If you've started playing No Man's Sky, chances are you've quickly ended up with a lot of resources. Planets are densely packed with minerals to mine and collect, and knowing which ones to focus on will make it much easier to plan for future exploration and avoid being stranded without resources. There are also a bunch of elements that are rare and valuable in trade, and you should definitely collect them if you stumble across them in the game.
It can be difficult to keep track of all the different resources in the game, so we've put together a guide breaking down the different types and purposes of the minerals. We'll be updating this as we get more information about some of the rarer minerals and alloys, too, so check back here in the future!
Oxides:
- Iron: Found in rock formations and on asteroids. Used in crafting of various perks and items.
- Titanium: Found in yellow crystalline formations, primarily on hot planets. Used in the creation of advanced technology and devices. Can also be used to recharge hazard protection.
- Zinc: Found in yellow flowering plants on planets. Used in crafting different components and devices. Can also be used to recharge hazard protection.
Isotopes:
- Carbon: Found in planetary flora. Used as fuel and energy for exosuit systems and weapons.
- Plutonium: Found in spiky ore formations on planets, both on the surface and (more frequently) in caves. Used as a necessary fuel for launch thrusters and energy for exosuit systems and weapons, and also it is a required resource for crafting technology.
- Thamium9: Found in red flowering plants on planets and in asteroids. Used as fuel (specifically for Pulse Drive) and energy, and it is a necessary resource for researching technology such as the hyperdrive.
Silicates:
- Chrysonite: Found in blue crystal formations on planets. Used in crafting technology and perks.
- Heridium: Found in terrain formations (marked by holographic cubes). Used in crafting certain spaceship and multi-tool perks.
- Platinum: Found in certain blue plants on planets. Used in crafting exosuit, multi-tool, and spaceship perks.
Neutrals:
- Aluminum: Found in rock formations or in asteroids. Used in crafting perks.
- Copper: Found in rock formations or in asteroids. Used in crafting.
- Emeril: Found in rock formations on planets. Used in crafting.
- Gold: Found in rock formations or in asteroids. Used in crafting and specifically valued in trade.
- Iridium: Found in rock formations (often marked by holographic cubes) and at the core of Thamium9 asteroids. Valuable in trade.
- Nickel: Found in asteroids and by feeding animals. Used in crafting.
Precious Elements:
- Calium: Found in blob-like species. Rare and valuable in trade.
- Omegon: Found by feeding animals. Very rare and extremely valuable in trade.
- Radnox: Found in rock formations on planets. Very rare and extremely valuable in trade.
Alloys:
- Lemmium: Heavy metal alloy. Used in freighter production. Valuable in trade.
- Terumin: Light metal alloy. Used in trading shuttles to reduce weight.
- Herox: Neutral alloy with a variety of uses. Valuable in trade.
- Magmox: Lustrous alloy. Very valuable.
Be sure to also check out our feature, No Man's Sky: Everything You Need to Know. We've made starter's guides, posted a ton of gameplay, and have a review in progress for the game.
