Where to find lithium in Subnautica 2

Finding lithium in Subnautica 2 is essential for crafting the plasteel ingots you need to get a bigger, better air tank. It’s also a mineral you won’t be able to get for a little while, as it only starts showing up once you reach waters too warm for survival until you get the necessary mutations. However, there is one spot where you can find plenty of it, more than you’ll need for quite some time.

Below, we show you where to find lithium locations in Subnautica 2.

[Ed. note: Before you dive in, be sure to open the character menu and enable all landmark signals. This will make it easier to spot the locations mentioned in this guide.]

Update (May 15): We added a spot where you can obtain lithium before entering warmer waters, so you can upgrade your air tank prior to tackling the first Angel Comb.

Where to find lithium in Subnautica 2

With one exception, lithium shows up in the areas around the Tadpole Pens, roughly 300 meters east of the Lifepod, and you’ll visit a few during part of the main story as you investigate the region. Most of them are near sources of extreme heat, though, so you’ll need the Angel Comb mutation from the area near Wander’s Blackbox to safely explore. You also need the sonic resonator, as lithium’s a beefy mineral that, in our experience, only comes in massive chunks. If you’re exploring in a tadpole vehicle of your own, make sure to keep an eye on your depth. Some lithium deposits are down pretty far, and the unmodified tadpole can only venture 250 meters deep before it starts imploding.

Image: Unknown Worlds/Krafton via Polygon

It looks similar to lead in the dim lighting of a cave, but the key visual difference is that lead has square protrusions on it, while lithium resembles a bunch of long rectangles clumped together. In daylight, lithium is less easily mistaken, as it’s a burnt red at the top that tapers into a light shade of orange at the base.

Graphic: Josh Broadwell/Polygon | Source images: Unknown Worlds/Krafton via Polygon

The exception is a spot roughly 350 meters south-southwest of the Lifepod, near the large hunk of wreckage where you find one part of the repair tool blueprint. Past the wreck is what resembles a giant clam, and in the center is a hollow node on a stem covered in bright purple tendons. Inside the node is a smattering of lithium, which you can obtain without the sonic resonator.

The spot looks dangerous, because it is. The clam-thing’s sides start to close once you touch a tendon, and if they close completely before you escape, you’ll die. Make sure to save before trying, and don’t grab more than you need in one go. The sides will open again after a few moments, so you can swim back in and grab more lithium if you want to.

Best lithium farming spots in Subnautica 2

Image: Unknown Worlds/Krafton via Polygon

While you can find lithium scattered about wherever the water temperature rises, there is one area near the Tadpole Pens where you can get a lot, quickly. It’s about 550 meters southeast of the Lifepod and 600 meters southeast of Ruby’s Blackbox at the entrance to a large cave. You’ll find several lithium deposits at the entrance and some further in as well at the base of rock formations. You visit this cave when you’re searching for Zip’s Blackbox, so it’s not a spot you can easily miss.

Once you clear the Tadpole Pen investigation mission, that signal disappears from your log, as does Zip’s Blackbox. If you revisit the area, you’ll have to navigate using the Lifepod and Ruby’s first Blackbox as your guides.

You can combine one piece of lithium with titanium at a processor to make the plasteel ingot for your new air tank, though you’ll also need lithium for more advanced crafting projects later.

If you’re starting out in Subnautica 2, we have a plethora of guides to help you navigate the deep blue sea. Our Subnautica 2 beginner’s guide will set you off in the right direction and our base building tips will assist in planning out your sprawling base. Don’t forget to stock up on food and water, too. (And if you want to get fancy with your food, you’ll want salt!)

If you need help finding materials, we explain how to get the sonic resonator, which you’ll want to mine tons of materials. We have guides on where to find these resources, like lead, sulfur, copper, quartz, and gold.