Copper is a crucial material in Solarpunk, necessary for most construction projects beyond the game's initial stages. Players will need to stockpile Iron and Cotton to construct an airship dock and then assemble an airship before they can begin searching for this vital mineral.
Locating Copper Nodes
Copper nodes are not found on the player's starting island. Instead, players must use their standard airship to travel to the island located immediately west of the merchant's shop. This is the only other island accessible without an airship upgrade. Upon arrival, players will discover several Copper nodes, identifiable as brown rocks with lighter brown mineral deposits. These nodes can be harvested with a pickaxe, similar to other stone resources. However, these naturally occurring nodes are finite and do not respawn once depleted.
Beyond these initial nodes, Copper can also be found in mineral veins. These are patches of ground containing ordinary stones mixed with small fragments of the mineral. While a pickaxe can be used on these veins, there is a chance of obtaining only stone or sand rather than Copper. Mining these veins also depletes the pickaxe's durability at a faster rate than standard harvesting.
Establishing a Copper Farm
A more sustainable method for acquiring Copper involves setting up automated drills, though this requires Copper itself for the drills, placing it as a mid-to-late game endeavor. To unlock the necessary technology, players must first trade four Watermelons to the merchant for a blueprint. This blueprint can then be exchanged at a crafting table within the shop to unlock an Energy Crafting Table. This station provides access to research options for automation, including recipes for drills and sprinklers.
Building the Energy Crafting Table requires Iron, Copper, Wood, and Glass. Once constructed, players can focus on gathering materials for a drill. A drill requires a generator and power cables to operate, along with fuel for the generator. A single drill can mine five stacks of Copper approximately every four minutes. For instance, fueling a generator with three wax briquettes allows for 12 minutes of operation, yielding 15 stacks of Copper.
While a drill operates, players can continue mining with their pickaxe to expedite Copper acquisition. Each generator provides 200 energy, which is sufficient to power one drill. The game allows for the use of two drills, but it is more efficient to wait until solar panels are available to manage the energy demands. This automated approach allows players to focus on other tasks while the drills handle the continuous extraction of Copper.
Maintaining a consistent supply of Copper is essential for numerous future projects. It is required for airship upgrades, reaching new islands, and is a common component in advanced energy systems.