
Resources
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This article is about the current version of Resource. For the Atlas Rises version, see Resource (Atlas). |
Resources are the primary materials for multi-tool, starship, exosuit and exocraft upgrades, as well as base building.
Summary[ | ]
Resources in No Man's Sky are organised as Raw Materials in the in-game Guide based on type. When resources are mined, they are broken down into their chemical elements, and these can be combined into new products to be sold on the galactic market.
Technology is dependent on certain elements, so collecting element resources and alloys can unlock new multi-tools, starships, etc.
Resources can be obtained in a wide variety of ways. They can be purchased, mined from raw elements on the ground of planets (either by hand or with an Autonomous Mining Unit), mined from asteroids in space, harvested from plants, collected from the air (with an Atmosphere Harvester or Oxygen Harvester), given to you as gifts from animals you befriend, found in crates and containers on planet surfaces, and harvested by killing plants, animals and even sentinels. The abundance of elements varies significantly from one planet to another, and may be totally absent on a particular planet. As a result, some resources are easiest to obtain in ways other than mining.
Resources may also be converted into other resources with the use of the three different sized refiners.
Scanning[ | ]

Scanner "diamonds"
When the scanner is used on a planet, diamonds of red, yellow, and blue are displayed after the scan. Red indicates oxygen, yellow indicates sodium or sodium nitrate, and blue indicates di-hydrogen. All mineable deposits (those mined with the terrain manipulator) will have grids outlining the parts that will give resources when mined. Deposits that do not have grids DO NOT give resources when mined.
Scanning rock formations, fauna, crystals and flora with the Analysis Visor can reveal secondary resources, which can then be mined on all other instances of that scanned object. Flora are the plants and trees on a planet. Fauna means the animals. When you engage the scanner and look at an animal, a red or green dot will appear. Red means undiscovered and you should scan it. Green means discovered already. This dot does not appear when you look at flora. When you have scanned a new species of animal, plant or mineral the scanner will reward you with a small cash bonus. Then open the menu and go to Discoveries. Here you upload all of your discoveries and are rewarded with Nanite Clusters. A wise traveller would visit a Space Station and buy an S class scanner upgrades which boost your cash bonus considerably.
Elements[ | ]
Icon | Element | Abbrev | Group | Rarity | Base value units | Added |
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Carbon | C | Organic | Common | 12.0 | 1.0 |
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Condensed Carbon | C+ | Organic | Uncommon | 24.0 | 1.5 |
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Oxygen | O2 | Organic | Common | 34.0 | 1.5 |
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Hexite | X | Organic | Rare | 654.0 | 1.59 |
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Di-hydrogen | H | High Energy | Common | 34.0 | 1.5 |
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Deuterium | D | High Energy | Rare | 34.0 | 1.5 |
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Tritium | H3 | High Energy | Common | 6.0 | 1.5 |
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Ferrite Dust | Fe | Metallic | Common | 14.0 | 1.5 |
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Pure Ferrite | Fe+ | Metallic | Uncommon | 28.0 | 1.5 |
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Magnetised Ferrite | Fe++ | Metallic | Uncommon | 82.0 | 1.5 |
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Silicate Powder | Si | Metallic | Common | 2.0 | 2.0 |
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Sodium | Na | Catalytic | Common | 41.0 | 1.5 |
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Sodium Nitrate | Na+ | Catalytic | Uncommon | 82.0 | 1.5 |
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Cobalt | Co | Subterranean | Common | 76.0 | 1.5 |
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Ionised Cobalt | Co+ | Subterranean | Uncommon | 162.0 | 1.5 |
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Salt | NaCl | Aquatic | Common | 101.0 | 1.5 |
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Chlorine | Cl | Aquatic | Rare | 205.0 | 1.5 |
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Cyto-Phosphate | Cy | Organic Compound | Common | 201.0 | 1.7 |
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Copper | Cu | Stellar | Common | 41.0 | 1.0 |
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Cadmium | Cd | Stellar | Rare | 83.0 | 1.5 |
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Emeril | Em | Stellar | Rare | 114.0 | 1.0 |
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Indium | In | Stellar | Rare | 132.0 | 1.5 |
