The basic ores ofThe Planet Crafterinclude elements like cobalt, iron, and titanium. However, several of the more advanced machines need minerals instead,such as quartz and zeolite. As of “The Volcanic Update,” a new kind of mineral has joined the group: obsidian.

Obsidian is a form of volcanic glass, so it’s no wonder that it’s the highlight of “The Volcanic Update.” In fact, you’ll need obsidian for a few late-game recipes, including a few that already existed inThe Planet Crafter. That’s why it helps to know where to go to find this essential material.

Planet Crafter Obsidian

Obsidian Locations

The best place to find obsidian is in the Volcanoes biome, which is in the southeast corner of the map. This places it south of the Wasteland and the Meteor Field, and east of the Waterfall.

Something to note is that the Volcanoes are mostly dormantduring the early terraformation stages, and a lot of the obsidian won’t appear until the lava starts flowing. However, you can still find a large supply of the mineral around the giant obsidian pillars, which are in the center of this map:

Planet Crafter Obsidian Map

The obsidian pillars are alsothe best place to put your Ore Extractor T2 and T3when you want to mine for obsidian.

Aside from the Volcanoes region, you’ll also start to see obsidian appear in random crates and safes after you reach the terraformation stage when they start becoming useful.

Planet Crafter Optimizer T2

How to Use Obsidian

Obsidian shows up in a variety of late-game machines and recipes. You’ll need it for:

None of these items are absolutely essential, but they all make your life easier in different ways. The teleporter lets you move quickly across the map, the machine optimizer allows various machine types to work better, the map lets you see where you are as you explore, and so on.

The Planet Crafter Tag Page Cover Art

The fusion energy cell may be the biggest use of obsidian in the game. Whilethe shipwrecks that need a fusion energy cellare limited, you get more Terra Tokens from a cell than from any other item. With a full load of fusion energy cells in the space trading rocket, you can get 2,000 Terra Tokens for a single trip. That kind of cash adds up quickly, at least if you’re able to automate the process of crafting fusion energy cells.