How to Get Cobalt in Solarpunk

TL;DR

• Cobalt is not available until you have a Level 3 Airship. You cannot find it anywhere on earlier islands.
• To get Level 3, complete all Traderbot trades through the 6x Eggs trade, then confirm the upgrade at your Airship Dock.
• Once Level 3 unlocks, fly to the large island south of your starting base — this has the infinite Cobalt node you can drill.
• The northern islands unlocked at Level 3 also have a few loose Cobalt Ore nodes, but these are finite.
• Mine Cobalt Ore with a pickaxe, then smelt it in the Furnace to make Cobalt Bars.
• The first Cobalt you get should go toward unlocking Blueprint Tier 3 at the Energy Workbench near Traderbot (costs 1x Cobalt).
• You also need 1x Cobalt to repair the broken Vending Machine next to Traderbot.
• Traderbot later asks for 20x Cobalt as a direct trade item.
• Bring more than one small stack every flight — Cobalt is needed in multiple places at once.

How to get cobalt in Solarpunk is a question that comes up early — you spot the broken Vending Machine next to Traderbot asking for 1x Cobalt almost immediately after your first flight. But Cobalt is genuinely far into the game. You will see that prompt for a long time before you can actually fulfil it. Cobalt sits behind the Level 3 Airship upgrade, a Wheat farm, a chicken farm, and several Traderbot trade steps. This guide explains exactly what you need to do first, where Cobalt is found, how to process it, and how to use it without accidentally blocking your own Blueprint progression.

Why Cobalt Matters in Solarpunk

Cobalt is the key mid-to-late game resource that unlocks the most powerful automation tools in Solarpunk. Here is everything it is used for:

• Blueprint Tier 3 unlock — Spend 1x Cobalt at the Energy Workbench near Traderbot to advance from Blueprint Tier 2 to Tier 3. This unlocks Windmill research, Drone blueprints, and advanced automation tools.
• Vending Machine repair — The broken Vending Machine next to Traderbot requires 1x Cobalt to fix. Once repaired, it accepts Vending Machine Tickets in exchange for cosmetic and optional items.
• Traderbot trade — Traderbot asks for 20x Cobalt as a direct trade item in the mid-game sequence.
• Crafting recipes — Cobalt Bars are used in various mid-game crafting recipes for upgraded structures and electronics.

Because Cobalt serves as the Blueprint Tier 3 gate, do not spend your first Cobalt on crafting or the Vending Machine until after you have used 1x Cobalt to unlock Tier 3. Spending your only piece on the Vending Machine before advancing the Blueprint tier is a very easy mistake to make and will leave you locked out of Windmills and Drone research until your next mining trip.

What You Need Before You Can Get Cobalt

Cobalt is locked behind the Level 3 Airship. There is no way around this. The Cobalt islands are simply not in your travel range until Level 3 unlocks. If you are still on the early Traderbot trades, Cobalt is not accessible yet.

To reach Level 3 Airship, you need to complete all of the following Traderbot trades in order:

• 4x Watermelon
• 12x Cotton
• 20x Beeswax
• 10x Watermelon
• 32x Copper → Level 2 Airship Upgrade
• 5x Silicon
• 10x Wheat
• 20x Cloth
• 10x Bread
• 6x Eggs → Level 3 Airship Upgrade

By the time you complete all of these, you should already have a working Wheat farm, a Silicon supply from Quartz smelting, and a chicken farm producing Eggs. If any of those are not in place yet, they need to be sorted before Cobalt becomes accessible. For a full breakdown of the Airship upgrade process, check our guide on how to get Airship Upgrades in Solarpunk.

After the 6x Eggs trade, remember to fly home and press the Upgrade button at your Airship Dock. The Level 3 range will not expand until you do that step. Once confirmed, new islands open to the north and south of your starting base — and that is where Cobalt is.

Where to Find Cobalt in Solarpunk

After the Level 3 Airship upgrade is confirmed at your dock, open your map. The white travel circle will now be larger. Two new island groups become reachable: some islands to the north and a large island to the south of your starting base.

North Islands — Finite Cobalt Nodes

The new islands to the north have a handful of loose Cobalt Ore nodes scattered on them. These are worth collecting on your first visits, but they are finite — once mined, they do not come back. They are good for getting your first batch of Cobalt quickly, but they are not a long-term supply.

The northern islands at Level 3 also carry useful bonus resources. Look for Carrots (used to lure Pigs), Sunflowers (needed for Research Table Tier 6 and Traderbot trades), and Cotton extra spawns. Collect everything before flying home — never leave a new island without clearing it completely.

South Island — The Infinite Cobalt Node

The large island to the south of your starting base is the most important Cobalt location. This island has an infinite Cobalt ground node — the same type of repeatable ore patch as the Iron patch on your starting island. Mine it every visit and it will always have more.

The southern island is large and worth exploring carefully. On top of the Cobalt node it also contains:

• Sunflowers
• 5x Carrot spawns
• 2x Cotton spawns
• 1x Watermelon spawn
• Two loot chests
• A Pig (which you can transport using Animal Transport)

Because of how much the south island offers, plan your inventory before flying there. Bring mostly empty bag space — just your Pickaxe, some Wood, Sticks, and Stones for tools — and maximise how much Cobalt and other resources you can carry back.

How to Mine Cobalt Ore

Cobalt Ore is mined the same way as Iron and Copper — equip your Pickaxe and hit the Cobalt deposit. Stone pickaxes work fine. There are no ore-tier restrictions in Solarpunk, so you do not need a special tool to mine Cobalt.

The infinite Cobalt ground node on the south island looks like a flat, rocky-textured patch embedded in the terrain — similar to the Iron patch near the pond on the starting island. If you are scanning for large boulders and missing it, look at the ground surface instead.

