Ores are the raw materials you dig out of planets, moons and asteroids in Space Engineers. Once refined, they become ingots and other refined materials, which go into building components, blocks and ships. Some ores are common and give back plenty, while others are rare and yield very little. Knowing which is which makes early mining much easier.
Material Type
Ores
Stone
Common rock that yields Gravel and small amounts of Iron, Nickel and Silicon when processed.
- Refined In
- Survival Kit, Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 8s per 1,000 kg Stone
- What It Becomes
- Refinery → Gravel, with small Iron Ingot, Nickel Ingot and Silicon Wafer by-products.
- Yield
- Per 1,000 kg Stone: 14 kg Gravel (1.4%), 30 kg Iron Ingot (3%), 2.4 kg Nickel Ingot (0.24%) and 4 kg Silicon Wafer (0.4%).
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- A Survival Kit or Refinery can turn Stone into basic Iron, Nickel, Silicon and Gravel when ore deposits are not available.
Iron Ore
A common ore that supplies Iron for most ship and base components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 38s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Iron Ore → Iron Ingot.
- Yield
- 70%: 700 kg Iron Ingot per 1,000 kg Iron Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Iron Ingots make most structural and mechanical components, including Steel Plates, Construction Components and Interior Plates.
Silicon Ore
A common ore refined into wafers for electronics, glass and solar cells.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 7m 42s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Silicon Ore → Silicon Wafer.
- Yield
- 70%: 700 kg Silicon Wafer per 1,000 kg Silicon Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Silicon Wafers are used in Computers, Displays, Radio-communication Components, Solar Cells and Bulletproof Glass.
Nickel Ore
A common ore refined into Nickel for power, machinery and detection components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 8m 28s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Nickel Ore → Nickel Ingot.
- Yield
- 40%: 400 kg Nickel Ingot per 1,000 kg Nickel Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Nickel Ingots are used in Power Cells, Solar Cells, Motors, Detector Components and Medical Components.
Cobalt Ore
An ore refined into Cobalt for Metal Grids and higher-tier components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 38m 28s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Cobalt Ore → Cobalt Ingot.
- Yield
- 30%: 300 kg Cobalt Ingot per 1,000 kg Cobalt Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Cobalt Ingots are used in Metal Grids, Gravity Components, Thruster Components and some Prototech Components.
Magnesium Ore
An ore refined into Magnesium Powder for explosives and ammunition.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 6m 25s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Magnesium Ore → Magnesium Powder.
- Yield
- 0.7%: 7 kg Magnesium Powder per 1,000 kg Magnesium Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Magnesium Powder is used to make Explosives and ammunition.
Silver Ore
An ore refined into Silver for reactor, medical and gravity components.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 12m 49s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Silver Ore → Silver Ingot.
- Yield
- 10%: 100 kg Silver Ingot per 1,000 kg Silver Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Silver Ingots are used in Reactor, Medical and Gravity Components, and in some weapon and tool upgrades.
Gold Ore
A rare ore refined into Gold for superconductors and gravity components.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 5m 8s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Gold Ore → Gold Ingot.
- Yield
- 1%: 10 kg Gold Ingot per 1,000 kg Gold Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids.
- Main Uses
- Gold Ingots are used in Superconductor and Gravity Components, and in some Prototech Components.
Uranium Ore
An asteroid ore refined into Uranium for Reactor fuel.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 51m 17s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Uranium Ore → Uranium Ingot.
- Yield
- 1%: 10 kg Uranium Ingot per 1,000 kg Uranium Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Asteroids; absent from the default planets and moons.
- Main Uses
- Uranium Ingots fuel Reactors and are also used in some high-tier ammunition.
Platinum Ore
A scarce ore refined into Platinum for thrusters and advanced equipment.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 38m 28s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Platinum Ore → Platinum Ingot.
- Yield
- 0.5%: 5 kg Platinum Ingot per 1,000 kg Platinum Ore in a standard Refinery.
- Found On
- Moons and asteroids; absent from the default planets.
- Main Uses
- Platinum Ingots are used in Thruster Components, advanced tool and weapon upgrades, and some Prototech Components.
Ice
Frozen water processed by an O2/H2 Generator into Hydrogen and Oxygen.
- Refined In
- O2/H2 Generator
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- -
- What It Becomes
- Ice → hydrogen and oxygen gas in an O2/H2 Generator, not a refinery.