Quartzite | Qu | Stellar | Rare | 5.5 | ||
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Chromatic Metal | Ch | Stellar | Uncommon | 88.0 | 1.5 |
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Paraffinium | Pf | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Pyrite | Py | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Ammonia | NH3 | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Uranium | U | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Dioxite | C02 | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Phosphorus | P | Localised | Uncommon | 62.0 | 1.5 |
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Basalt | B | Localised | Unknown | 62.0 | 3.0 |
Crystallised Helium | He | Localised | Unknown | 62.0 | 5.5 | |
Lithium | Li | Localised | Unknown | 62.0 | 5.5 | |
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Tainted Metal | Un | Localised | Uncommon | 380.0 | 3.05 |
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Mordite | Mo | Harvested | Uncommon | 40.0 | 1.1 |
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Pugneum | Pg | Anomalous | Rare | 138.0 | 1.1 |
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Silver | Ag | Asteroid | Common | 186.0 | 1.5 |
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Gold | Au | Asteroid | Uncommon | 353.0 | 1.0 |
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Platinum | Pt | Asteroid | Rare | 505.0 | 1.0 |
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Sulphurine | Su | Gas | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Radon | Rn | Gas | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Nitrogen | N | Gas | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
Methane | CH4 | Gas | Uncommon | 20.0 | 5.5 | |
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Activated Copper | Cu+ | Stellar | Common | 75.0 | 1.5 |
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Activated Cadmium | Cd+ | Stellar | Rare | 111.0 | 1.5 |
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Activated Emeril | Em+ | Stellar | Rare | 134.0 | 1.5 |
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Activated Indium | In+ | Stellar | Rare | 165.0 | 1.5 |
Activated Quartzite | Qu+ | Stellar | Rare | 165.0 | 5.5 | |
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Fungal Mould | Ml | Agricultural | Uncommon | 16.0 | 1.1 |
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Frost Crystal | Fc | Agricultural | Uncommon | 12.0 | 1.1 |
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Gamma Root | Gr | Agricultural | Uncommon | 16.0 | 1.1 |
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Cactus Flesh | Cc | Agricultural | Uncommon | 28.0 | 1.1 |
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Solanium | So | Agricultural | Uncommon | 70.0 | 1.1 |
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Star Bulb | Sb | Agricultural | Uncommon | 32.0 | 1.3 |
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Marrow Bulb | Bu | Agricultural | Uncommon | 41.0 | 1.1 |
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Kelp Sac | Ke | Agricultural | Uncommon | 41.0 | 1.1 |
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Faecium | Fa | Agricultural | Uncommon | 30.0 | 1.1 |
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Residual Goop | Jn | Junk | Common | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Runaway Mould | Jn | Junk | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Rusted Metal | Jn | Junk | Common | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Living Slime | Jn | Junk | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Viscous Fluids | Jn | Junk | Uncommon | 20.0 | 1.3 |
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Somnal Dust | ? | Special | Common | 1,616.0 | 3.9 |
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Ancestral Memories | ? | Special | Common | 1,616.0 | 3.9 |
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Liquid Sun | ? | Special | Common | 16.0 | 2.3 |
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Nanite Cluster | ∞ | Special | Rare | 137.5 | 1.2 |
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Atlantideum | ∞ | Special | Rare | 138.0 | 4.2 |
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Cursed Dust | ∞ | Special | Rare | 959.0 | 3.7 |
Natural Sources[ | ]
Resource Deposits[ | ]
Resource Deposits are concentrated nodes of a certain element. These nodes may be harvested with a Terrain Manipulator, Exocraft Mining Laser or Autonomous Mining Unit.
- Stellar metal nodes (Copper, Cadmium, Emeril, Indium, and Quartzite) and their activated variants have a metallic colour and are shaped like a really rough half-sphere. They have the same colours as the metals they contain and each corresponds to a particular star spectral class.
- Localised elements (Ammonia, Dioxite, Paraffinium, Phosphorus, Pyrite, Rusted Metal, Uranium, Basalt, Crystallised Helium, and Lithium) can generate as resource deposits which are similar in shape to those of stellar metals. Each element is associated with a specific biome.
