Metal Detector
Detects metal objects which may otherwise be hidden. When the light flashes, or you hear a beep, aim to search for items. Increase the bar until a flag appears. Dig at the flag with a melee item to reveal what it is. Different areas yield different rewards
Repair
Wearing it
Survival
Farming & fishing
Electrical & stations
Vehicles & mounts
Details
- Buried items
- Items that players leave to despawn can be buried. A dug spot can turn up buried treasure.
What it digs up
chance per dig spot- Where signals spawn
- Detector signals spawn in Arid, Temperate, Tundra and Jungle areas. Each one hides 2 to 4 finds and lasts 96 to 144 minutes.
- Digging
- A find shows as a flag: hit it 3 times with any melee tool to dig it up.
- What you get
- It depends on the ground under the flag: the list for that ground is added to the list for anywhere, and one item is picked. Where two kinds of ground overlap, both lists join in. The Deep Sea has its own list.
| Beach (Arid, Temperate, Tundra only) | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | 20.4 | |
| 1 to 2 | 20.4 | |
| 1 | 20.4 | |
| 20 to 25 | 20.4 | |
| 3 to 5 | 12.2 | |
| 7 to 13 | 6.1 |
| Field | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 25 | 35.1 | |
| 3 to 5 | 21.1 | |
| 8 to 12 | 10.5 | |
| 8 to 12 | 10.5 | |
| 7 to 13 | 10.5 | |
| 1 | 7 | |
| 1 | 3.5 | |
| 1 | 1.8 |
| Forest | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.7 | |
| 1 | 22.7 | |
| 20 to 25 | 22.7 | |
| 3 to 5 | 13.6 | |
| 7 to 13 | 6.8 | |
| 1 | 4.5 | |
| 1 | 4.5 | |
| 1 | 1.1 | |
| 1 | 1.1 |
| Lake, river or swamp | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 25 | 30.3 | |
| 3 to 5 | 18.2 | |
| 1 | 9.1 | |
| 2 to 3 | 9.1 | |
| 7 to 13 | 9.1 | |
| 1 | 6.1 | |
| 1 | 6.1 | |
| 1 | 6.1 | |
| 1 | 6.1 |
| Road or rail | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 5 | 30.3 | |
| 20 to 25 | 30.3 | |
| 3 to 5 | 18.2 | |
| 7 to 13 | 9.1 | |
| 1 | 6.1 | |
| 1 | 3 | |
| 1 | 3 |
| Other ground | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 25 | 52.6 | |
| 3 to 5 | 31.6 | |
| 7 to 13 | 15.8 |
| Deep Sea | Amount | Chance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 75 to 100 | 20.4 | |
| 5 to 8 | 20.4 | |
| 18 to 22 | 20.4 | |
| 18 to 22 | 20.4 | |
| 1 | 6.1 | |
| 1 | 4.1 | |
| 2 to 3 | 4.1 | |
| 30 to 50 | 4.1 |
Items that players drop and leave to despawn can be buried instead (85% chance, up to 32 at once, for 24 hours). A buried item joins the pick nearby, so it lowers the other chances.
Craft
| Workbench | Craft time | Blueprint |
|---|---|---|
 Level 1 | 15s | 30 scrap to research |
Ingredients and the blueprint steps are on the Craft tab.
Looted from
| Container | Chance |
|---|---|
| 11% | |
| 1.1% | |
| 0.4% | |
| 0.4% | |
Deep Sea ScientistSame loot in: Oil Rig Scientist | 0.2% |
| 0.2% | |
| 0.2% | |
ScientistSame loot in: Bradley Scientist | 0.2% |
| Monument | Per full clear | Crates |
|---|---|---|
| 0.4 | 4 Cannon Crate1 Crate | |
| 0.1 | 17 Crate | |
| 0.1 | 16 Crate | |
| 0.1 | 16 Crate | |
| 0.1 | 14 Crate |
What opening every crate and barrel there once gives, on average.
Methodology
Best places to find it. Worked out from loot tables tested in game. A crate that has not been tested yet is left out, so a monument can give more than shown.
Crafting
| Blueprint | What it takes | Scrap |
|---|---|---|
| 30 |
Recycling
| Recycler | Always | Chance of one more |
|---|---|---|
 Power Plant75% | ||
 Monument (powered)60% | ||
| Monument50% | ||
 Safe zone40% |
One item at full condition. Scrap is an average: the part after the point carries over to the next item.
More Tools
Skins
Apply with the Repair Bench. Prices are Steam Market USD.
Loading skinsMetal Detector: common questions
- Where do you find Metal Detector?
- Craft it at workbench level 1. It drops from Cannon Crate (11%), Underwater Crate (Advanced) (1.1%) and Crate (0.4%), plus 4 more. The most from one full clear: Tropical Island (0.4), Airfield (0.1) and Launch Site (0.1).
- What does Metal Detector cost to craft?
- Metal Detector crafts for 2 Rope, 200 Metal Fragments, 5 High Quality Metal.
- What does Metal Detector recycle for?
- Recycling Metal Detector at a powered monument recycler (60%) returns Rope, 120 Metal Fragments, 3 High Quality Metal, Rope (20%). Safe-zone recyclers pay 40%; the Power Plant red recycler pays 75%.