tips for finding specific rocks?

[yawarasu]

are there any strategies for finding specific rock types? or does anybody have any tips?

i'm aware of how to find different rock strata and all, but are there any ways to find areas with specific rocks? i want to use a dark rock, preferably shale (basalt is also acceptable), in my houses block palette but i'm not quite sure how to find them. should i just run around the world or are there strategies? do specific rocks generate in different climates? that feels unlikely but i'm kind of grasping at straws for anything i could do to potentially assist my searches. it's fine if i just have to run around, ideally i'd like some form of control rather than run all across the map hoping it generates, especially since i'm about to have an elk. but i've kind of rambled here, essentially all i'm asking is, is there any way to 'strategize' finding rock types?

[MKMoose]

Welcome to the forums! I'm not really aware of any specific strategies aimed at finding the more basic rock types other than traveling long distances and marking down whatever you might be interested in on the map for later reference.

The TLDR is probably just that you have to travel around, preferably once you have an elk, and count on a bit of luck. There might be some tricks and obscure facts that I could find, but I know no method more reliable than exploration.

Some people suggest using translocators to aid in this process, but in my experience finding and repairing them in the first place tends to take me more time and effort than just traveling the same distance. They're an option, either way.

A typical recommendation might be to put the rock search on the back burner and just pay attention to rock types as you're traveling for other purposes, though I appreciate that it might not be the most enticing idea if you're looking for materials for the house. You can consider something that I do at least once in every long-term playthrough, though it can get tedious: travel to the tropics (~40k blocks south from the default spawn location, though you could turn back earlier once satisfied) to collect seeds for crops and trees that you don't have yet, which might just let you find rocks along the way.

 

6 hours ago, yawarasu said:

do specific rocks generate in different climates?

I'm not aware of of climate having any impact on this.

 

6 hours ago, yawarasu said:

is there any way to 'strategize' finding rock types?

It may be worth mentioning that geologic provinces which limit the rock types that can spawn in the area are very large, and so can be the actual patches of specific rock, so you'll be better off traveling long distances quickly instead of thoroughly analyzing a smaller area. You might also try moving along the edges between different rock types if you want, to try to maximize the variety of rocks that you see along a single path, though I'm not sure if it's worth the effort.

In case you haven't done so already, looking into the four rock categories that the game uses (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, volcanic) will also help you search more effectively. As a sedimentary rock, shale (as well as chert, if something more red-brown is tolerable) will often be the topmost layer, and the most reliable way to find it is just exploration. However, when looking for some of the other dark rocks, the categories are a bit more impactful:

• slate - it is metamorphic and so tends to be rare (and makes for a nice black roof); often appears under sedimentary layers but may also happen to be the topmost layer, doesn't generally appear below basalt; it currently only generates as thin layers (at most 15 blocks thick), which may be noticeable as a black stripe on cliff faces,
• basalt - as the volcanic rock, it's perhaps the rarest strata in the game and it will always be the topmost layer (maybe barring some odd layering shenanigans); it can also be found throughout the world in deep caves near the mantle, which might be a fast but risky and expensive option that doesn't require traveling too far, though I can't really say how reliable it is.

Edited December 18, 2025 by MKMoose
Grammar.

[Broccoli Clock]

7 hours ago, yawarasu said:

are there any strategies for finding specific rock types? or does anybody have any tips?

i'm aware of how to find different rock strata and all, but are there any ways to find areas with specific rocks? i want to use a dark rock, preferably shale (basalt is also acceptable), in my houses block palette but i'm not quite sure how to find them. should i just run around the world or are there strategies? do specific rocks generate in different climates? that feels unlikely but i'm kind of grasping at straws for anything i could do to potentially assist my searches. it's fine if i just have to run around, ideally i'd like some form of control rather than run all across the map hoping it generates, especially since i'm about to have an elk. but i've kind of rambled here, essentially all i'm asking is, is there any way to 'strategize' finding rock types?

Gneiss released a video on the geology of VS (it's a 2 part video, the first covers rocks, the second will be ores) which I think would help new players (and provide some catchup to experienced players)..