Watch your pickaxe durability during long mining sessions. Cobalt nodes wear through pickaxe durability faster than regular rocks. Carry a few extra sets of crafting materials for replacement pickaxes (2x Stones + 2x Sticks each) so you do not have to stop mid-session.

How to Smelt Cobalt Ore into Cobalt Bars

Raw Cobalt Ore is not used directly in most recipes. You need to smelt it into Cobalt Bars first.

Place Cobalt Ore in the top slot of your Furnace and add Wood or Wax Briquettes as fuel in the bottom slot. The Furnace processes the ore and produces Cobalt Bars. The process is exactly the same as smelting Iron Ore or Copper Ore.

A single Furnace processes up to 16 ores at a time. If you come back from a big Cobalt mining trip, run two or three Furnaces side by side to process the full batch faster. If your power setup is solid, using an Energy Furnace speeds this up even further. For help optimising your power setup at this stage, read our guide on how to use the Power Generator in Solarpunk to make sure your energy grid can handle the added machine load.

What to Do with Your First Cobalt

The order you spend your first Cobalt in matters a lot. Here is the right priority sequence:

1. Unlock Blueprint Tier 3 First

Fly to the Energy Workbench near Traderbot and spend 1x Cobalt to advance from Blueprint Tier 2 to Tier 3. This is the most important use of your first Cobalt. Tier 3 blueprints include Windmill, Transport Drone, Algae Drone, and other late-game automation tools that dramatically reduce manual work on your base.

Make absolutely sure you do this before spending Cobalt on anything else. If you use your only Cobalt on the Vending Machine before hitting Tier 3, you will be stuck waiting for your next mining trip.

2. Repair the Vending Machine

Once Blueprint Tier 3 is unlocked, repair the broken Vending Machine next to Traderbot using 1x Cobalt. This gives you access to Vending Machine Tickets and the optional items available there.

3. Save for the 20x Cobalt Traderbot Trade

Traderbot later requires 20x Cobalt as a direct trade item in the mid-game sequence. This trade comes up after the 20x Sunflower and 20x Carrot trades. Do not spend Cobalt on optional crafting until this trade is covered.

4. Use Remaining Cobalt in Crafting

After Blueprint Tier 3 is unlocked, the Vending Machine is repaired, and the 20x Cobalt Traderbot trade is saved for, any Cobalt beyond that is free to use in crafting recipes for upgraded structures and electronics.

Setting Up a Cobalt Drill at the South Island

Once you have unlocked the Drill through Blueprint research and have a stable power grid, consider setting up a Drill directly on the infinite Cobalt node at the south island. A Drill placed on an ore patch mines it automatically as long as it has power.

To run a Drill remotely on the south island you need:

• An Advanced Dock on the south island to land and access it
• A power source on the south island (Solar Panels work well)
• A Battery to keep power running at night
• A Transport Drone or manual pickup trips to bring the Cobalt home

The Drill draws 120 power — the same as the Energy Generator’s full output — so make sure your south island power setup can support it before connecting. Two or three Solar Panels with a Battery is usually enough for a single Drill station.

Cobalt Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes

• Never spend your first Cobalt on the Vending Machine. Always unlock Blueprint Tier 3 first. One Cobalt blocks an entire tier of progression if spent in the wrong place.
• Bring a nearly empty inventory to the south island. It has Cobalt, Carrots, Sunflowers, Cotton, Watermelon, and loot chests. You want maximum carry space.
• Carry extra pickaxes. Cobalt deposits wear through tools faster than normal rocks. Two or three spares prevent a forced early return trip.
• Grab Carrots and Sunflowers on the same trip. Both are needed for upcoming Traderbot trades and Research Table unlocks. Never leave the south island without collecting all of them.
• Mine more than you think you need. With Blueprint Tier 3, the 20x Cobalt trade, Vending Machine repair, and crafting recipes all competing for Cobalt, a single small stack runs out very fast. Fill your inventory every visit.
• Check if Blueprint Tier 2 is fully researched. You cannot spend 1x Cobalt to unlock Tier 3 until every Blueprint Tier 2 item is researched first. If the tier-up is not triggering, check for any unfinished Tier 2 research.

What Opens After Blueprint Tier 3

Unlocking Blueprint Tier 3 with Cobalt is one of the biggest single steps in Solarpunk’s mid-game. Here is what becomes available:

• Windmill — Generates power based on wind speed. Works especially well during storms when Solar Panels drop in output. Place as high as possible on your island for the best results.
• Large Windmill — Produces roughly double the output of a regular Windmill.
• Transport Drone — Moves resources between locations automatically, including across islands. Draws 300 power but eliminates the need for manual ore pickup trips.
• Algae Drone — Gathers Algae from water areas. Algae is needed for the next Blueprint Tier 4 unlock and the 30x Algae Traderbot trade.
• Advanced automation tools — Various upgraded devices that reduce manual tasks across your base.

Final Thoughts

Getting Cobalt in Solarpunk is a true mid-game milestone. It requires a Level 3 Airship, a working Wheat farm, a chicken operation, and a full run through the early and mid Traderbot trade chain. Once you have it, the south island’s infinite Cobalt node gives you a permanent supply. Smelt every ore into Cobalt Bars in your Furnace, unlock Blueprint Tier 3 before spending on anything else, save 20x Cobalt for the Traderbot trade, and then set up a Drill on the node when your energy grid is ready. From this point, Windmills and Drones are within reach and the automation side of your base can really start running itself. For getting your energy grid ready to power a Drill on the Cobalt node, check our guide on how to use the Power Generator in Solarpunk to understand how power load and capacity works before you start expanding automation.