
In Astroneer, an interplanetary sandbox adventure and exploration game, plastic is a composite resource with many uses. It is important to stock up on plastic as it is used to craft vital tools and buildings needed for survival. Plastic can be obtained by gathering other materials and using them in certain crafting stations. Players will need to create a Chemistry Lab to refine natural resources into crafting materials. The main resources needed to craft plastic are two very common resources found on every planet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is plastic in Astroneer? | A composite resource with many uses. |
| How to obtain plastic | By gathering other materials and using them in certain crafting stations. |
| Crafting stations required | Chemistry Lab, Medium Printer, Smelting Furnace |
| Items required | Tungsten, Glass, Ceramic, Wolframite |
| Items crafted with plastic | Shelter, important tools and buildings |
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What You'll Learn

Crafting plastic in Astroneer
Plastic is a composite resource in Astroneer that can be crafted using a Chemistry Lab. To craft plastic, players will need to gather the following resources and items:
- Medium Printer: This is required to make the Chemistry Lab.
- Tungsten: A refined item obtained by smelting Wolframite, a natural resource found in the caves of Desolo and the mountains or mantle layers of Calidor.
- Glass: A common resource that can be easily gathered on any planet.
- Ceramic: Another common resource found across all planets.
Once players have gathered these resources, they can craft the Chemistry Lab by combining 1x Tungsten, 1x Glass, and 1x Ceramic at the Medium Printer.
To craft plastic, players will need to place the Chemistry Lab and add the following ingredients to the crafting slots:
- Compound: A natural resource that resembles a cluster of gray balls in the overworld. It can be easily found and collected using the Terrain Tool. Players can also produce Compound by refining two full Soil Canisters at the Soil Centrifuge or by exchanging 1x Scrap at the Trade Platform.
- Carbon: This can be obtained by refining Organic at the Smelting Furnace. Organic is a naturally occurring common resource in Astroneer. If players don't have access to a Smelting Furnace, they can alternatively craft Carbon by combining 2x Resin and 1x Compound at the Medium Printer.
By placing the Chemistry Lab and adding Compound and Carbon to it, players will be able to craft plastic in Astroneer.
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Finding the Chemistry Lab
To find the Chemistry Lab in Astroneer, players need to know that it is a Crafting Module used to fuse resources to create Composite Resources. The Chemistry Lab is essential for players who want to create either Plastic or Rubber, as well as for those who need to complete the Materials Matters mission.
The Chemistry Lab resembles an earlier module called the Hydrazine Catalyzer, which was used to refine Ammonium into Hydrazine. It takes 10 seconds to craft or synthesize any item or resource, and 13.5 seconds per production cycle, including the animation of the output tray moving.
To find the Chemistry Lab, players should look in the catalog, where they can use the different tabs to navigate to the correct section. Once players have found the Chemistry Lab, they can use it to heat metal coils to extreme temperatures, melting the input resources. A high-powered pump then exerts extreme pressure on the molten resources, blending them into a single, unified resource. In some cases, a gaseous resource is required as fuel, aiding the fusion of ingredients.
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Locating resources on planets
First, understand that plastic in Astroneer is a composite resource, resembling light grey resin or rubber. It is crafted by gathering other materials and using specific crafting stations. The main resources needed to craft plastic are two very common resources found on every planet.
To craft plastic, you will need to build a Chemistry Lab to refine natural resources into crafting materials. A Medium Printer is required to craft the Chemistry Lab. Once you have the Chemistry Lab, venture around the planet to gather Tungsten, Glass, and Ceramic. You can find Tungsten, a refined item derived from Wolframite, in Desolo's caves or Calidor's mountains or mantle layers. Craft a Smelting Furnace to smelt the Wolframite and create Tungsten.
Additionally, ensure you have the necessary tools when landing on a planet. Players typically have a backpack and a gun called the Terrain Tool, which they use to terraform the planet and create a level surface around their base. Exploring the planet is essential to hoovering up rare crafting materials and shaping the landscape to your needs.
