Refined iron sand is an epic-tier crafting currency in Black Myth: Wukong, and you won’t be able to pick any up until midway through the game.

In this Black Myth: Wukong guide, we’ll tell you what you can use refined iron sand for and where you can find some.

What is refined iron sand in Black Myth: Wukong?

Refined iron sand is one of many resources needed to craft epic and legendary weapons, which have some extremely potent effects and high stats. Different weapons and upgrades will require different amounts of refined iron sand, and you may need to mix it with other ultra-rare crafting items. The legendary Spikeshaft Staff, for example (shown above), requires only four of the extremely rare Gold Tree Cores from chapter four, while also needing eight refined iron sand.

As you progress through chapter 3, you’ll find more and more refined iron sand until you eventually have so much you won’t have upgrades left to spend it all — much like silk, which is a rare armor resource in chapter 2.

Where to find refined iron sand in Black Myth: Wukong

Refined iron sand is very rare — if not literally impossible to acquire — in the first two chapters of the game, and you’ll really only start encountering it in chapter 3, once you reach The New West. Once you first encounter it, you’ll be able to randomly earn the resource by killing certain enemies. Resources like refined iron sand are eventually quite plentiful, but there aren’t many guaranteed sources. Some of the powerful enemies in the chapter’s final area, the New Thunderclap Temple, have a decent drop rate for chunks of refined iron sand.

If you’re in desperate need of refined iron sand, you can purchase some from shrines in chapter 3 or in Zodiac Village in the Ruyi Scroll. Stores don’t stock many epic resources like refined iron sand and they’re very expensive, costing a whopping 1200 Will per chunk. One way to get a guaranteed drop of refined iron sand is to kill the final boss of chapter 3, but you can obviously only be able to do this once.

Like all other resources in Black Myth: Wukong, you’ll be able to continue earning refined iron sand once you reach chapter 4.

Looking for more help on your adventure as the Destined One? Check out our other Black Myth: Wukong guides, which can help you find all three hidden bells in chapter 1, sober up the Yellow-Robed Squire in chapter 2, and track down all of Buddha’s Eyeballs.