Iron ore is one of the most important early-game resources in Crimson Desert. You need it to upgrade weapons, plate armor, and metal shields at the blacksmith, and it can also be sold to vendors for a quick influx of copper coins. The good news is that iron deposits are plentiful — if you know where to look.
Quick answer: Iron ore appears most frequently along cliffs, river walls, and rocky outcroppings in the Hernand region. The densest clusters sit around Howling Hill in the Hernand Highlands and at the base of Anvil Hill, both south of Hernand City. You'll need a pickaxe to mine them.
How to get a pickaxe in Crimson Desert
Mining requires exactly one thing: a pickaxe. No prerequisite quests, no skill unlocks — just the tool. There are three ways to get one early on.
Step 1: Head to the notice board in the center of Hernand and pick up Rhett's request, one of the Hernand commissions. Rhett runs the equipment shop and will hand you a pickaxe as soon as you speak with them. The commission itself asks you to mine two iron ores, and completing it rewards an extra inventory slot — well worth the effort.
Step 2 (alternative): If you'd rather skip the quest, visit the provisioner's shop in Hernand. It's located near the equipment shop; head east from the large tree on the map if you're turned around. A pickaxe costs 31 copper coins. You can buy one directly from the NPC or interact with the pickaxe display inside the store.
Step 3 (alternative): You can occasionally stumble across a pickaxe lying in the open world — abandoned tools near carts or campsites. This method is unreliable and not worth actively pursuing when the shop is so close.
How to mine ore deposits
Once you have a pickaxe, equip it from your inventory and approach any ore vein on the map. Hold L1 / LB on a controller (or Ctrl on keyboard) to aim at the deposit. When the targeting circle turns blue, press R1 / RB (or left mouse click) to swing. Each vein drops two pieces of ore that fall to the ground — make sure to pick them up manually.
After you successfully mine a vein, a permanent marker for that spot appears on your map, making return trips much easier. Ore veins respawn after a short cooldown, so revisiting known spots is a reliable farming strategy.
All iron ore locations in Crimson Desert
Iron ore veins look like metallic dark-gray rocks embedded in cliff faces and rocky walls. They're among the most common deposits in the game and span multiple regions as you progress. Here's a breakdown of every confirmed location.
| Region | Specific Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hernand Highlands | Howling Hill | South of Hernand City; multiple nodes clustered around the hill. Closest iron to the campaign start. |
| Hernand | Anvil Hill (base) | South / south-east of Hernand City. Several nodes spawn along the base — also contains copper and azurite nearby. |
| Hernand | Cliffs along the rivers | Up to 14 deposits clustered close together; each vein can yield up to 6 iron ore pieces in this zone. |
| Hernand (south-east) | Steel Mountains | Iron deposits on cliff faces and in rock crevices. |
| Demeniss | Anvil Hill | Additional iron nodes in the Demeniss portion of Anvil Hill. |
| Southern Pywel | South of the Crimson Desert region | Scattered deposits along mountain walls. |
| Crimson Desert region | Around Tashkalp town | Iron veins near the settlement. |
| Delesyia | Mount Benus | Late-game iron source in the Delesyia region. |
The single best early-game farming route is a loop around Anvil Hill in Hernand. You'll pass through this area for multiple quests anyway, so it's worth checking whether veins have respawned each time you're nearby. The river cliffs in south-east Hernand are another high-density zone, with roughly 14 deposits packed into a small area.
What iron ore is used for
Iron ore feeds into the refinement system at any blacksmith. Its primary uses are upgrading weapons, plate armor, and metal shields. Because these are core gear categories you'll rely on throughout the campaign, stockpiling iron early saves time later when upgrade costs ramp up. Surplus iron can always be sold to vendors for copper coins if your inventory gets tight.
Tips for efficient iron farming
Ore veins respawn on a short timer, so planning a circular route through a dense area like Anvil Hill or the Hernand river cliffs lets you mine continuously with minimal downtime. Once you've mined a vein for the first time, its map marker stays permanently, which eliminates guesswork on return visits.
Keep an eye out for other ores while farming iron. Copper and azurite nodes sit alongside iron at the base of Anvil Hill, and you'll need all three for different gear upgrade paths. Picking up everything in one sweep is far more efficient than making separate trips for each material.
Iron ore is plentiful enough that you shouldn't struggle to find it once you know where the major clusters sit. Focus your early runs on the Hernand Highlands and Anvil Hill, and you'll have more than enough to keep your gear upgraded through the first several chapters of the campaign.