Starsand Island Dirt Mounds: Dig Spots, Drops & Farm Tips
Guide to Starsand Island dirt mounds (soil mounds): where to find them in the Moonlit Forest, what they drop, how to process ore chunks through the Ore Analyzer, and farming strategies for Magnetite and Spirit Cube Fragments.
Dirt mounds (also called Soil Mounds) in Starsand Island are found primarily in the Moonlit Forest, along the banks of Spiritshade River and in Azure Bay. Digging them up with a pickaxe yields Common or Uncommon Ore Chunks depending on location. Soil Mounds near the forest entrance drop Common Ore Chunks, while those near Spiritshade River reliably yield Uncommon Ore Chunks, which can be processed through the Ore Analyzer for Magnetite, Ancient Parts, and Spirit Cube Fragments.
Dirt mounds, referred to as Soil Mounds in the game’s records, are one of the most overlooked resource nodes in Starsand Island. They look unremarkable: small heaps of earth scattered across the Moonlit Forest floor. But dig them up, and they yield Ore Chunks that process into some of the most valuable materials in the game, including Magnetite, Ancient Parts, and Spirit Cube Fragments. This Starsand Island dirt mounds location guide covers where to find them, what they drop, and how to maximize your farming runs.
What Are Soil Mounds?
Soil Mounds are interactive ground nodes that you dig up with a pickaxe. Unlike ore veins that require specific tool tiers to mine, Soil Mounds can be harvested with any pickaxe, but what they drop changes dramatically based on where in the Moonlit Forest you find them.
The in-game records’s Gathering Materials Guide describes Soil Mounds as “small heaps of earth” with “random drops.” They appear both on the surface island and in the Moonlit Forest, but the valuable ones are deep in the forest.
Surface Island Soil Mounds
A few Soil Mounds appear on the surface island, scattered among stone and clay deposits. These yield random low-tier items and are not worth farming intentionally. The wiki notes that surface mining is “primarily useful for Stone, Clay, and occasional Soil Mounds that drop random items.”
Moonlit Forest Soil Mounds
The Moonlit Forest is where Soil Mounds become valuable. The forest is divided into 12 progressive zones, and the Ore Chunk quality of Soil Mounds scales with depth:
| Forest Zone | Soil Mound Drop | Value Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Evernight Forest / Entrance | Common Ore Chunks | Low |
| Gate of Life | Common Ore Chunks | Low |
| Spiritshade River | Uncommon Ore Chunks | Medium |
| Azure Bay | Uncommon Ore Chunks (+ bonus drops) | Medium-High |
| Mural Valley | Uncommon Ore Chunks + bonus mining drops | High |
| Harvest Yard (deepest) | Rare Ore Chunks | Highest |
The critical distinction: Soil Mounds near the forest entrance only yield Common Ore Chunks. To get Uncommon Ore Chunks, which process into Magnetite and other high-value materials, you must push deeper to the Spiritshade River area and beyond.
What Ore Chunks Process Into
Ore Chunks are not used directly. You must process them through the Ore Analyzer, a machine crafted early in the Crafter profession questline.
Common Ore Chunks
| Possible Output | Notes |
|---|---|
| Ancient Gear Parts | Used in crafting Verdant Breeze Rollerblades and other mid-tier tech |
| Various minerals | Lower-tier resources |
| Occasional blueprints | Random crafting unlocks |
Uncommon Ore Chunks
| Possible Output | Notes |
|---|---|
| Magnetite | Core component for crafting Magnets, which feed into the Energy Converter and other late-game recipes |
| Spirit Cube Fragments | Used to craft Spirit Cubes I, II, and III, essential for Realm Boxes, Robot Terminals, Teleporters, and endgame technology |
| Advanced materials | Various high-tier resources |
Rare Ore Chunks (Deepest Zones)
| Possible Output | Notes |
|---|---|
| Spirit Cube Fragments | Higher drop chance than Uncommon chunks; can yield multiple fragments |
| Advanced materials | Endgame crafting resources |
Spirit Cube Fragments are among the most sought-after items in Starsand Island. The crafting chain is:
- Spirit Cube I: 4 Spirit Cube Fragments + 2 Bronze (Worktable II)
- Spirit Cube II: 2 Spirit Cube I + 1 Magnet (Worktable II)
- Spirit Cube III: 2 Spirit Cube II + 2 Alloy (Worktable III)
A single Spirit Cube III requires 16 Spirit Cube Fragments total, making chunk farming from Soil Mounds a significant ongoing activity for endgame players.
Where to Find Soil Mounds: Best Locations
Spiritshade River
The in-game records explicitly identifies Spiritshade River in the Moonlit Forest as the best location for Uncommon Ore Chunks via Soil Mounds. Multiple guides corroborate this:
- Soil Mounds along the riverbanks “almost always give you an Uncommon Ore Chunk when you dig them up.”
