Step 1
Search covered rock, not open sand
Check cave roofs, overhangs and shadowed crevices near your starter routes. Look upward under the rock: Copper forms in low-light places, so a seabed-only search can miss it.
Starter electronics material
Copper Guide
Find Copper on cave roofs, beneath overhangs and in shadowed crevices. Reserve two pieces for each Basic Battery or Copper Wire, then collect the remaining ingredients before returning to the Fabricator.
Spend order: reserve Copper for Basic Battery and Copper Wire before making spare parts.
Reviewed .
Copper costs by craft
Ingredient quantities use PC build 128456 recipe data. Follow each recipe link for its unlock conditions and raw-material planning.
| Recipe | Station | Ingredients and output |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Battery | Fabricator | 2 Copper + 1 Acidic Raion Pouch → 1 Basic Battery |
| Copper Wire | Fabricator | 2 Copper -> 1 Copper Wire |
| Mild Acid | Fabricator | 2 Acidic Raion Pouch + 1 Copper → 1 Mild Acid at the Fabricator |
| Processor | Habitat Builder | 2 Titanium + 1 Mild Acid + 1 Copper Wire → 1 Processor with the Habitat Builder |
| Wiring Kit | Fabricator | 1 Silver + 1 Copper Wire → 1 Wiring Kit |
First-session spend rule
A four-Copper haul covers one Basic Battery and one Copper Wire. A six-Copper haul covers two batteries and one wire. Bring one Acidic Raion Pouch per battery, and keep the wire reserved for the tool or station you plan to build.
Look up while inspecting cave entrances and covered rocks; Copper prefers low-light surfaces. If you are already heading north toward Old Habitat, check its nearby cave as well. The Adaptive Measures update fixed overlapping Copper nodes there. In co-op, agree on the shared battery and wire target before dividing the haul.
Starter chain plan
Step 2
Pair it with Acidic Raion Pouch
Two Copper and one Acidic Raion Pouch make one Basic Battery. The Scanner and Flashlight each consume a battery, so crafting both requires four Copper for their power inputs.
Step 3
Save enough for Copper Wire
The Habitat Builder route also asks for Copper Wire. If you spend every Copper piece on spare batteries, base-building progress can stall.
Step 4
Add the Old Habitat cave on a northbound trip
When visiting Old Habitat north of the Lifepod, inspect the nearby cave for Copper. Search the covered rock while keeping the cave entrance and return route in sight.
Spend order
| Use | Priority | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Battery | 2 Copper each | Add one Acidic Raion Pouch per battery for powered tools and Welcome Center preparation. |
| Copper Wire | 2 Copper each | One wire goes into Habitat Builder, Wiring Kit or Processor crafting. Reserve a separate wire for each craft. |
| Mild Acid | 1 Copper each | Add two Acidic Raion Pouches. One Processor needs one Mild Acid and one Copper Wire: three raw Copper in total. |
| Base-building prep | Before permanent builds | Do not swim to the Welcome Center and first base route without Copper reserved for battery and wire needs. |
Combined Copper shopping lists
6 Copper
Two batteries and one wire
Reserve four Copper for two Basic Batteries and two Copper for one Copper Wire. Add two Acidic Raion Pouches for the batteries.
5 Copper
Processor plus one spare battery
The Processor needs one Copper Wire and one Mild Acid, costing three Copper together. A separate Basic Battery adds two more Copper and one more pouch.
Route and crafting references
Adaptive Measures update
Official fix for overlapping Copper nodes in the cave near Old Habitat.
PC Gamer Habitat Builder guide
Public guide source for Scanner materials, Basic Battery context, Habitat Builder materials, and Copper Wire recipe context.
PC Gamer Acidic Raion guide
Public route source that ties Acidic Raion Pouch and Copper into the Basic Battery starter chain.
GameSpot first route walkthrough
Public cross-check for the Welcome Center Basic Battery step and early route order.
Sub2Wiki Basic Battery guide
Local route page connecting Copper, Acidic Raion Pouch, Scanner, and Welcome Center planning.
Copper FAQ
What is Copper used for in Subnautica 2?
Use Copper for Basic Battery and Copper Wire planning first. Those two links feed Scanner, Welcome Center, Habitat Builder, and early electronics progression.
Should I spend Copper on spare batteries right away?
No. Cover Scanner, Welcome Center, and Habitat Builder needs first, then make spare batteries after the base-building route is no longer blocked.
Where should I look if I cannot find Copper?
Search cave roofs, rock overhangs and shadowed crevices. Copper concentrates in low-light covered areas. The cave near Old Habitat is another place to check when your route takes you north.
Related pages
Basic Battery
Copper plus Acidic Raion Pouch starter power planning.
Copper Wire
Copper conversion path for Habitat Builder and electronics planning.
Titanium
Starter construction stock that travels with Copper and Quartz planning.
Acid Rain Pouch
Acidic Raion Pouch aliases and starter cave route.
Habitat Builder
Unlock and first-base material chain.
Welcome Center
First facility route where a Basic Battery matters.