SpaceCraft Copper: Copper Ore, Azurite Stone and Malachite Stone (2026)
SpaceCraft copper is easiest to get as Copper Ore from Cupric Stone, or continuously from a Copper Deposit with an Extractor. Azurite Stone and Malachite Stone smelt into 4 Copper Ingots each, but raw they're worth more than the ingots you get.
This guide shows which sources give copper, how to smelt it and why you're better off keeping the two crystals. The values come from spacecraft.tools (v0.5.25674) and our SpaceCraft database.
โ๏ธ Copper Ore: the basic source
Copper Ore is a tier 2 ore with 5 SU of storage and a base value of 3 credits. According to the developer blog "First Steps", you'll already find it on Solar Alpha 1. It comes from several sources:
| Source | Tier | Yield per spacecraft.tools |
|---|---|---|
| Cupric Stone | 1 | pure Copper Ore, no other ores |
| Copper Deposit | 1 | about 60 units per hour with an Extractor |
| Dense Copper Deposit | 1 | higher yield than a regular deposit, per its description |
| Brassy Outcrop | 2 | Copper Nuggets, plus Copper Ore at 12.5 % |
| Chalcopyrite | 3 | Copper Ore at 46.8 %, plus Pyrite, Graphite Crystal, Quartz and iron |
| Chalcocite | 3 | Copper Ore at 9.2 %, 2 to 3 units each |
The Copper Deposit is the key spot for a base: you put an Extractor on it and get a steady supply instead of clearing single nodes. Since Major Update #1 you can also mine deposits outside your base with Extractor Pods. How to track down sources is explained in the guide to finding resources.
๐ช Azurite Stone and Malachite Stone
Besides Copper Ore, two crystals give a lot of copper per unit. They're rarer, though, and tied to higher-tier nodes.
Azurite Stone
A tier 4 crystal with 0.5 SU of storage and a base value of 45 credits. The main source is the Azurite node (tier 4). According to spacecraft.tools, Azurite Stone also drops from Tenorite nodes and, with a small chance, from Chalcopyrite (0.2 %), Chalcocite (4.5 %) and Brassy Outcrop (0.1 %).
Malachite Stone
Also a tier 4 crystal with 0.5 SU and a base value of 40 credits. The main source is the Malachite node (tier 4), and it shows up as a side drop in Chalcocite, Tenorite, Chalcopyrite and Brassy Outcrop.
Both node descriptions say the same thing: the crystals are too valuable to break down into their elements. In the Steam forum, players also report that the Simple Mining Laser isn't enough for Azurite and Malachite and that you need an Overclocked Mining Laser. More on gear in the rare resources guide.
๐ฆ Smelting to Copper Ingots
The Smelter turns every copper source into Copper Ingots (tier 2, 1 SU, base value 8 credits):
| Ingredient | Result |
|---|---|
| 2ร Copper Ore | 1ร Copper Ingot |
| 4ร Copper Nugget | 1ร Copper Ingot |
| 1ร Azurite Stone | 4ร Copper Ingot |
| 1ร Malachite Stone | 4ร Copper Ingot |
Since Community Update #1, the base Smelter works twice as fast and keeps running when you leave. You can also get Copper Ingots by recycling scrap in the Recycling Plant.
๐ก Is smelting the crystals worth it?
If you compare the base values of ingredient and result, Copper Ore behaves very differently from the crystals:
| Recipe | Ingredient value | Result value | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2ร Copper Ore โ 1ร ingot | 6 credits | 8 credits | +2 credits |
| 1ร Malachite Stone โ 4ร ingot | 40 credits | 32 credits | โ8 credits |
| 1ร Azurite Stone โ 4ร ingot | 45 credits | 32 credits | โ13 credits |
In short: smelting Copper Ore creates value, smelting the crystals destroys it. Use Copper Ore for your ingot supply and keep Azurite and Malachite Stone for their real recipes. How refining stages add up is explained in the crafting chains guide.
๐ What you need SpaceCraft copper and the crystals for
- Copper Ingot: the base for Wire in the Workshop, and also for Metal Sheet, Watertight Pipes and Stainless Plates. Wire goes into almost every early part, from the Scanalyzer Alpha to the FTL Engine - Eco.
- Azurite Stone: ingredient for the Large Barrier Shield and the m-Crystal Matrix.
- Malachite Stone: needed 20 at a time for the BESS Module, and also for the m-Crystal Matrix, Module Patch: Heat Absorber II and lab studies.
According to spacecraft.tools, the Crystallizer makes 2 Azurite Stone and 8 Malachite Stone from 50 Copper Ingots and 1 m-Crystal Matrix. That's a way to get the crystals if no Azurite or Malachite node is in reach.
๐ก Practical tips
- Put an Extractor on a Copper Deposit first. The Mining Bureau quest MB#04: Deposit Location sends you to an iron or copper deposit.
- Don't sell Azurite and Malachite Stone too quickly, and don't smelt them out of habit.
- If your laser gets nothing out of a crystal node, you're usually missing the right mining tier, not the right location.
- Chalcopyrite and Chalcocite pay twice: they give Copper Ore and, with some luck, Azurite or Malachite Stone.
- Keep a small buffer of Copper Ingots for Wire early on. Missing Wire is one of the most common early blockers.
โ FAQ: SpaceCraft copper
Where's the easiest place to find copper?
In Cupric Stone nodes (tier 1), or continuously from a Copper Deposit with an Extractor, which gives about 60 units per hour.
Is it worth smelting Azurite and Malachite Stone into ingots?
No. Raw, they're worth more (45 and 40 credits) than the 4 Copper Ingots they make (32 credits).
What do I need the crystals for unsmelted?
Azurite Stone for the Large Barrier Shield and the m-Crystal Matrix, Malachite Stone 20 at a time for the BESS Module.
As of October 2026, SpaceCraft Early Access v0.5.25674. Checked against spacecraft.tools (yields, recipes, values), our SpaceCraft database (tiers, descriptions), the patch notes for Community Update #1 and Major Update #1, the developer blog "First Steps" and the Steam forum. Values can change with patches.
