Lithium is a Worlds Part II metal. You find it in purple-class systems, usually on ocean planets. This is the find guide. Stats and the full refine list stay on the item page. It is not a farm post.
What lithium is
Extracted text calls it a local metallic extract. Uncommon. Purple systems only. Typically found on ocean planets. Scan mineral formations with the Analysis Visor, or hit the large deposits.
Official Worlds Part II notes say gas giants and waterworlds each got their own terrain deposit materials. Crystallised Helium is the gas-giant one. Lithium is the ocean-side pair. Fandom’s Waterworld page says Lithium is always and only on Waterworlds. Extracted copy is softer (typically ocean). If those disagree in-game, trust the extracted id plus the official waterworld deposit line.
How to reach a purple system
Purple-class stars are new systems. Official notes: they were added without regenerating existing planets. You do not get them by warping into an old red, green, or blue system and hoping.
The drive is the Atlantid Drive. Extracted text: it lets the ship pass through the dissonant space around purple stellar bodies. Craft list is on that page (Indium, Atlantideum, Living Glass). Official story path is In Stellar Multitudes. The Autophage plot is a different post.
Once you are in a purple system, every planet has Quartzite. That is official. You will need it if you refine instead of dive.
How to find an ocean / water world
Official notes describe two useful planet types in purple systems:
Waterworlds are all ocean. Specialist aquatic landing technology is required. That upgrade is Aqua-jets.
Non-waterworld planets in those systems can still have extremely deep water next to normal land. Extracted Lithium text says typically ocean planets, so start with the waterworlds and the heavy-ocean worlds.
If you cannot land yet, skip to the refine section. You can still make Lithium in a Refiner.
How to harvest lithium
On the planet, use the Analysis Visor. Extracted text: large deposits, or common mineral formations after you inspect them. Official Worlds II also put large resource deposits underwater on all planets, and ultra-rich seams in the deepest water.
The Multi-Tool Terrain Manipulator is the usual dig tool for those deposits. Underwater, official Worlds II added a Dredging Laser for the Nautilon. Extracted data lists Lithium as one of its ingredients.
Bring oxygen and a Pressure Membrane if you are going deep. Official notes: deep water eats oxygen and life support faster.
How to refine lithium without diving
Extracted recipe: 1 Quartzite + 1 Crystallised Helium.
Quartzite is everywhere in purple systems. Crystallised Helium is the gas-giant deposit. If you can warp to purple stars but you do not have Aqua-jets yet, this is the loop. Helium on the giant, Quartzite on any local rock, then a Refiner.
The item page also lists a reverse transfer (Lithium plus Quartzite or Activated Quartzite back into Helium). Use that page for the full tree. This post is how to get Lithium, not a second recipe dump.
What lithium is used for
Official Worlds II added a Dredging Laser so the Nautilon can excavate underwater terrain. Extracted data lists Lithium as a Dredging Laser ingredient.
The water Reality Anchor crafts from 200 Lithium and 160 Quartzite. That is the extracted water-key recipe. Other Reality Anchors use different locals. Do not mix them up.
Lithium also refines into Helium, Activated Quartzite, and a few other products. Full list is on the Lithium page.
Sources
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
In purple-class star systems, typically on ocean planets. Extracted text marks Lithium as purple systems only. Official Worlds Part II notes give waterworlds their own terrain deposit materials.
Install an Atlantid Drive on your starship. Official Worlds Part II added purple-class stars as new systems, not a regen of old ones. The In Stellar Multitudes story is the official path to recover those systems.
Yes. Extracted recipe: 1 Quartzite plus 1 Crystallised Helium in a Refiner. Quartzite is on every planet in a purple system. Crystallised Helium is the gas-giant pair.
For a true waterworld, official notes say specialist aquatic landing technology is required. Aqua-jets are that landing upgrade. If you can already reach a purple system, you can also refine Lithium from Quartzite and Crystallised Helium.
Extracted crafts: the Nautilon Dredging Laser and a water Reality Anchor. Official Worlds Part II added the Dredging Laser so the Nautilon can excavate underwater terrain.