- Other elements (Cobalt, Silver, Gold, Magnetised Ferrite, Salt and Sodium) may generate as resource deposits on any planet.
It is possible to find bigger nodes which contain more elements than usual. There's a chance that those nodes can be marked by scanning in space with a spaceship.
Crystals and Minerals[ | ]
Some elements can also be found in crystalline form, showing up on the Scanner. The colour of the crystal indicates which element is present, and the size usually determines whether Advanced Mining Laser functionality is required to harvest.
- Blue crystals are Di-hydrogen. Common.
- Red crystals contain Condensed Carbon. Uncommon.
- Yellow crystals are composed of Sodium Nitrate. Uncommon. (All sizes require Advanced Mining Laser functionality to harvest.)
Other elements may be contained within minerals. Large minerals usually require Advanced Mining Laser functionality to harvest.
- Ferrite Dust (small minerals on land)
- Pure Ferrite (large minerals on land)
Cobalt (in caves)
Silver / Gold / Platinum (rarely replaces Cobalt in caves)
Salt (small minerals underwater)
Chlorine (large minerals underwater)
Flora and Fauna[ | ]
Some elements can be found as compounds in certain flora (including hazardous flora) on planet surfaces:
Carbon
Sodium (yellow flowers, hazardous flora in caves)
Oxygen (red flowers/bulbs)
Marrow Bulb (in caves)
Star Bulb (on lush worlds)
Cactus Flesh (on desert worlds)
Gamma Root (on radioactive worlds)
Fungal Mould (on toxic worlds)
Frost Crystal (on frozen worlds)
Solanium (on hot worlds)
Kelp Sac (underwater)
Cyto-Phosphate (underwater)
Additionally, these elements can be collected from fauna interactions, but can also be farmed:
Asteroids[ | ]
Certain elements occur abundantly in the asteroids between planets. These asteroids can be harvested with any starship weapon.
Special elements[ | ]
Anomalous Material[ | ]
Decayed Spacetime Remnant[ | ]
Disharmonic Metal[ | ]
Highly Refined Stellar Metal[ | ]
Junk[ | ]
Recessive Creature Genes[ | ]
Salvaged scrap[ | ]
Technological Currency[ | ]
Transmuted Metal[ | ]
Unrefined Organic Element[ | ]
Important Resources[ | ]
- Carbon - Carbon's main use in No Man's Sky, especially in the earlier stages, is to refuel your multitool's Mining Beam. As you'll be using this a lot in the game, having a good supply of Carbon is almost a must. It's also used in countless crafting, refining, and cooking recipes, and is used to make Condensed Carbon.
- However, Carbon is usually very common on planets, since it can be mined from flora easily.
- Additionally, Carbon is used to make Condensed Carbon, an efficient fuel source.
- Oxygen - Oxygen is used in order to refuel your Life Support system, one of the most important meters you want to keep filled up in order to survive. It's also used in various crafting and refining recipes. One of the most critical ones is that Oxygen is used to make Antimatter Housing, which is necessary for a Warp Cell.
- Luckily, Oxygen is fairly common. When on a planet, red, Oxygen-rich plants can be found across the planetary surface, and can be collected directly. Oxygen can also sometimes be gathered when mining various plant life with your mining beam, like most Hazardous Flora.
- Sodium - Sodium will mostly be used to refuel your Hazard Protection when cover isn't available, as well as your Starships' shields. Hazard protection is the meter that keeps you safe from the elements - extreme heat, cold, radiation and toxicity. Sodium is also used in many crafting and refining recipes, and used to make Sodium Nitrate.
- Sodium is a relatively common resources, and isn't very hard to find. Bright yellow, Sodium-rich flora is usually present on every planet — they're fairly easy to spot due to their shining yellow color, but you can also use your also scanner to locate them. You can pick them up with your bare hands.
- Di-Hydrogen - Di-hydrogen's primary use in the game is to refuel your starship's Launch Thrusters, by making Starship Launch Fuel, allowing you to take flight. It's also a common ingredient in crafting and refining recipes, and is used to craft Di-hydrogen Jelly.