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Using the Terrain Tool
The Terrain Tool is a standard-issue, two-handed terraforming and resource-collecting tool in Astroneer. It can be used to find Compound, one of the materials needed to craft Plastic. Players can use the tool to lower, raise, and flatten the shape of the terrain on any planet. The "Dig/Excavate" mode can be used to dig out terrain, creating ditches, tunnels, and gathering resources. Any soil gathered will go into unfilled canisters attached to the player's Terrain Tool or backpack. If there is no space for soil, it will be destroyed, indicated by a burning nozzle at the back of the tool.
The Terrain Tool has three attachment slots for small items, with two on the right side and one on the top. Small canisters and augments can be placed directly onto these slots. Augments can be attached to these slots to alter the tool's functionality. For example, the Inhibitor Mod allows the collection of surface materials and colouring of the terrain without deforming it. The Alignment Mod creates a flat plane based on the direction of gravity, and the Terrain Analyzer stores the colour of the mined terrain to be reused later.
Players can also use the Terrain Tool to jump and then build terrain beneath them, allowing them to craft a large vertical column to stand on. It can also be used to dig beneath vehicles that have become embedded in the ground, freeing them. Elevating the terrain beneath any superficial objects automatically detaches them from the terrain. This can be used to place a small amount of soil on ceilings or floors, completely removing stalactites, harvesting plants, or sending large boulders flying.
The "Flatten/Level" mode can be used to flatten terrain to the angle of the currently selected terrain's voxel. This mode takes a sample of the target terrain's grade and replicates that grade over the desired area, creating smooth ramps for large vehicles or quickly covering dangerous holes and chasms. Using the Level mode requires enough soil from stored canisters to fill in gaps and will refill the canisters using terrain that is dug into. Any resource nodes that are broken free of the terrain using the Terrain Tool will be shattered into small flakes and sucked up by the tool, automatically stacking on the rear port until there are enough to form a full resource stack.
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Building a Smelting Furnace
Plastic is a composite resource in Astroneer that can be crafted using a Chemistry Lab. To build a Smelting Furnace, you will need to unlock and print one using a Medium Printer. The Smelting Furnace is a crafting module that refines raw resources into refined resources. It is important to note that certain elements, such as Hydrogen, Sulfur, Methane, or Hydrazine, should not be placed in the Smelting Furnace as they will cause an explosion.
To build a Smelting Furnace, you will first need to unlock the ability to craft one. This can be done by progressing through the game and unlocking the necessary blueprints or schematics. Once you have unlocked the Smelting Furnace, you will need to gather the required resources to craft it. The exact resources will depend on the game version and your current progress.
Next, you will need to set up a platform and place a medium printer on it. This printer will be used to craft the Smelting Furnace. Ensure that your printer is functioning correctly and connected to a power source. You may need to restart your game or update it to the latest version if you encounter any issues with the printer.
Once your setup is ready, interact with the medium printer and look for the Smelting Furnace in the printer menu. It may be under a specific tab, so scroll through the options until you find it. Select the Smelting Furnace and provide the necessary resources to craft it. The crafting process will begin, and once it is complete, you will have your very own Smelting Furnace!
With your Smelting Furnace, you can now refine raw resources into refined resources. Simply turn on the furnace, and it will begin pulling nuggets from attached storage to refine. Make sure there is always free storage available for the refined resources, or the furnace will stop until space becomes available. Always exercise caution when using the Smelting Furnace, and avoid placing certain elements or compounds, such as gas canisters, inside to prevent explosions and accidental base destruction.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is used to craft vital tools and buildings needed for survival in the game.
Plastic is not a rare item as it requires basic materials found on every planet. However, it can be difficult to create.
You need to gather two very common resources found on every planet. You will also need a chemistry lab to refine the natural resources into crafting materials.
You will need a medium printer, as well as tungsten, glass, and ceramic.
You can find tungsten in Desolo, in the caves, and Calidor, in the mountains or mantle layers.





































