Refined Iron Sand is the elusive crafting material that every Black Myth: Wukong player craves to upgrade their weapons to epic and legendary status. But where exactly can you find this rare resource before you reach the mid-game? From secret shrines hidden behind breakable sand walls to defeating formidable bosses like the Black Loong and exploring the mysterious Kingdom of Sahali, this guide reveals all the key locations and methods to gather Refined Iron Sand on both PC and PlayStation. Prepare to uncover the secrets that will empower your journey as the Destined One.
What is refined iron sand in Black Myth: Wukong?
Refined iron sand in Black Myth: Wukong is an epic-tier crafting material essential for upgrading and crafting powerful epic and legendary weapons. It is a rare resource that players typically start to find in chapter 3, particularly in the region called The New West. This material is required in varying amounts depending on the weapon or upgrade, often alongside other rare items. For example, the legendary Spikeshaft Staff needs eight pieces of refined iron sand plus other rare components. Early in the game, refined iron sand is scarce or unavailable, but as players progress, especially after chapter 3, it becomes more common through enemy drops, chests, boss rewards, and shrine purchases, though the latter are limited and costly. Collecting refined iron sand is crucial for enhancing your weaponry and advancing effectively in the game.
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 in Black Myth: Wukong is primarily found starting from Chapter 2, with more abundant sources appearing in Chapter 3 and beyond. Early in Chapter 2, you can obtain pieces by defeating bosses such as Black Loong behind the sand waterfall and Fubon in the secret Kingdom of Sahali, as well as purchasing limited amounts from the shrine store in that area. In Chapter 3, refined iron sand becomes more accessible by defeating stronger enemies in the Pagoda Realm of The New West, opening rare chests, and buying from shrine shops, though quantities remain limited. This material is essential for crafting and upgrading epic and legendary weapons, making it a valuable resource to collect as you progress through the game.
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.
What secret locations in Valley of Despair hide refined iron sand
In the Valley of Despair, a secret location hiding Refined Iron Sand can be found by heading to the cave near the shrine. From there, proceed forward, turn left, and descend into an area where a wall adorned with numerous figurines stands. Using the Wandering Wight Spirit Skill to break this wall reveals a spacious hidden chamber containing a chest with a Loong Scale. This Loong Scale is key to accessing another secret boss fight behind a sand waterfall in Rockrest Flat, where defeating the Black Loong boss rewards you with two pieces of Refined Iron Sand.
Additionally, completing the Drunken Boar questline in Rockrest Flat leads to a secret area called the Kingdom of Sahali, where you can purchase one piece of Refined Iron Sand from a shrine shop. Together with the drops from Black Loong and the Yellow Wind Sage boss, these secret locations in the Valley of Despair and surrounding areas provide early access to Refined Iron Sand before Act 3.
Do the secret boss fights at the waterfall and sand wall contain refined iron sand
The secret boss fight behind the sand waterfall in Rockrest Flats, where you face the Black Loong, does drop Refined Iron Sand-specifically, defeating Black Loong rewards you with two pieces of Refined Iron Sand. However, the secret boss fight at the waterfall near the Outside the Forest shrine in Act 1 does not drop any Refined Iron Sand, even though you can access it using the Loong Scale obtained by breaking the large wall in Act 2.