- Di-hydrogen Jelly is actually used to make a highly affective fuel for Life Support, the Life Support Gel, along with Carbon.
- Di-hydrogen is found on the surface of nearly every planet in the game. It takes the form of spikes of bright blue crystal, range in size, and you can gather them with only your mining beam.
- Ferrite Dust - Ferrite Dust is primarily used in most crafting recipes, directly or indirectly, and will be very important throughout the game as you build your equipment. It is also used in several refining recipes. The most important ones include Pure Ferrite and Magnetised Ferrite.
- Ferrite Dust can be found basically everywhere on a planet. You'll receive Ferrite Dust from most minerals and rocks, which are extremely common throughout the entire game. However, you do need a mining beam for it.
- Ferrite Dust can also be used to fuel Terrain Manipulator, although it's not very efficient.
- Tritium - Tritium's main usage in the game is to refuel your starship's Pulse Engine, which is what allows you to travel at much higher speeds in outer space. It is also used in quite a few crafting recipes, mainly for Freighters or other technologies.
- The usual way to collect Tritium is to shoot or mine asteroids while traveling in space. Asteroids are fairly common, so it doesn't take long to gather a sufficient of Tritium to power your Pulse Engine.
- Chromatic Metal - Chromatic Metal is one of the most crucial materials in the game, but is not very common, especially in the earlier stages of the game. It is used for the manufacturing of many technologies, including the Boltcaster, the Haz-Mat Gauntlet and the Cadmium Drive.
- Chromatic Metal can be obtained by refining Stellar Metals, which is the main method early on in the game. It can also be obtained by shooting down freighter cargo pods containing Chromatic Metal in space. Occasionally, rocks can have Chromatic Metal as a trace element.
Note: All the resources mentioned above can be bought from Galactic Trade Terminals.
Additional information[ | ]
- During an interview with Sean Murray, he was asked how far down you can dig. Sean said "you can dig like 128 meters down into a planet." [1] This sets a limit on how deep mining and exploration can take place.
- When art director Grant Duncan wanted the possibility of green skies over a planet, the development team at Hello Games had to redesign the periodic table to create atmospheric particles that would diffract light at just the right wavelength.
- Sean Murray commented during a gameinformer interview, "We just wanted to be a bit freer. There's only something like seven different compounds or something like that that we create really good types of liquids that you could have creatures survive in. And we might want more than that for the game. We might want to decide our own rules and you just get tied up into too many conversations about it and things like that. Sometimes gameplay and science don't sync together. That's sort of a shame but I think for the best."[2]
- In-game guide added in the NEXT update, which includes Raw Material classification of the resources, see screenshots below.
- Items in the "junk" section, with the exception of Rusted Metal, can be refined into each each other on a 1:1 scale, and eventually Runaway Mould can be refined into nanites at a 5:1 scale.
See Also[ | ]
Release history[ | ]
- NEXT - This update massively changed most resources in the game, either by removing them entirely, renaming them, or giving them new uses. Resources in inventories from old saves will be replaced by the new ones once they are updated. Refer to the Atlas Rises version of the Resource page for more information on these original elements.
- NEXT 1.59 - Hexite added as part of Community Research (week 2) mission.
- Abyss - Cyto-Phosphate added to some underwater plants.
- Desolation - Tainted Metal on boards of Derelict Freighters added.
- Expedition 4: Emergence - Added Cursed Dust
- Expedition 7: Leviathan - Somnal Dust and Ancestral Memories added
- Interceptor - Atlantideum added.
- Worlds Part II — Quartzite, its activated variant, Methane, Crystallised Helium, and Lithium added.
Gallery[ | ]
References[ | ]
- ↑ Giant Bombcast (23 June 2015). 'Giant Bombcast - 1:10:00 mark'.
- ↑ Vore, Bryan (26 December 2014). [www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/12/26/an-assortment-of-lesser-known-no-man-s-sky-facts.aspx An Assortment Of Lesser-Known No Man's Sky Facts]. gameinformer. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
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