Ion Cube

This article is about Ion Cubes in Subnautica. To see this subject's article on the Below Zero Wiki, click here.

This article is about Ion Cube. You may be looking for Ion Battery or Ion Power Cell.

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Ion Cube
Category	Raw Materials
Description	High capacity energy source.
Acquired From	Large Resource Deposits
Size	1
Location	Alien Thermal Plant Blood Kelp Zone Sanctuary Cache Deep Sparse Reef Sanctuary Cache Disease Research Facility Dunes Sanctuary Caches Lost River Laboratory Cache Primary Containment Facility Quarantine Enforcement Platform
Debug Spawn	precursorioncrystal

Large Ion Cube Deposit
Category	Large Resource Deposits
Location	Alien Thermal Plant Primary Containment Facility
Drops	3 - 12

Ion Cubes are a piece of technology created by the Precursors. They can contain massive amounts of energy equivalent to a 'small nuclear detonation' in a stable state. Ion Cubes are used to power certain Precursor devices, such as Alien Arches, which will only function once an Ion Cube has been inserted. They can be used to craft Alien Tablets, as well as powerful Ion Batteries and Ion Power Cells.

Ion Cubes can be found in Alien Bases and some Alien Caches. Large Ion Cube Deposits can be found in the Alien Thermal Plant and the Primary Containment Facility. Like all large resource deposits, the Prawn Suit Drill Arm can break the deposit down into individual materials.

An unending supply of Ion Cubes can be acquired from the Large Ion Cube Deposit in the antechamber of the Primary Containment Facility; after the deposit has been depleted, the platform raises up and a ceiling-mounted laser begins generating a new deposit. Each of these deposits yield three Ion Cubes.

Important Notes

• Until the Primary Containment Facility is unlocked, Ion Cubes are a rare, finite and valuable resource. Players should think carefully before crafting Ion Cubes into other items and exercise caution when carrying Ion Cubes in their inventory.
• There are only 26 Ion Cubes spread across all Alien Caches and Bases that are collectible without the Prawn Suit's Drill Arm.

Uses in Crafting

Fabricator

Data Bank Entry

This green mineral substance has no entry on the periodic table, and an unprecedented ability to store huge amounts of ionic energy within it. - Likely grown artificially - Cubic appearance suggests it has been cut from a larger deposit - Each cube contains the equivalent ionic energy of 5 kilotons of TNT - Under the right conditions the energy could be released in a controlled manner - Likely used as batteries, but would require a substantial power source to be recharged Assessment: Valuable energy source

Gallery

An Ion Cube held in the Player's hands

An Ion Cube on a pedestal in the Quarantine Enforcement Platform

Another Ion Cube on a pedestal in the Disease Research Facility

Yet another Ion Cube on a pedestal, in the Lost River Laboratory

An Ion Cube Deposit in the Alien Thermal Plant

Ion Cube In-game

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SN IonCrystal 01

Animations

SN IonCrystal 02

More Animations - glowing in the night

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Concept art

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Trivia

• The former name for the Ion Cube was Ion Crystal.
• The Ion Cube was originally planned to also have use in the Ion Cube Matrix crafting recipe.
• It is interesting to note that the laser in the Primary Containment Facility seems to generate Ion Cubes using the same mechanism as a standard Fabricator.
• They appear to be crystalized Ion Energy.