Copper Wire
Copper Wire is a crafted electronic component in Subnautica 2, refined from Copper Ore at the Fabricator. It is the foundational building block of the tech tree, feeding into the Computer Chip, Wiring Kit, and almost every piece of advanced electronics you'll craft.
Quick Info
How to Craft & Source Materials
Copper Wire is crafted in the Fabricator from 2 Copper Ore. You don't need to gather it directly — instead, farm Copper Ore from limestone outcrops in shallow biomes and refine it on demand. Because Copper Wire is used in so many recipes, it's worth keeping a stack of 10–15 in storage at all times.
Copper Ore
The required ingredient — 2 per Copper Wire. Farmed from limestone outcrops.
Mined in shallow biomesKelp Forest
50–150m — best early game biome for limestone outcrop farming.
Best Copper farmSafe Shallows
0–50m — limestone outcrops right outside your lifepod for starter Copper.
Easy early accessUses & Recipes
Copper Wire is a universal crafting intermediate. It feeds directly into the Computer Chip and Wiring Kit, which in turn gate the Habitat Builder, Scanner Room, vehicles, and almost every advanced tool in the game. Treat it as the connective tissue of the entire tech tree.
Tips & Strategies
Craft on Demand
Copper Wire stacks to 20 and is cheap to craft, so don't pre-craft huge piles. Instead, keep 20–30 Copper Ore banked and craft Copper Wire as recipes call for it, leaving inventory space for other materials.
Bank Copper Early
Copper Ore competes with Titanium for limestone outcrop drops. Crack outcrops aggressively in the Kelp Forest early so you enter the mid-game with enough Copper to cover Computer Chips and Wiring Kits without backtracking.
Build a Beacon Chain
Copper Wire is required for Beacons, which mark points of interest on the map. Drop a beacon at every lifepod, wreck, and resource cluster — the small Copper Wire investment pays off across the entire playthrough.
Pair with a Battery
Copper Wire is a sub-component of the Battery. Whenever you craft Copper Wire for an electronics recipe, batch-craft a spare Battery at the same time so you're never stuck without scanner or tool power mid-expedition.
Related Resources
Source Material Locations
Copper Wire is crafted, but its source material — Copper Ore — is farmed from limestone outcrops across the Safe Shallows and Kelp Forest. Pin Copper farming routes on the interactive map to keep your electronics supply chain topped up.
View on Interactive Map →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I craft Copper Wire?
Copper Wire is crafted in the Fabricator from 2 Copper Ore. No other materials are required, and the recipe unlocks from the start of the game, so you can begin producing Copper Wire as soon as you have Copper Ore.
What is Copper Wire used for?
Copper Wire is used in the Computer Chip, Wiring Kit, Habitat Builder, Scanner Room, Beacons, and most advanced electronics. It is one of the most-used intermediate components in the entire game.
Where do I get the Copper Ore for Copper Wire?
Copper Ore drops from limestone outcrops in shallow biomes like the Safe Shallows and Kelp Forest. It shares outcrop drops with Titanium, so cracking limestone gives you both metals at once.
Should I craft Copper Wire in advance?
Craft on demand rather than in bulk. Copper Wire stacks to 20 and only costs 2 Copper Ore, so keeping 20–30 Copper Ore banked is more flexible than pre-crafting stacks of wire that may sit unused while you need Copper for batteries.
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