Subnautica 2 Lithium — Where to Find It
Find Lithium in Subnautica 2: grab a piece at the Great Jaw (~280m SSW), then farm the hot caverns below the Tadpole Pens (Heat Tolerance needed). Used for Plasteel.
Last updated: 2026-06-07
What is Lithium used for?
Lithium is a key metal for high-strength alloys, and its most important use is crafting Plasteel Ingots — a core material for vehicle and base deep-diving structures. It also goes into the Current Ring and Lithium Grains. If you want to upgrade the Tadpole's depth or push through the mid-game, you can't skip it.
Where to find Lithium
① Your first piece: the Great Jaw
Location: about 280m southwest of the lifepod at ~90m deep, near a large wreck. There's a broken cage contraption holding a single Lithium you can grab from the very start.
⚠️ Never brush the Great Jaw's pink tendons — it snaps shut and emits acid that drains your health until you die. See the Leviathans guide for the Great Jaw.
② Best farm: the hot caverns
Location: the deep, hot caves and tunnels below the Tadpole Pens (the Zezuran Desert area). Once you've unlocked Heat Tolerance, Lithium farms reliably here.
Lithium also turns up in open, sandy areas with thermal vents and fast currents.
⚠️ You need Heat Tolerance before entering the hot caves, or you'll take continuous heat damage. It unlocks by clearing an Angel Comb's Bloom infestation — see the Angel Comb & Adaptations guide.
How to harvest it
Loose or caged Lithium is picked up by hand; larger pieces embedded in rock are broken with a Sonic Resonator. Before diving the hot caves, plan your route and top up oxygen, and bring a Tadpole for bulk hauls if you have one.
Plasteel is the gate to going deeper: it's the material behind the structures and vehicle modules that survive higher pressure, so a Lithium shortage often means a stalled depth upgrade. The Current Ring and Lithium Grains are smaller sinks, but Plasteel is the one you'll keep coming back for — grab the Great Jaw piece for your first one, then return to the hot caverns for a real stockpile.
Since the main Lithium farm and the Gold and Sulfur fields all sit behind the same Heat Tolerance gate, it's worth unlocking that adaptation once and farming the hot zones together rather than making separate trips back and forth across the map.
What Lithium is used for
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Plasteel Ingot | Core high-strength material for vehicles and deep structures |
| Current Ring | Advanced component |
| Lithium Grains | A processed form of Lithium used in later recipes |
FAQ
Q: Where do I get Lithium earliest?
A: Near the Great Jaw ~280m southwest of the lifepod at ~90m — a broken cage holds one piece you can grab from the start (don't touch the pink tendons).
Q: Where is the most Lithium?
A: The hot caverns below the Tadpole Pens (Heat Tolerance required), and open sandy areas with thermal vents.
Q: What do I need for the main farm?
A: The Heat Tolerance adaptation, unlocked by clearing an Angel Comb's Bloom infestation.
Q: Do I need a tool?
A: Loose pieces are hand-pickable; rock-embedded ones need a Sonic Resonator.
Q: What is Lithium mainly used for?
A: Plasteel Ingots (core vehicle/deep-structure material), the Current Ring and Lithium Grains.
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