How to Mine in Raft

Imagine diving deep into the mysterious ocean, your trusty hook by your side, only to discover that treasure lies beneath, waiting to be mined. That’s what mining in Raft feels like—a game where every resource you gather matters for survival. But what if I told you the most valuable resources aren't just floating debris or thatch? Beneath the ocean, rich deposits of metal ore, copper, and scrap await, and these can be the difference between survival and disaster.

Mining in Raft is not merely a task; it's a strategy for long-term success. Your journey begins on small islands scattered throughout the vast ocean. Below these islands lie the precious minerals you need to advance and thrive. But it’s not as easy as it seems—surviving sharks, managing oxygen, and finding the right tools are key factors in ensuring your success.

Why Mining Is Important in Raft In Raft, resources are everything. You need them to build, craft, and upgrade your raft. Without the right materials, your progression will come to a grinding halt. Here are some key reasons why mining plays such a crucial role:

• Advanced Crafting: To build higher-tier items like engines, battery chargers, or advanced storage, you’ll need metals and copper, which can only be mined from the ocean floor.
• Weapons and Tools: Better spears and axes, crucial for defending against sharks and gathering materials from islands, require metals that you can only obtain through mining.
• Survival Equipment: Items like oxygen bottles, flippers, and more are crafted using mined materials, making exploration easier and allowing you to dive deeper and longer.

The Essential Tools for Mining

Before you can start mining, you need the proper equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Hook: Your basic hook will help gather scrap and smaller items. However, for actual mining of metals, you’ll need a more specialized tool.

2. Shovel: While not directly used for mining ores, the shovel is vital for digging up dirt and some rarer items on the island that complement your mining endeavors.

3. Oxygen Bottle: When diving to deeper parts of the ocean, you’ll need an oxygen bottle to extend your breath-holding capacity. This item is critical for longer mining sessions.

4. Flippers: Increase your swimming speed and allow you to cover more ground (or water) in less time. Essential for evading sharks and getting to resources quicker.

5. Shark Bait: If you're mining near the surface, sharks can be a significant threat. Crafting shark bait will keep them busy while you dive for resources.

Where to Mine

Mining isn’t as simple as diving in any body of water. Specific locations offer more valuable resources than others:

• Near Small Islands: Each island in Raft has a small coral reef surrounding it, and this is where you’ll find most of the metal ores, scrap, and copper. These reefs are your primary mining spots.

• Deep Ocean: Some larger, rarer resources can only be found in the deeper ocean. For this, you’ll need advanced diving equipment like an oxygen bottle and flippers.

• Shipwrecks and Underwater Caves: Occasionally, you’ll stumble upon shipwrecks or caves filled with even more valuable resources like crates, treasure, and rare minerals.

What Can You Mine?

Now, let’s talk about the actual resources you’ll be collecting through mining:

• Scrap: One of the most common resources, scrap is used in a variety of crafting recipes, from nails to advanced storage containers. You’ll find scrap littered around coral reefs and shipwrecks.

• Metal Ore: Perhaps the most valuable of all mined resources, metal ore is smelted into ingots that are used to craft advanced tools, weapons, and equipment. You’ll primarily find this on the ocean floor near islands.

• Copper: Copper ore is another essential material used for advanced electronics, like circuit boards and battery chargers. Similar to metal, it’s found in deeper waters.

• Clay and Sand: While not as glamorous, clay and sand are vital for crafting wet bricks, which are later turned into dry bricks used for building a smelter. You’ll find these in shallow waters near reefs.

Mining Strategy: Staying Efficient and Safe

Mining in Raft is about balancing efficiency and safety. You don’t want to spend too much time diving and risk getting attacked by sharks, but at the same time, you need to gather as many resources as possible. Here’s how to do it:

• Scout First: Before diving, scout out the island’s coral reef. Take note of where the most valuable resources are located, and plan your dives accordingly.

• Use Shark Bait Wisely: If you know you’ll be diving for an extended period, craft and throw shark bait to distract the shark. This gives you a window of time to mine uninterrupted.

• Watch Your Oxygen: Always keep an eye on your oxygen levels. Equip the oxygen bottle for longer dives, but even with this, don’t push your luck. Make sure to surface before your oxygen runs out.

• Use Flippers: These will significantly speed up your swimming, allowing you to grab resources faster and avoid sharks.

• Upgrade Your Tools: The basic hook is fine for gathering floating debris, but for serious mining, upgrade your hook to a better version. This makes gathering scrap and other resources faster and more efficient.

From Ores to Ingots: The Smelting Process

Once you’ve mined your metal ores and copper, the next step is turning them into usable ingots. Here’s how:

1. Build a Smelter: First, you’ll need a smelter. To craft this, you’ll require dry bricks, planks, scrap, and nails. Dry bricks are made by combining clay and sand and letting them dry in the sun.

2. Fuel the Smelter: Once built, you’ll need to fuel the smelter with planks. Insert your ores, and after a short period, you’ll have ingots ready for crafting.

3. Craft Advanced Items: Now that you have metal and copper ingots, you can start crafting more advanced items like circuit boards, battery chargers, engines, and reinforced raft parts.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Mining in Raft is essential, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can cost you valuable time and resources. Here are a few pitfalls and how to avoid them:

• Not Crafting Shark Bait: Diving without shark bait is a recipe for disaster. Always have some on hand to distract sharks, especially when mining near the surface.

• Ignoring Oxygen Levels: Even with an oxygen bottle, diving too deep can be dangerous. Always surface before your oxygen runs too low.

• Not Upgrading Your Hook: Using a basic hook for mining is inefficient. Upgrade it as soon as possible to speed up your gathering efforts.

Conclusion: The Key to Long-Term Survival

Mining is not just about survival in Raft, it’s about progression. As you gather more advanced materials like metal and copper, you’ll unlock new crafting recipes that allow you to build a bigger, stronger raft, defend yourself better, and explore further than ever before. The ocean is your greatest enemy but also your biggest resource, and mining is the key to mastering it.

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge of where to mine, what tools to use, and how to stay safe, it’s time to dive into the deep and see what treasures await.