Metal is one of the most important resources in Ark, as the majority of the items you will be crafting during the middle and late phase of the game requires Metal Ingots.
Metal Ingots are only obtainable by processing Metal which is not to be confused with one another as one is a processed variant while the other is simply ore.
Players who know where to farm metal will be able to continuously increase their stock for usage later on in Ark.
How to Farm Metal?
Metal is obtained by destroying large rocks or boulders and metal nodes which can be found almost anywhere on most maps.
Certain spots usually have more sources of metal than others such as in mountain areas, volcanic spots, and even desert islands.
You can farm metal with tools such as a Pick, Mining Drill or you may use creatures that are capable of mining such as the Ankylosaurus, Magmasaur, Phoenix, and even a Stryder with an Excavation Rig.
Best Way To Farm Metal
The best way to farm metal is to use an Ankylosaurus, as these creatures are easy to tame and have reduced weight when carrying the resource.
Players may use an Argentavis or other flyer to pick up an Ankylosaurus why another player attacks when passing metal nodes to farm it quickly.
Using a Mining Drill is one of the best ways to get metal as well, this is because it can gather a lot of metal while also reducing the total weight it adds to your inventory.
A lot of players tend to use a Stryder with an Excavation Rig, which is useful but not always available to those who are starting.
Also read our other guides of ARK:
- How to Make Scrap Metal Ingot
- How to Get Scrap Metal (Unrefined)
- How to Get Element
- How to Get Element Shards
- How to Get Element Ore
- How to Get Element Dust
- How to Get Prime Crystal
- How to Get Mutagen
- How to Get Mutagel
Metal Uses
Metal alone does not have that many uses and is instead processed in a Refining Forge or Industrial Forge to make Metal Ingots.
Processing 2x Metal in a Refining Forge will create 1x Metal Ingot while processing in the Industrial Forge allows you to make 20x Metal Ingot at a time.
Some items can be crafted using Metal ore though, which are the following:
- Ammo Box
- Compass
- Feeding Trough
- Ichthyosaurus Saddle
- Metal Ingot
- Toilet
- Tripwire Alarm Trap
- Wooden Table
Verdict
Building in a spot that has a nearby Metal source will make it easier for players to progress later on, as such a source is important for any tribe.
Metal Ingots take a bit of time to mass produce, which will require players to farm huge amounts of Metal and to leave them in a Refining Forge or an Industrial Forge.
A Feeding Trough requires Metal and it is necessary to have enough to craft it as well as other structures or items that may be needed.
The Mining Drill is currently one of the best methods to farm Metal, bringing one with you while riding a creature with a large amount of weight can get you a lot of Metal later on.