- Yield
- Per 1,000 kg Ice: about 20,000 L Hydrogen or 10,000 L Oxygen; with demand or storage for both, about 10,000 L Hydrogen plus 5,000 L Oxygen.
- Found On
- Planets, moons and asteroids; it also forms frozen lakes on some planets.
- Main Uses
- The O2/H2 Generator makes Oxygen for life support and Hydrogen for thrusters, engines and jetpacks.
Material Type
Refined Materials
Gravel
A Stone by-product used in Reactor Components and Datapads.
- Refined In
- Survival Kit, Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 8s per 1,000 kg Stone
- What It Becomes
- Stone → Gravel in a Refinery; Stone also yields Iron, Nickel and Silicon materials.
- Yield
- 14 kg Gravel per 1,000 kg Stone (1.4%), plus 30 kg Iron Ingot, 2.4 kg Nickel Ingot and 4 kg Silicon Wafer.
- Found On
- Produced by refining Stone; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Gravel is used for Reactor Components and Datapads.
Iron Ingot
The main building metal, used across most ship and base components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery; Survival Kit from Stone
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- Iron Ore: 38s per 1,000 kg; Stone: 8s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Iron Ore → Iron Ingot; Stone also yields a small amount.
- Yield
- Iron Ore: 700 kg per 1,000 kg (70%). Stone: 30 kg per 1,000 kg (3%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Iron Ore or Stone; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Iron Ingots make most structural and mechanical components, including Steel Plates, Construction Components and Interior Plates.
Silicon Wafer
Refined Silicon used in electronics, solar cells and Bulletproof Glass.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery; Survival Kit from Stone
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- Silicon Ore: 7m 42s per 1,000 kg; Stone: 8s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Silicon Ore → Silicon Wafer; Stone also yields a small amount.
- Yield
- Silicon Ore: 700 kg per 1,000 kg (70%). Stone: 4 kg per 1,000 kg (0.4%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Silicon Ore or Stone; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Silicon Wafers are used in Computers, Displays, Radio-communication Components, Solar Cells and Bulletproof Glass.
Nickel Ingot
Refined Nickel used in power, machinery and detection components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery; Survival Kit from Stone
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- Nickel Ore: 8m 28s per 1,000 kg; Stone: 8s per 1,000 kg
- What It Becomes
- Nickel Ore → Nickel Ingot; Stone also yields a small amount.
- Yield
- Nickel Ore: 400 kg per 1,000 kg (40%). Stone: 2.4 kg per 1,000 kg (0.24%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Nickel Ore or Stone; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Nickel Ingots are used in Power Cells, Solar Cells, Motors, Detector Components and Medical Components.
Cobalt Ingot
Refined Cobalt used in Metal Grids and higher-tier components.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 38m 28s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Cobalt Ore → Cobalt Ingot.
- Yield
- 300 kg per 1,000 kg Cobalt Ore (30%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Cobalt Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Cobalt Ingots are used in Metal Grids, Gravity Components, Thruster Components and some Prototech Components.
Magnesium Powder
Refined Magnesium used in explosives and ammunition.
- Refined In
- Basic Refinery or Refinery
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 6m 25s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Magnesium Ore → Magnesium Powder.
- Yield
- 7 kg per 1,000 kg Magnesium Ore (0.7%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Magnesium Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Magnesium Powder is used to make Explosives and ammunition.
Silver Ingot
Refined Silver used in reactor, medical and gravity components.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 12m 49s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Silver Ore → Silver Ingot.
- Yield
- 100 kg per 1,000 kg Silver Ore (10%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Silver Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Silver Ingots are used in Reactor, Medical and Gravity Components, and in some weapon and tool upgrades.
Gold Ingot
Refined Gold used in superconductors, gravity components and Prototech parts.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 5m 8s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Gold Ore → Gold Ingot.
- Yield
- 10 kg per 1,000 kg Gold Ore (1%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Gold Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Gold Ingots are used in Superconductor and Gravity Components, and in some Prototech Components.
Uranium Ingot
Refined Uranium used as Reactor fuel.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 51m 17s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Uranium Ore → Uranium Ingot.
- Yield
- 10 kg per 1,000 kg Uranium Ore (1%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Uranium Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Uranium Ingots fuel Reactors and are also used in some high-tier ammunition.
