Nickel, Kyanite and Ruby by Depth in Below Zero
Ruby is the shallowest of the three (the middle of its band is 447 m), and Kyanite is the deepest at 693 m. Only ruby has fixed pins (2); nickel and kyanite are rolled per game.
- Ruby447 mmiddle of the depth band; 2 fixed pins
- Nickel690 mmiddle of the depth band; no fixed pins
- Kyanite693 mmiddle of the depth band; no fixed pins
These are the deep ores behind the depth upgrades. I read the depth band and the areas from the spawn model and the pins from the map; I do not rate any gear for depth, because the files do not.
On this page
Which one first: by depth
The table orders them from the shallowest middle of the band to the deepest. The depths are the model's, taken from the spawn slots that can hold each ore.
Ruby
The model puts most ruby spawns from 247 to 693 m deep (the shallowest tenth at 247 m, the middle at 447 m, the deepest tenth at 693 m), about 356 per new game. The files place 2 fixed spots (mined with the prawn suit drill arm). The shallowest of its five main areas is Lily Pads, where the middle of the area's spawn slots is 197 m below sea level.
You need it for Synthetic fibers, Aerogel, Prawn suit depth module MK1, Seatruck Depth Upgrade MK2 and 1 more recipes. The full page: where to find ruby.
| Area | Expected per game | Share of the area's slots | Middle depth of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tree Spires | 138 | 3.4% | 244 m below |
| Crystal Caverns | 117 | 6.1% | 644 m below |
| Lily Pads | 67 | 0.7% | 197 m below |
| Arctic Caldera | 19 | 26% | - |
| Koppa Mining Site | 15 | 11% | 263 m below |
Nickel
The model puts most nickel spawns from 243 to 915 m deep (the shallowest tenth at 243 m, the middle at 690 m, the deepest tenth at 915 m), about 212 per new game. The files place no fixed spot, so every one is rolled when a game starts and no map can give an exact position. The shallowest of its five main areas is Lily Pads, where the middle of the area's spawn slots is 197 m below sea level.
You need it for Prawn suit depth module MK2, Seatruck Depth Upgrade MK3, Prawn suit jump jet upgrade. The full page: where to find nickel.
| Area | Expected per game | Share of the area's slots | Middle depth of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lily Pads | 81 | 3.5% | 197 m below |
| Crystal Caverns | 71 | 6.6% | 644 m below |
| Fabricator Cavern | 60 | 3.2% | - |
Kyanite
The model puts most kyanite spawns from 552 to 913 m deep (the shallowest tenth at 552 m, the middle at 693 m, the deepest tenth at 913 m), about 93 per new game. The files place no fixed spot, so every one is rolled when a game starts and no map can give an exact position. The shallowest of its five main areas is Crystal Caverns, where the middle of the area's spawn slots is 644 m below sea level.
You need it for Architect Organs, Prawn suit depth module MK2, Seatruck Depth Upgrade MK3, Prawn suit thermal reactor. The full page: where to find kyanite.
| Area | Expected per game | Share of the area's slots | Middle depth of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Caverns | 69 | 8.1% | 644 m below |
| Fabricator Cavern | 24 | 3.2% | - |
Common mistakes
- Hunting nickel or kyanite pins. The map has none; use the chance map.
- Taking a drill arm for granted. The 2 ruby outcrops are drill-only.
- Reading the haze as a location. It shows where a spawn is likelier in the model.
About these numbers
Every number here is read from the game files of the Steam build of 12 Aug 2025. Fixed pins and recipes are exact. Spawn chances come from a model of the game's spawner tables and have not been checked in a running game. Anything the files do not hold is marked on the page.
The files give no depth rating for any tank, suit or vehicle, so this page says how deep an ore is and not which gear survives there. The fixed pins are exact: Ruby 2, Nickel 0, Kyanite 0.
Pages to keep open
Related pages
Sources
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