I’ve spent over 300 hours roaming No Man’s Sky’s procedurally generated galaxies, and I still get frustrated when I run short of platinum right when I need to upgrade my exosuit or repair a damaged freighter warp drive. If you’re in the same boat, learning how to get platinum in No Man’s Sky consistently will save you hours of aimless wandering and let you focus on the parts of the game you actually enjoy. Platinum is one of the most versatile rare resources in the game, used for everything from high-tier crafting to trading for huge sums of units at space stations. This guide breaks down the easiest, most repeatable methods I’ve tested across multiple playthroughs, so you never run low again.
How to Get Platinum in No Man’s Sky by Scouting the Right Planets
The most straightforward method for new players is to seek out planets that naturally spawn platinum deposits, and you don’t need any high-tier upgrades to do this. Before you warp to a new system, open the discovery menu and scan each planet’s resource list to see if platinum is listed as a local resource. If you’re just starting out and don't have the resources for automated farming yet, this scouting method is the most reliable way to get platinum in No Man's Sky without any extra unlocks.
Platinum spawns most often on frozen, barren, or irradiated planets, so prioritize checking those first. Lush, tropical, or desert planets almost never have significant platinum deposits, so you can skip those entirely to save time. Once you land, pull out your analysis visor and ping for resource nodes; platinum will show up as a bright blue marker, usually clustered in open, rocky areas.
You’ll also find platinum in large rock outcroppings and floating crystal formations that spawn above the ground on high-metal planets. These formations give far more platinum per minute of mining than small surface nodes, so always prioritize them if you see them. I usually spend 10 to 15 minutes scanning a planet after landing to find these clusters, and I can easily walk away with 500+ platinum in a single trip.
Automated Platinum Farming for Passive Stockpiles
Once you have a base computer and basic building supplies unlocked, you can set up a passive platinum farm that produces resources while you explore other parts of the galaxy. First, find a large platinum deposit using your analysis visor – you’ll see a “deposit” label next to the resource icon, along with a yield rating. Look for deposits with a yield of 70 or higher, as lower yield deposits aren’t worth the effort of building a full farm around.
Place a base computer within 300 units of the deposit to claim the area, then set up one or more mineral extractors directly on top of the deposit. You’ll need to power the extractors, and solar panels paired with batteries work best for remote planets where you don’t want to haul fuel for generators. Add a storage silo next to each extractor to hold the platinum while you’re away, so the extractor doesn’t stop producing once its internal inventory is full.
A single high-yield platinum deposit can produce 100+ units of platinum every 15 minutes without any input from you. If you set up three or four extractors on the same deposit, you can come back after a few hours of exploring to collect 2,000+ platinum. I have three of these farms set up across my home system, and I only have to check them once every play session to keep my storage full. The only downside is the upfront cost of building the extractors and power supply, but you’ll make that back in saved time within a few days.
Alternative Fast Methods to Farm Platinum Without Mining
If you hate running around planets with a mining laser, there are plenty of other ways to stockpile platinum that fit more laid-back playstyles. I use a mix of these methods when I’m tired of mining, and they’re just as effective for building up a large stock quickly. If you hate mining entirely, these methods are perfect for you to get platinum in No Man's Sky without ever pulling out your multitool.
- Complete frigate expeditions: Commercial and exploration frigate missions often reward 500+ platinum as a bonus payout, and you can send them out while you do other activities. Just make sure your frigates are high enough level for the mission to avoid them taking damage or failing the task.
- Loot crashed freighters and cargo pods: You can find 200-300 platinum in damaged cargo containers on crashed freighters, just make sure to bring a multitool with good scanning to find them fast. You don’t even have to fix the freighter to loot the cargo pods scattered around the crash site.
- Trade for platinum with space station NPCs: If you have extra rare resources like activated indium or storm crystals, you can trade them for platinum at most space stations, usually at a fair exchange rate. This is a great option if you already have a farm for another high-value resource.
- Open anomalous and reward caches: Caches found in derelict freighters, abandoned buildings, and Nexus missions often include platinum as a random reward. Derelict freighters in particular usually have at least 300 platinum hidden in their storage rooms.
Nexus community missions often have platinum as a top reward for completing simple tasks like scanning flora or delivering resources, so check the Nexus board every time you visit the space anomaly. I once got 1,200 platinum for delivering 100 units of carbon to another player, which took me less than five minutes to complete.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Farming Platinum
I’ve made almost every possible mistake when farming platinum over the years, so learning these common pitfalls will save you a lot of wasted time and resources. The first mistake I see new players make is wasting time mining small, scattered platinum nodes instead of looking for large deposits. Small nodes only give 2-5 platinum each, while a single large deposit can give 500+ platinum in the same amount of mining time. It’s always worth spending 5 minutes scanning the planet for a deposit before you start mining.
Another mistake is forgetting to upgrade your analysis visor and mining laser. A level 3 analysis visor can ping platinum deposits from 1,000 units away, so you don’t have to wander around the planet blindly looking for resources. A level 3 mining laser with a supercharger upgrade will cut through large deposits three times faster than a basic laser, so you’ll spend less time mining and more time doing other things.
Don't sell all your platinum for quick units! I made this mistake early on when I saw how much units platinum sells for, and I ended up having to grind for 3 hours just to get enough to upgrade my freighter's warp drive when I found a new galaxy. Always keep at least 2,000 platinum in your storage at all times for crafting, repairs, and upgrades, and only sell the excess stock you have beyond that.
Finally, don’t waste resources building extractors on low-yield deposits. A deposit with a yield under 50 will only produce 10-20 platinum every 15 minutes, which is not worth the cost of the extractor, power supply, and storage silo. If you can’t find a high-yield deposit on one planet, just warp to the next system – you’ll usually find a good deposit within two or three system jumps.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to get platinum in No Man’s Sky doesn't have to be a tedious grind. Mix active scouting for new deposits, passive automated farming, and quick alternative methods like frigate missions, and you'll have more platinum than you know what to do with in no time. I still use a mix of all these methods in my current playthrough, and I haven't run out of platinum in over 6 months of regular play. Don't be afraid to test what works best for your playstyle, whether you prefer exploring new planets or sticking to your base and running missions. You'll be upgrading all your gear and trading extra platinum for millions of units before you know it.
