from the metal farm’s inventory will reset its progress, so be sure to break and collect the metal first!

The duration varies depending on the ore type. Here’s a list of ores and their metal farming speed:

• 2 minutes: titanium, quartz, copper, salt
• 10 minutes: lead, silver, sulfur, gold, conduit crystal, celestine, creature enamel
• 20 minutes: atacamite, troilite

If you’re starting out in Subnautica 2, we have a plethora of guides to help you navigate the deep blue sea. Our Subnautica 2 beginner’s guide will set you off in the right direction and our base building tips will assist in planning out your sprawling base. Don’t forget to stock up on food and water, too. (And if you want to get fancy with your food, you’ll want salt!)

If you need help finding materials, we explain how to get the sonic resonator, which you’ll want to mine tons of materials. We have guides on where to find these resources, like lead, sulfur, copper, quartz, and gold.