Players will realise just how useful metal tools are in ARK when they make the switch from standard stone.
The difference in the quantity of materials they harvest is insane.
Aside from that metal can be used for a number of things.
Let's find out where to get it and how to harvest it.
How To Get Metal
Metal is a resource in ARK Survival Evolved that can be used to craft many items.
It can be harvested from a number of rocks.
You can get it from normal rocks/boulders though the chances are low.
Other rocks will contain a much higher amount of metal, they look a lot smoother than others and have a golden tint.
You'll have a better chance of getting metals in harder to reach and more dangerous areas such as mountain tops, caves, rivers, coves and deep water sources.
If you're playing on Abberation you can get metal from the golden rocks mentioned above but the black rocks containing blue veins will get you a larger amount.
You can mine metal use a Pickaxe, though you'll likely want to use a Metal Pickaxe as it gives you more metal per rock.
Otherwise, you can use a mining drill or the most common and effective method is using an Ankylosaurus.
You can use a flying creature to transport the Anky!
Crafting With Metal
You can use two pieces of metal in Refining Forge or Industrial Forge to smelt it into a Metal Ingot.
Below you can find a list of some of the most useful items you can craft with Metal Ingots:
- Smithy
- Fabricator
- Vault
- Metal Pick
- Metal Hatchet
- Metal Sickle
- Pike
- Firearms
- Explosive Weapons
- Ammunition
- Flak Armor
- Fur Armor
- Several Saddles
- Platform Saddles
- Elevator Structures
- Metal Structures and Buildings
- Metal Irrigation Pipes
- Electrical Cables
- Electrical Devices
- Weapon Attachments