Progression in ARK: Survival Ascended runs entirely on resources — and knowing where to find them and how to farm them efficiently is what separates a struggling solo from a thriving tribe. This guide gives you a resource location table, the best tame for each, and how to set up efficient farming runs.
Resource locations & best tames
| Resource | Where to find it | Best tame |
|---|---|---|
| Metal | Dark rocks w/ shiny veins — mountains, volcanoes | Ankylosaurus |
| Crystal | Mountain peaks, caves | Ankylosaurus |
| Obsidian | High mountains, caves | Ankylosaurus |
| Stone | Grey rocks everywhere | Doedicurus |
| Oil | Underwater nodes; snow/desert oil rocks | Dunkleosteus / Megalodon |
| Silica Pearls | Ocean floor, some caves | Dunkleosteus / Otter |
| Wood / Thatch | Forests & redwoods | Castoroides / Therizino |
| Berries / Fibre | Bushes everywhere | Therizinosaurus / Trike |
| Cementing Paste | Beaver dams; or craft from chitin + stone | Beaver dams / Achatina |
The best farming tames
- Ankylosaurus — mines metal, crystal and obsidian far faster than a pick and reduces their weight in its inventory. The single most important farming tame.
- Argentavis — carries the Anky to mountain nodes and reduces the weight of ore it holds, so you haul huge loads home. The classic metal engine is an Anky + Argent.
- Doedicurus — the best stone farmer, and rolls into a defensive ball.
- Therizinosaurus — a superb all-rounder for wood, fibre, berries, thatch and meat.
- Castoroides (Beaver) — top wood farmer and a mobile smithy.
- Dunkleosteus / Megalodon — underwater for oil and pearls.
Run an efficient circuit
Map your map’s richest nodes and run a repeatable loop: fly the Anky in on the Argent, strip the metal cluster, and fly home before the nodes respawn. Keep a Forge running while you farm so raw metal becomes ingots as you go. Use our ARK interactive resource maps to filter node types and plan the route, and see the metal farming guide for the Anky + Argent method in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find metal in ARK: Survival Ascended?
In the darker rocks with shiny gold/silver veins, concentrated on mountains and volcanic areas. Regular grey rocks give mostly stone with a little metal, so head for the rich highland veins and mine them with an Ankylosaurus for the best yield.
What’s the best dino for farming resources?
The Ankylosaurus is the most valuable — metal, crystal and obsidian in one tame, with weight reduction. Pair it with an Argentavis for transport. Add a Doedicurus for stone and a Therizinosaurus for wood, fibre and berries to cover almost everything.
Where do I get oil and silica pearls?
Both come mainly from the ocean floor — pearls cluster in shallows and deep, oil from underwater nodes (plus oil rocks in the snow and desert biomes). Farm them with an aquatic mount like a Dunkleosteus or Megalodon, and use scuba or a Lazarus Chowder for breath.
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