Platinum Ingot
Refined Platinum used in Thruster Components and advanced equipment.
- Refined In
- Refinery only
- Refining Time (Refinery)
- 38m 28s per 1,000 kg of ore
- What It Becomes
- Platinum Ore → Platinum Ingot.
- Yield
- 5 kg per 1,000 kg Platinum Ore (0.5%).
- Found On
- Produced by refining Platinum Ore; not mined as a separate natural deposit.
- Main Uses
- Platinum Ingots are used in Thruster Components, advanced tool and weapon upgrades, and some Prototech Components.
How to Mine and Find Ore in Space Engineers
Ore sits underground on planets, moons and asteroids, and you collect it with a drill. Both the hand drill and the drill on your ship have two modes. Left-click mines the ore and collects it. Right-click digs ordinary tunnels, but it destroys any ore, ice or stone it cuts through, so save it for clearing paths. Some pre-built ships, mining ships especially, carry ore in their cargo, so it's worth checking them too.
A hand drill only scans the top layers of the ground, so it misses most deposits. For anything deeper, you need an Ore Detector. It reaches about 50 meters on a small ship and about 150 meters on a large ship, so if it only shows a shallow deposit, dig down and scan again.
Refining Ore Into Ingots
Ore can't be used straight from the ground. It has to be refined into ingots, and the Refinery is the main machine for that. A Basic Refinery, a full Refinery or a Survival Kit can all do the job, but a Survival Kit can only refine stone. A Refinery linked to a cargo container pulls ore from it on its own, so it keeps running without your help.
The Basic Refinery is the early option, but it can't handle silver, gold, platinum or uranium. The full Refinery takes every ore type and runs about twice as fast. If you load several ores at once, the Refinery works through them in the order you added them, and you can drag them to change the order.
Why Yield Decides Which Ores Are Worth Mining
Not every ore gives back the same amount of ingot. A Refinery returns only a share of the ore's weight, and that share depends on the ore. Iron ore returns about 70%, so 1,000 kg of it becomes 700 kg of iron ingots. The same weight of gold ore gives only 10 kg of gold ingots, which is why gold takes so much digging to be worth the effort.
A Basic Refinery returns about 30% less than a full Refinery or a Survival Kit, so a full Refinery pays off once you mine in bulk. Yield Modules attach to the back of a Refinery and raise the amount of ingot it makes. With four modules fitted, the same 1,000 kg of iron ore gives 1,400 kg of ingots, double the base amount.
Which Ores to Mine First
Iron, silicon and nickel are the best ores to start with. They return good amounts when refined, and they make up much of an early build, such as an Assembler. Cobalt comes next, and cobalt ingots are used to make metal grids.
Magnesium is mostly used for ammunition and explosives, so it's worth digging up when you're getting ready for a fight. The rarer ores can wait until your builds call for them.
Rare Ores: Gold, Silver, Platinum and Uranium
Gold and silver sit in deep veins on planets, moons and asteroids, so a hand drill usually won't reveal them. Gold goes into late-game parts like gravity components, superconductors and ion thruster components, while silver is used for medical and reactor parts, gravity components and some elite weapons and tools.
Platinum is one of the hardest ores to get. It sits in the deep layers of moons and asteroids, it refines slowly, and it gives back very little. You need it for ion thruster components, elite tools and elite handheld weapons.
Uranium is one of the rarest ores in the game, and it's only found in asteroids. It gives back little, but it's the only fuel nuclear reactors use, and it also goes into some high-tier ammunition.
Ice, Stone and Other Special Cases
Ice is mined with the same drill as ore, but it never goes through a Refinery. Only an O2/H2 Generator can process it, so mine ice when oxygen, hydrogen or farm water starts to run low.
Stone is the most abundant material in the game by volume, and you get it by drilling into planets, moons and asteroids. Refining it returns only small amounts, and the main reason to bother is gravel, which reactor components need.
FAQ
What does a Yield Module need to work?
Each module has mount points that need to line up with the Refinery's. With only one matching point, its effect is cut in half. A single module can also sit between two neighboring Refineries, giving each of them half the boost. The Refinery also has to be powered for the module to work.
Where do the ingots go once they're refined?
Refined materials leave through the output side, which pushes them to connected assemblers. When the output fills up, the extra overflows into other connected inventories. The input side only accepts ore, so refined materials never end up in the wrong place.