Core Keeper Core Keeper Ore Tier Guide — Pickaxe Progression and Where Each Ore Spawns
Core Keeper’s world is generated in rings around the Core, and each ring holds different ores. This Core Keeper ore guide maps every ore to the pickaxe tier and biome you need — so you never waste time mining with the wrong tool.
Pickaxe tiers at a glance
| Pickaxe | Workbench | Materials | Mines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Pickaxe | Starting inventory | Wood | Soft dirt walls only |
| Copper Pickaxe | Basic Workbench | 8 Copper Bar, 10 Wood | Copper, Tin |
| Tin Pickaxe | Basic Workbench | 8 Tin Bar, 10 Wood | Iron |
| Iron Pickaxe | Iron Anvil | 8 Iron Bar, 10 Wood | Gold, Scarlet |
| Gold Pickaxe | Gold Anvil | 8 Gold Bar, 10 Wood | Harder ores, faster |
| Scarlet Pickaxe | Scarlet Workbench | 8 Scarlet Bar, 10 Wood | Best pre-endgame speed |
You can technically mine anywhere from the start — but stronger walls block exploration until your pickaxe tier catches up.
Where each ore spawns (ring biomes)
Core Keeper structures the world in concentric bands around the Core (0–140, 150–450, 450–520, 520–1200+ tiles). Each band holds specific resources:
| Ring | Biome | Key ores & resources | Danger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center | The Undergrounds (0–140) | Copper, Tin, Wood, Stone | Low |
| Inner ring | The Clay Caves (150–450) | Tin, Clay, Iron, Larva Hive entrance | Medium |
| Inner ring | The Forgotten Ruins (150–450) | Iron, Stone, Scarlet, Ruins chests | Medium |
| Gate ring | The Great Wall (450–520) | Barrier — no resources | High |
| Outer ring | Azeos’ Wilderness (520–1200) | Gold, Mold sub-biome, Azeos arena | High |
| Outer ring | The Sunken Sea (520–1200) | Sea resources, Omoroth arena | High |
The inner and outer biomes are placed at seed-dependent angles around the Core — which direction you find Clay Caves vs Forgotten Ruins varies per world. That’s exactly what the Seed Finder is for: pick a seed where the biomes you need are close.
Efficient mining tips
- Smelt in parallel: you can’t speed up one furnace, but several furnaces process ore concurrently.
- Follow the glitter: rising glitter marks rooms and plants; large static sparkles mark ore veins in walls.
- Repair cheaply: craft low-tier equipment and salvage it for scrap parts — a cheap repair source early on.
- Gold drops early: you can find Gold Ore while mining Clay Caves and Forgotten Ruins, before you can use it — stockpile it for Tier 3.
FAQ
Where is tin ore in Core Keeper? Tin is in The Clay Caves (inner ring, 150–450 tiles). If you hit Forgotten Ruins first, go the opposite direction from the Core.
What pickaxe do I need for iron? A Tin Pickaxe. Iron is found in The Forgotten Ruins.
Can I mine gold with an iron pickaxe? Yes — the Iron Pickaxe mines gold and scarlet ore.