 

As for the geology being dependent on climate, it doesn't and even if it did I'd prefer it the other way round: climate affecting geology. For example, sandstone rock shouldn't only spawn somewhere wet, but somewhere wet should see erosion of that sandstone (after all it's sedimentary). Sadly world gen/interaction isn't at that level.

Edited December 18, 2025 by Broccoli Clock

[LadyWYT]

9 hours ago, yawarasu said:

should i just run around the world or are there strategies?

Generally, the best way to find new rocks is to just...go run around and explore. Climate doesn't have any impact on what rock type spawns, so there's no need to worry about that. Translocators can help since they teleport you thousands of blocks away in an instant, but while the rock type is usually different at the new location it's also not a guarantee.

Playing with true map colors enabled can help you spot different rock types. The only other strategies I can think of is that for some metamorphic rock(like marble) you'll need to figure out the host rock and then look for the host. Other rock types such as limestone, bauxite, and slate will often spawn in strata together, so it's definitely worth paying attention to rock strata and learning the patterns.

[yawarasu]

11 hours ago, MKMoose said:

You can consider something that I do at least once in every long-term playthrough, though it can get tedious: travel to the tropics (~40k blocks south from the default spawn location, though you could turn back earlier once satisfied) to collect seeds for crops and trees that you don't have yet, which might just let you find rocks along the way.

i could definitely try that, thanks. i had it so my spawn was in the warm area rather than the temperate area and most of my search so far has been going south (mostly since it's winter though). haven't had much luck in terms of the rocks i want but i have found peanut seeds, kapok, and borax so a win is win even if it's not what i'm looking for. while i've been primarily looking for the rock for my house i've definitely been collecting things i find and don't have yet, running back home to empty my inventory and resupply, so on.

 

11 hours ago, MKMoose said:

it can also be found throughout the world in deep caves near the mantle, which might be a fast but risky and expensive option that doesn't require traveling too far, though I can't really say how reliable it is.

honestly this could be worth trying solely because i'm on passive so the monsters don't typically try to kill me. though i've noticed they definitely get angry with me if they step on my cooling molds or pit kilns or firepits which has caught me off guard before. not like i'll be doing that in the caves, though.

 

9 hours ago, Broccoli Clock said:

Gneiss released a video on the geology of VS (it's a 2 part video, the first covers rocks, the second will be ores) which I think would help new players (and provide some catchup to experienced players)

i'll check this out, thanks!

 

7 hours ago, LadyWYT said:

Translocators can help since they teleport you thousands of blocks away in an instant, but while the rock type is usually different at the new location it's also not a guarantee.

i've found a broken down translocator and might have the materials to fix it up so i can check that out. i definitely forgot about that so it could be worth it to run around wherever it takes me. do you know if they can transport elks or should i just leave the elk behind if i do travel through it?

 

7 hours ago, LadyWYT said:

Playing with true map colors enabled can help you spot different rock types.

yeah, i started playing with true map colors once i learned that. while i do prefer the sepia one, true colors is definitely helpful.

 

7 hours ago, LadyWYT said:

The only other strategies I can think of is that for some metamorphic rock(like marble) you'll need to figure out the host rock and then look for the host. Other rock types such as limestone, bauxite, and slate will often spawn in strata together, so it's definitely worth paying attention to rock strata and learning the patterns.

alright, i'll keep that in mind. thank you!

Edited December 19, 2025 by yawarasu
said bauxite when i meant borax

[LadyWYT]

Just now, yawarasu said:

do you know if they can transport elks or should i just leave the elk behind if i do travel through it?

I believe they can still transport elks, but I think you have to actually be riding the elk in order to do so. That being said, I wouldn't recommend trying to stuff an elk through a translocator, given the cramped space and likelihood of something going wrong. If it's a translocator you intend to use frequently then it might be worth the effort of carving out passages for an elk to safely traverse, but otherwise it's just less hassle to go by foot.

[Maelstrom]

51 minutes ago, LadyWYT said:

I wouldn't recommend trying to stuff an elk through a translocator, given the cramped space

So dig out the translocator, duh!  

 

52 minutes ago, LadyWYT said:

 and likelihood of something going wrong. 

Yeeeeeaaahhhh...   There's that.