How to obtain chromatic metal for the first phase of the latest Expedition?

[lava.drop]

I just started the newest expedition and I have done all the previous expeditions.
I'm a day one player also.
The second mission requires chromatic metal which can only be obtained by refining copper. Copper can only be obtained from either using the terrain manipulator or mining for a good amount of time in SOME caves.
My current expedition save is missing the Terrain Manipulator recipe and I can't buy it from merchants.
Am I the only one or did you all bite the bullet and mine the rare stones underground?

[Gerustroncio]

You can get it in the anomaly

Haven't tried this expedition yet but I imagine you can spawn it anywhere as usual?

[Jouchebag]

You shouldn't be missing the terrain manipulator. Came standard in my expedition.

[lava.drop]

Nope, I can only craft shields and the boltcaster. I also tried a new expedition save and it’s still missing the manipulator recipe.

[SirProsik]

Manipulator was on my multi-tool at the start,

[Jouchebag]

I mean, I could be misremembering... but it was like two days ago... I left the freighter, landed on some planet in the system, and started digging up copper...

Just loaded that save, it has about 30 minutes and a manipulator.

[SirProsik]

Will the recipe be a possible drop from recycling a tool maybe?

[Aurelia]

The expedition starts you with it pre-installed in the multi-tool, aswell as having the recipe already learned. I just started a completely new expedition to confirm that.

If it's true that you don't have them, then something weird is going on with your game. If it's not mods interfering, then try revalidating your game files.

[lava.drop]

I restarted the save and it works now, I have the tool and mined copper... :/

[maledetti]

I had to restart too, to get it. Which I didn't think of, until reading this. Thanks for the suggestion.