The BP12 Pickaxe Showdown: Cobalt vs Chromium
At Blueprint Level 12, Tectonic Industries offers two of the most powerful pickaxes in the game: the Cobalt Pickaxe and the Chromium Pickaxe. Both are crafted from BP12-tier ores, both feature unique special effects, and both are significant upgrades over anything available at lower Blueprint levels. But despite sharing the same Blueprint tier, these two pickaxes could not be more different in practice.
The Cobalt Pickaxe boasts the highest raw power in the game at 17.5 and a 25% bonus to non-stone ores. The Chromium Pickaxe has lower raw power at 5 but compensates with a massive 50% bonus to stone-type ores. This fundamental difference in design philosophy means the two pickaxes excel in completely different scenarios, and choosing the right one can significantly impact your mining efficiency and profits.
This guide provides an exhaustive comparison of the Cobalt Pickaxe versus the Chromium Pickaxe, examining every aspect from raw stats to real-world profit impact. By the end, you will know exactly which pickaxe to craft first and when to use each one.
Head-to-Head Stat Comparison
Let us start with the raw numbers. The differences between these two pickaxes are immediately apparent when you look at their specifications side by side.
| Stat | Cobalt Pickaxe | Chromium Pickaxe |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 17.5 | 5 |
| Special Effect | Non-stone ore +25% | Stone-type ore +50% |
| Crafting Material | Cobalt ore | Chromium ore |
| Blueprint Requirement | BP12 | BP12 |
| Effective Power (non-stone) | ~21.9 (17.5 x 1.25) | 5 |
| Effective Power (stone-type) | 17.5 | ~7.5 (5 x 1.5) |
The power gap is enormous. Even when the Chromium Pickaxe's 50% stone bonus is applied, its effective power on stone-type ores (7.5) is less than half of the Cobalt Pickaxe's base power (17.5). And on non-stone ores, the Cobalt Pickaxe's effective power of 21.9 completely dwarfs the Chromium Pickaxe's 5.
Understanding the Special Effects
The special effects of these pickaxes are what define them. Understanding exactly how each bonus works is critical for making the right choice.
Cobalt Pickaxe: Non-Stone Ore +25%
The Cobalt Pickaxe's 25% bonus applies to all ores that are not classified as stone-type. This includes the vast majority of valuable ores in the game:
| Ore Type | Classification | Bonus Applies? | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Non-stone | Yes | High |
| Silver | Non-stone | Yes | Medium-High |
| Cobalt | Non-stone | Yes | Very High |
| Chromium | Non-stone | Yes | Very High |
| Lead | Non-stone | Yes | Extremely High |
| Sulfur | Non-stone | Yes | High |
| Oil | Non-stone | Yes | Very High |
| Tin | Non-stone | Yes | Medium-High |
| Iron | Non-stone | Yes | Medium |
| Copper | Non-stone | Yes | Low |
| Coal | Non-stone | Yes | Medium |
| Zinc | Non-stone | Yes | Medium |
| Stone | Stone-type | No | Very Low |
| Granite | Stone-type | No | Low-Medium |
Out of 15 ore types in the game, only 2 are classified as stone-type (Stone and Granite). This means the Cobalt Pickaxe's bonus applies to 13 out of 15 ores, including every single high-value ore in the game. The 25% bonus on non-stone ores effectively makes the Cobalt Pickaxe even more powerful than its base Power 17.5 suggests when mining for profit.
Chromium Pickaxe: Stone-Type Ore +50%
The Chromium Pickaxe's 50% bonus applies only to stone-type ores. In the current game, this covers:
| Ore Type | Classification | Bonus Applies? | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone | Stone-type | Yes | Very Low |
| Granite | Stone-type | Yes | Low-Medium |
| All other ores | Non-stone | No | Varies |
Only 2 out of 15 ore types benefit from the Chromium Pickaxe's bonus. Both Stone and Granite are among the least valuable ores in the game, which significantly limits the practical value of the 50% bonus. Even with the bonus, mining Stone and Granite with the Chromium Pickaxe generates less profit per minute than mining virtually any non-stone ore with the Cobalt Pickaxe.
Real-World Profit Comparison
Numbers on a spreadsheet are useful, but what matters is how much money you actually make. Let us compare the profit per minute of each pickaxe across different mining scenarios.
Scenario 1: Mining Gold at 200-300m
| Pickaxe | Power | Bonus | Effective Yield | Gold Value per Min | Profit per Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt | 17.5 | +25% non-stone | 21.9 effective | High | Very High |
| Chromium | 5 | None (Gold is non-stone) | 5 effective | High | Medium |
Mining Gold with the Cobalt Pickaxe is approximately 4.4 times more profitable than with the Chromium Pickaxe, because Gold is non-stone and benefits from the Cobalt bonus.
