In Subnautica 2, establishing a metal farm is arguably the most critical step you can take to secure your playthrough. It acts as a vital safeguard against potential softlocks caused by exhausting limited resources too early. Even with careful management of your initial troilite and mangalloy ingot stockpiles, locating the necessary blueprint and mastering the cultivation process can prove to be a significant challenge.
Below, you will find a streamlined guide on where to locate the metal farm blueprint and how to effectively operate your own production facility.
[Editor’s Note: Before embarking on this expedition, open your character menu and enable all landmark signals. This will make identifying the specific locations detailed in this guide much more intuitive.]How to Unlock the Metal Farm in Subnautica 2
To acquire the metal farm blueprint, you must locate and scan three distinct metal farm remnants. Fortunately, all three can be found clustered within the yellow metal fields, situated east of the Alien Ruins and the Angel Comb. We strongly advise equipping your tadpole with its initial depth module before venturing out. Additionally, ensure you are carrying a scanner and a sonic resonator to gather essential resources along the way.
To reach the site, depart from the Alien Ruins and travel 520 meters east until you arrive at the Angel Comb—a distinctive flora specimen featuring massive purple roots located directly beneath a large alien structure.
From the Angel Comb, follow the chasm northeast to reach the yellow metal fields. Exercise extreme caution; this region is patrolled by a formidable leviathan. Monitor your surroundings and listen for audio cues—like boss-fight music—to ensure the coast is clear before proceeding. While smaller deep-sea fauna may become aggressive upon sight, they will generally only attack if you vacate the safety of your tadpole.
Once you arrive, scan any three pieces of the metal farm debris to unlock the full blueprint.
How to Craft a Metal Farm
With the recipe unlocked, gather troilite, axum bacterial cultures, and atacamite before departing. While one of each is the minimum requirement, collecting extra will allow for greater production capacity. The recipe includes:
- 1 Axum Bacterial Culture: Found growing within the yellow metal fields near the ruins.
- 1 Mangalloy Ingot: Crafted at a processor using:
- 1 Titanium: Plentiful in the vicinity of the Alien Ruins.
- 1 Troilite: A rare green ore found exclusively in the same zone as the blueprint. Scan the metal fields for seven distinct green deposits.
- 1 Atacamite: A dark-hued ore located near the Alien Ruins.
Priority Warning: Because troilite and axum cultures are rare and do not appear to respawn, treat your first metal farm as an absolute priority. If you mismanage these materials, you may permanently lose the ability to craft this essential device.
To deploy the structure, equip your habitat builder, navigate to the “Cultivation” menu, and place the farm. It requires a consistent power supply; the most efficient method is positioning it near a hydroelectric turbine located in an active current. For farms placed further away, utilize power transmitters to bridge the connection.
How to Use the Metal Farm
Operating your farm is straightforward: access the inventory and deposit a raw ore. A timer will initiate, and upon completion, the farm will yield three units of that material. To harvest your bounty, use the sonic resonator on the metal stave that develops atop the unit.
Note: Removing ore from the farm before the cycle completes will reset your progress. Ensure the harvest is fully mature before retrieving it.
Production duration is determined by the material type:
- 2 Minutes: Titanium, Quartz, Copper, Salt
- 10 Minutes: Lead, Silver, Sulfur, Gold, Conduit Crystal, Celestine, Creature Enamel
- 20 Minutes: Atacamite, Troilite
Source: Polygon