- The area is accessible after progressing through the early Moonlit Forest zones (Evernight Forest, Gate of Life).
- Bring a pickaxe, any tier works for Soil Mounds themselves, but you may need higher-tier tools to mine ore veins you encounter along the way.
Azure Bay
Azure Bay contains Soil Mounds that yield Uncommon Ore Chunks along with bonus drops from nearby ore veins. This zone becomes accessible after defeating the Crystalith boss in the Crystalith Hideout. The wiki lists Azure Bay as a zone with “Iron, advanced ores, Soil Mounds.”
Mural Valley
Mural Valley is deeper in the Moonlit Forest and contains Soil Mounds alongside high-tier mining nodes (Gold, Primorite, Magnetite deposits). The wiki’s Gathering Materials Guide confirms that Soil Mounds in this area drop random items and may occasionally yield bonus drops including Treasure Maps, Blueprints, and Simple Pellets.
Accessing Deeper Zones
To reach the richest Soil Mound zones, you need to progress through the Exploration profession:
- Reach the Exploration Club and speak with Zephyria.
- Progress through Moonlit Forest zones by defeating bosses (Crystalith, then Glintortle).
- Unlock the Mural Valley gate: requires two keys: one from a treasure chest in Azure Bay’s waterfall area, and one from Zephyria after completing the Intermediate Explorer Certificate.
- Combat progression is also required, the door’s unlock condition is tied to your combat job class level.
Processing Ore Chunks: The Ore Analyzer
Crafting the Ore Analyzer
The Ore Analyzer is introduced during the Junior Crafter quest “Introduction to Ore Analyzer.” The recipe is:
| Material | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Hardwood | 8 |
| Copper Sheets | 2 |
Craft at Worktable II. Copper Sheets are made at the Cutter from 1 Copper Ingot + 1 Copper each.
Using the Ore Analyzer
- Load Ore Chunks into the Analyzer interface.
- Start processing, this takes time, especially with multiple chunks queued.
- Collect outputs when processing completes.
The outputs are random: you will not always get the material you need. Magnetite, for example, is “one of several possible outputs,” meaning you may need multiple batches to yield enough. Plan on making several trips to Spiritshade River for more Soil Mounds.
Pro Tips from the Community
- Farm in bulk. Collect as many Ore Chunks as possible in a single trip before returning to the Analyzer. Bring stamina-restoring meals.
- Do not sell Ore Chunks. They look like junk items but their Analyzer outputs are among the most valuable materials in the game.
- Upgrade your pickaxe. The Impact Hammer mines in an area-of-effect pattern, dramatically increasing your chunk yield per trip. Its blueprint unlocks at Zerine’s General Store after reaching Junior Crafter rank (costs 2,500 coins).
- Prioritize Soil Mounds over ore veins for Uncommon Chunks. Mining ore veins for Uncommon Ore Chunks is less reliable than digging Soil Mounds along Spiritshade River.
Other Dirt Mound Mechanics
Treasure Map Dig Spots
Separate from Soil Mounds, Starsand Island features buried treasure locations that require a Treasure Map to find. According to a treasure chest guide:
- When you hold a Treasure Map, a golden arrow appears, pointing you toward the dig location.
- Follow the arrow until it tells you to dig.
- These chests contain “a random selection of resources, and sometimes a random blueprint.”
These buried treasure spots are distinct from Soil Mounds, they only appear when you have an active Treasure Map and only at the indicated location.
Random Surface Dig Spots
It’s also noted “dig spot mounds that appear in random spots around the island and the forest.” These appear to be sporadic, non-map-requiring dig nodes that contain random resources. The wiki does not yet document their spawn mechanics or drop tables in detail.
- NPC gift values, drop tables, and crop growth rates reflect community-documented data for Starsand Island.
- Cross-checked against official community logs, Steam patch updates, and in-game playthroughs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do dirt mounds drop in Starsand Island? +
Dirt mounds (Soil Mounds) in Starsand Island drop Common or Uncommon Ore Chunks depending on their location. Mounds near the Moonlit Forest entrance yield Common Ore Chunks, while those near Spiritshade River yield Uncommon Ore Chunks. These chunks are processed through the Ore Analyzer for Ancient Parts, Magnetite, and Spirit Cube Fragments.
Where are the best dirt mound locations in Starsand Island? +
The best dirt mounds for Uncommon Ore Chunks are along the banks of Spiritshade River in the Moonlit Forest. Soil Mounds near the forest entrance only yield Common Ore Chunks, so push deeper toward the river for better drops. Mounds also appear in Azure Bay and Mural Valley areas.
Do dirt mounds respawn in Starsand Island? +
The in-game records does not yet document exact respawn timers for Soil Mounds. However, multiple player reports indicate that leaving the Moonlit Forest and returning causes resources to respawn, including Soil Mounds. Boss arenas like the Glintortle area also reset on re-entry, replenishing mineable nodes.