We need them nuggs.
Early in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’ll be asked by our good pal Nook for a big wedge of iron nuggets. They’re not easy to come by – here’s how to get them.
Iron Nuggets are required to build Nook’s Cranny, as well as a load of furniture needed to get new villagers into your town. The game isn’t great at telling you how you come about this mysterious mineral, so we’re here to help.
How to farm Iron Nuggets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The most efficient way we’ve found to get Iron Nuggets is by bashing it out of rocks on your island. Remember, each island has a limited number of rocks, so make sure you have a sturdy utensil to hit them with beforehand. A couple Stone Axes or a Shovel will do the job nicely.
You can hit each rock up to 8 times. This’ll require a little bit of precision, as you’re knocked back with each swing, but if you’re struggling you can dig a couple holes behind yourself as you begin hitting to avoid this. If you don’t do this though, it’s still possible to get 7 hits in, but dig holes for the full 8.
Not all the rock’s yields are going to be iron nuggets, but at least two or three should come out of each.
How do you get 30 though? You’ve already used up all your island’s rocks, right?
That’s where Nook Miles Tickets come in. Head over to the Nook Stop in the plaza, and select ‘Redeem Nook Miles’. From there, spend 2000 on a Nook Miles Ticket, and pop to see Orville at the airport. He’ll send you off to a deserted island filled with brand new trees and rocks, as well as a few coconuts to plant on your beaches.
Each island has 3 or 4 rocks, and Nook Miles are pretty easy to come by, especially with our Nook Miles guide page! You should be able to get the nuggets you need in no time.
More essential Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides
- 1. Tree Branches – Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to get tree branches fast
- 2. Tarantula Island – Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to get to tarantula island
- 3. Bells – Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to get Bells quickly
- 4. Iron Nuggets – Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to farm Iron Nuggets
- 5. Turnips – Animal Crossing New Horizons – Turnips and Stalk market guide
Other ways to get Iron Nuggets
You’ll be able to come across Iron Nuggets in other ways too.
If you have a friend with a bit more progress than you, you can ask them super nicely for iron nuggets. They can be posted by Orville or dropped on the ground on a visit to each other’s island.
Your animal villagers sometimes give you nuggets too – Rory gave us a handful once he found out Nook’s Cranny was in the process of being built!
There’s also the occasional balloon in the sky. Shoot it down with a slingshot and you might get lucky and find some iron nuggets in there.
That’s all for our iron nuggets guide. Hopefully you manage to find enough to get Timmy and Tommy’s humble shop up and running!
We’ve got more New Horizons guides available as well – check out our pages on how to get your tent moved, as well as our calendar of all the special events you’ve got to look forward to.
