Early in your journey through the depths, you will likely find yourself manually grabbing ore—a tedious and slow process. As you descend deeper, you will encounter massive ore veins that your standard equipment simply cannot penetrate. When you attempt to mine these deposits, the game will prompt you that an unknown tool is required.

To progress efficiently, you need to learn how to get the Sonic Resonator and mine the essential resources required for advanced survival. This heavy-duty tool allows you to blast through large deposits of titanium, silver, and lead, making it vital for base building and high-tier crafting. It also serves a secondary purpose: clearing away stubborn Bloom Biofilm that obstructs your path.

Finding Sonic Resonator Fragments

To unlock the ability to craft this device, you must locate and scan its fragments. While several fragment clusters exist throughout the map, you only need to scan fragments from two different locations to successfully unlock the blueprint.

For an efficient early-game hunt, focus on these specific areas near your starting Lifepod:

  • The Old Habitat: Situated roughly 370 meters north of the Lifepod, this area also contains Quaker’s black box.
    • Fragment 1: Found immediately to the right upon entering the main door.
    • Fragment 2: Located in the next section of the building, resting near a toppled table.
  • Near the Lifepod: Travel 345° north for a short distance to find a small cave containing a desk with the third fragment.
  • The Spider Dome: Head southwest (240°) approximately 240 meters from the Lifepod toward a massive coral structure. The final fragment is tucked inside an overturned crate behind Wander’s black box.

How to Get the Sonic Resonator and Mine Materials

Once you have scanned enough fragments to unlock the blueprint, you can craft the device using a Fabricator. Be aware that the Lifepod's built-in Fabricator will not work for this; you must construct your own Fabricator within a personal habitat first.

The crafting recipe for the Sonic Resonator requires:

  • 1x Basic Battery: Essential for powering the tool (and recharging it later).
  • 2x Titanium Ingots: While found in caches, building a Processor to refine ore is more efficient.
  • 2x Lead: Since large blocks are too hard to break early on, search for smaller chunks in the ravine 250 meters northeast of the Lifepod.
  • 1x Wiring Kit: Crafted from one silver and one copper wire.

Efficient Mining Techniques

With your new tool equipped, mining large ore veins is no longer a struggle. To use it effectively, swim directly up to the deposit and charge the tool to shatter the ore into collectable chunks.

The resources will automatically populate your inventory as long as you have available slots. However, keep a close eye on your power levels; the device consumes energy rapidly, so ensure you have a spare Basic Battery ready to prevent being left powerless in the deep.