Scenario 2: Mining Granite at 150-250m
| Pickaxe | Power | Bonus | Effective Yield | Granite Value per Min | Profit per Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt | 17.5 | None (Granite is stone) | 17.5 effective | Low-Medium | Medium |
| Chromium | 5 | +50% stone | 7.5 effective | Low-Medium | Low-Medium |
Even in the Chromium Pickaxe's best-case scenario (mining stone-type ores), the Cobalt Pickaxe still wins because its raw Power 17.5 exceeds the Chromium Pickaxe's effective 7.5 on stone ores. Granite's low value further limits the Chromium Pickaxe's profit potential.
Scenario 3: Mining Lead at 400-500m
| Pickaxe | Power | Bonus | Effective Yield | Lead Value per Min | Profit per Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt | 17.5 | +25% non-stone | 21.9 effective | Extremely High | Maximum |
| Chromium | 5 | None (Lead is non-stone) | 5 effective | Extremely High | High |
Lead mining is where the Cobalt Pickaxe truly shines. At the highest-value ore in the game with a 25% bonus, the Cobalt Pickaxe generates the maximum possible profit per minute of any pickaxe-ore combination.
When to Choose the Chromium Pickaxe
Despite the Cobalt Pickaxe's overwhelming superiority in most scenarios, there are a few situations where the Chromium Pickaxe has value.
Bulk stone processing operations: If your tycoon strategy revolves around processing massive quantities of Stone and Granite through high-speed refineries, the 50% stone bonus can generate decent volume-based profits. When you are processing thousands of stone units per hour, the 50% yield boost adds up.
Forge recipe requirements: Some forge recipes require large quantities of Stone or Granite as ingredients. The Chromium Pickaxe helps you gather these materials faster than using the Cobalt Pickaxe on stone-type deposits.
Collection completion: If you want to own every pickaxe in the game, you will need to craft the Chromium Pickaxe eventually. There is no reason to rush it, but it belongs in any complete equipment collection.
Gemstone hunting in stone-rich areas: Some gemstones spawn in areas with heavy stone deposits. The Chromium Pickaxe's stone bonus can help you clear through stone layers faster to reach embedded gemstones, though the actual gemstone mining is better done with the Cobalt Pickaxe.
| Scenario | Best Pickaxe | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| General mining for profit | Cobalt | Higher power + useful bonus |
| Gold, Silver, Lead mining | Cobalt | 25% bonus on non-stone ores |
| Bulk Stone/Granite collection | Chromium | 50% stone bonus |
| Forge recipe ingredient gathering | Depends on material | Use the matching pickaxe |
| Gemstone hunting | Cobalt | Faster rock clearing overall |
| Endgame Lead mining | Cobalt | Maximum profit potential |
Crafting Priority: Which to Make First
If you can only craft one BP12 pickaxe, the answer is clear: craft the Cobalt Pickaxe first. Its combination of the highest power in the game and a bonus that applies to 87% of all ore types makes it far more valuable than the Chromium Pickaxe in almost every scenario.
| Factor | Cobalt Pickaxe | Chromium Pickaxe |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting Priority | First | Second |
| General Usefulness | 10/10 | 4/10 |
| Profit Impact | Massive | Moderate |
| Versatility | Extremely High | Low |
| Rarity of Material | Rare (Cobalt ore) | Rare (Chromium ore) |
| Long-term Value | Essential | Situational |
After crafting the Cobalt Pickaxe, consider crafting the Chromium Pickaxe as a secondary tool for specific stone-mining tasks. But do not rush it. Your Cobalt Pickaxe will handle 95% of your mining needs, and the Chromium Pickaxe is a niche tool that can wait until you have surplus Chromium ore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Cobalt Pickaxe bonus stack with other bonuses?
The Cobalt Pickaxe's 25% non-stone bonus applies to your base mining yield. It is a standalone effect that increases the amount of non-stone ore you extract per mining action. It does not stack multiplicatively with other pickaxe bonuses since you can only equip one pickaxe at a time. However, it does stack with drill efficiency and refinery bonuses, which are separate systems.
Can I switch between the Cobalt and Chromium Pickaxes freely?
Yes, you can switch between any pickaxe in your inventory at any time. If you have both the Cobalt and Chromium Pickaxes, you could theoretically switch to the Chromium Pickaxe when mining Stone or Granite and switch back to the Cobalt Pickaxe for everything else. However, in practice, the Cobalt Pickaxe's raw power is so much higher that switching is rarely worth the effort, even for stone-type mining.
Is the Chromium Pickaxe's 50% bonus worth the lower power?
In most cases, no. The Chromium Pickaxe's effective power on stone-type ores is 7.5 (Power 5 x 1.5 bonus), which is still far below the Cobalt Pickaxe's base power of 17.5. The 50% bonus would need to apply to much more valuable materials to compensate for the power gap. Since only Stone and Granite are stone-type ores, both of which are low-value, the Chromium Pickaxe's bonus does not make up for its lower raw power.
Where can I find Cobalt and Chromium ore to craft these pickaxes?
Both Cobalt and Chromium ores spawn at 185-400m depth, unlocked by their respective drills at Blueprint Level 12. You can also find them manually with your pickaxe while mining in this depth range. Join the Tectonic Industries Discord for community tips on efficient ore farming, or start mining at Roblox.