Sandustry Copper: Mining and Smelting Guide
Distinguish Copper Ore, solid Copper, and Liquid Copper, then mine, sort, smelt, and process Copper without relying on uncertain pipe behavior.
Copper Ore, Copper, and Liquid Copper are three different stages. Mine the ore to obtain movable solid Copper, melt that Copper in a Smelter, then send Liquid Copper to a Copper Mold for Power Brick production.
Copper Ore vs Copper vs Liquid Copper
| Stage | How you get it | Confirmed next step |
|---|---|---|
| Copper Ore | Natural underground vein or pocket | Mine it with a digging tool |
| Copper | Product of mining Copper Ore | Move it or feed it to a Smelter |
| Liquid Copper | Smelter output from solid Copper | Move carefully toward a Copper Mold |
Copper Ore itself is not Launcher-compatible. Once mined, solid Copper can be fired by a Launcher. Copper is not flammable and does not become wet.
Where to Find and Mine Copper
Copper Ore occurs in relatively small veins or pockets, generally deeper underground. Current Wiki information says any digging tool can mine it. The useful output is solid Copper, which can enter normal solid-material logistics.
Ore often shares a dig site with Sand. It is reasonable to transport the resulting Sand and Copper on one line and separate them with a Filter. Do not describe the line as carrying intact Copper Ore.
How to Melt Copper
Feed solid Copper into a Smelter. Ordinary flames do not melt it. The Smelter processes Copper into Liquid Copper; it does not accept unmined Copper Ore as a shortcut.
The current WIP Research page lists the Smelter at Tier 5 for 3,000 Gold. This is the research unlock cost, not the cost to build one Smelter.
Moving Liquid Copper
Current sources conflict. The community-maintained Wiki says Pump, Pipe, and Liquid Vent can move Liquid Copper, while a Hooded Horse staff Beginner’s Guide excludes molten fluids from the pipe network. Until a current build test resolves the conflict, the Grabber is the confirmed manual movement method; do not promise a pipe layout.
Copper Mold and Power Bricks
The high-level chain is:
Copper Ore → Copper → Smelter → Liquid Copper → Copper Mold → Power Brick
The current Research page lists Copper Mold at Tier 5 for 2,000 Gold. Exact liquid consumption, casting time, and Power Brick capacity still require current-build verification.
Sources: Copper, Copper Ore, Liquid Copper, Research, and the Hooded Horse Beginner’s Guide.