If you’ve spent any time running deliveries in Death Stranding 2, you know ceramic is the backbone of almost every useful structure in the game. From paved roads that cut cross-country travel time in half to upgraded safe houses that let you rest and repair gear mid-route, you can never have too much of this material on hand. I wasted nearly 10 hours collecting small ceramic scraps from random roadside deposits before I stumbled on the Death Stranding 2 ceramics mine, a massive deposit that lets you stock up on hundreds of units in a single trip. This guide breaks down everything I learned from dozens of runs to and from the spot, so you don’t have to waste the same time I did.
Where to Find the Death Stranding 2 Ceramics Mine Exact Location
The mine sits on the southern edge of Central Knot City’s map boundary, tucked between the Weather Station outpost and the isolated mountain prepper that first requests bulk ceramic deliveries early in the main story. You won’t see it marked on your map right away, even if you wander through the area. You need to hit rank 3 connection with the Weather Station first, at which point they’ll send you an optional side quest to survey a previously unmarked resource deposit in the hills below their outpost. Once you complete that short survey run, the mine will stay marked on your map permanently.
The area around the mine is rocky and steep, so don’t try to make the trip on a standard bike or on foot if you can avoid it. I tried my first run on a level 1 bike, and I lost nearly a third of my cargo when I slipped on a loose rock patch halfway back to Central Knot City. Wait until you have a level 2 all-terrain truck, and you’ll cut travel time by 60% and avoid almost all cargo damage.
Best Farming Routes for Maximum Ceramic Yield
Once you unlock the mine, you’ll notice it has two separate access points that serve different purposes. The upper entrance, accessible from the Weather Station’s access road, has dozens of small loose ceramic deposits you can collect by hand, no tools required. These are perfect if you only need 50 or 100 units for a small build. The lower entrance, at the base of the hill, is the main mine shaft where you’ll find bulk ceramic crates that hold 50 units each, for far faster farming.
After 20+ runs to the mine, I’ve settled on a simple routine that gets me the maximum possible yield with minimal hassle:
- Bring at least 2 empty large cargo pallets to carry the maximum 800 units of ceramic per trip without overloading your truck
- Clear the nearby BT nests first before you start collecting, so you don’t get interrupted mid-farm and risk losing half your cargo to a BT attack
- Visit during clear weather periods to avoid timefall accelerating the degradation of your unprotected ceramic crates, even if you have to wait 10 in-game minutes for a storm to pass
I also usually stop at the shared storage locker at the Weather Station before I head down to the mine, to drop off any extra supplies I’m carrying and free up more space for ceramic. You don’t want to get to the mine and realize you only have space for 300 units because you’re hauling random delivery materials you don’t need right then.
Top Uses for Ceramics From the Mine
You might be tempted to hoard every unit of ceramic you pull from the mine, but you’ll get far more value out of it if you spend it strategically on high-impact projects first. The number one use for your bulk ceramic is building and repairing paved road segments across the Central Region. Every mile of road you build cuts delivery time for all your future runs, and other players will add their own materials to unfinished segments too, so you don’t have to cover the full cost yourself.
Next, spend leftover ceramic upgrading your most frequently used safe houses and shelters to level 3. Level 3 shelters give you access to a private room to rest, repair all your gear for free, and faster charging for your electric vehicles, which makes long runs far less stressful. You can also use excess ceramic to fulfill bulk delivery orders for preppers scattered across the map. These orders often give you huge connection level boosts, and many unlock rare rewards like upgraded backpack stabilizers or extra cargo slots that you can’t get anywhere else.
That said, don’t waste high-quality ceramic from the mine on temporary structures like ladders or climbing anchors. Metal is far more abundant for those small builds, and you’ll save your ceramic for projects that actually give you long-term benefits.
Common Mistakes to Avoid at the Ceramics Mine
I made a ton of mistakes during my first few runs to the mine, so you don’t have to. The most common mistake I see new players make is heading to the mine without a cargo shield equipped on their truck. Even if the weather report says clear, random timefall showers pop up all the time in the southern mountain region, and they can degrade unprotected ceramic crates by 40% or more before you make it back to a knot city.
Another mistake is ignoring the shared storage chest right outside the mine entrance. Other players often leave extra ceramic crates there for free, and you can drop off any extra supplies you don’t need to help out other couriers too. I once found 300 units of free ceramic there when I was short for a road build, so I always check it now before I start collecting.
You also don’t need to fight the small group of MULEs that sometimes camp the upper entrance of the mine. There’s a narrow trail on the western side of the hill that lets you sneak past them completely, so you don’t risk losing cargo in a fight. It takes an extra two minutes to take the trail, but it’s worth it to avoid the hassle.
Once you get into a regular farming routine, the Death Stranding 2 ceramics mine will quickly become one of the most valuable spots on your map. It eliminates the need to hunt for small ceramic scraps across the map, and lets you focus on completing deliveries and building out the Central Region’s infrastructure instead of grinding for materials. Play around with the route and tips I shared to find what works best for your play style, and don’t be afraid to leave extra supplies in the shared chest for other players if you have more ceramic than you need.
