If you’ve ever stood in front of your starship upgrade terminal, just 40 platinum short of installing that S-class hyperdrive range boost, you know how frustrating this rare, shiny resource can be to track down. I’ve spent dozens of hours bouncing between star systems testing every possible way to farm this material, and I’ve narrowed down the best approaches that work no matter what stage of the game you’re in. This guide breaks down exactly how to get platinum in No Man’s Sky without wasting hours wandering uncharted planets or blowing through your unit savings at trade terminals.
How to Get Platinum in No Man’s Sky via Asteroid Mining
Asteroid mining is easily the most accessible method for new players, and it still holds up for veteran players who need a quick top-up between missions. You don’t need any fancy upgrades or a high-end starship to pull this off, just a basic mining laser and enough pulse fuel to jump to the nearest yellow star system. Roughly 15% of all standard asteroid clusters in yellow star systems contain platinum, so you don’t even need to hunt for rare red or green systems to find consistent spawns.
Don’t waste time shooting every individual asteroid, aim for the large, irregularly shaped silver ones to get the highest yield per shot. I once pulled 320 platinum in 10 minutes just floating in the asteroid field right outside a space station, no planet landing required. The only downside here is pirate spawns: if you hang around the same asteroid field for more than 15 minutes, you’re almost guaranteed to get a squad of hostile ships showing up. Keep an eye on your scanner, and keep your starship’s weapon systems charged just in case you need to fight or run.
Find Platinum Veins on Frozen and Barren Planet Surfaces
If you prefer ground mining over floating around space, frozen and barren biomes have the highest spawn rate for platinum veins by a wide margin. I’ve tested this across 27 different star systems, and 80% of the frozen planets I landed on had at least three platinum deposits within a 1000-unit radius of my landing spot. You won’t find platinum on lush, toxic or radioactive planets most of the time, so you can skip those entirely to save time.
You can spot platinum deposits from your starship at altitudes under 200 units because they show up as bright silvery-white markers on your terrain scanner. If you’re having trouble locating them, switch to your analysis visor and filter for precious metal deposits, that cuts down search time by 70% easy. Each full platinum vein usually gives 200-500 platinum per deposit, so a single 30-minute trip to a high-spawn frozen planet can net you thousands of units of the resource. Just make sure you pack upgraded hazard protection: frozen planets regularly hit -100 degree temperatures, and barren planets have frequent dust storms that will drain your life support fast if you’re not prepared.
Set Up a Passive Platinum Farm for Unlimited Long-Term Supply
If you’re tired of mining every time you need platinum, setting up a passive extractor farm is the best long-term solution. This method is ideal for mid to late-game players who have access to base building parts, and it requires almost zero upkeep once you get it set up. All you need to do is find an S-class platinum deposit on a frozen or barren planet, claim the area with a base computer, and set up your extractor setup.
Platinum extractors produce 50 units of platinum per hour per machine when placed on a S-class deposit, so 4 extractors on a single deposit give you 200 platinum an hour completely passively. You can come back every few days to collect thousands of platinum without lifting a finger. To build a full, self-sustaining farm, you’ll need:
- 1 base computer to claim the deposit area and register your base
- 4 S-class mineral extractors for 30% higher output than standard models
- 8 supply pipes to connect all extractors to a central large storage container
- 2 solar panels + 1 battery to power the setup 24/7, no constant fuel refills needed
The only thing to watch out for here is aggressive sentinels. If you place your farm near a sentinel hub, they’ll occasionally attack and destroy your extractors when you’re away. I always place my farms at least 2000 units away from any marked sentinel structures, and I’ve never had an issue with raids in 6 months of using this setup. If you already have a frost crystal farm, you can also refine 2 frost crystals + 1 oxygen into 1 platinum in a medium refiner, which is another great passive option if you don’t want to hunt for a platinum deposit.
Trade for Platinum When You Need Small Amounts Urgently
If you only need 50 or 100 platinum to finish an upgrade right now, you don’t need to spend an hour mining or setting up a farm. Trading is the fastest option for small, urgent orders, even if it’s a bit more expensive than mining it yourself. You can find platinum for sale at almost every space station, but some spots have far better prices and larger stock than others.
Space stations in wealthy Vy’keen systems usually stock 100-200 platinum at a time for fairly reasonable prices, especially if you have a high standing with the Vy’keen you get an automatic 20% discount on all purchases. You can also trade surplus rare resources like activated indium or storm crystals for platinum with travelling merchants that spawn on space stations and planetary settlements, no units needed if you have the right items to barter. This method isn’t cost-effective if you need thousands of platinum for a base build or freighter upgrade, but it’s perfect for when you’re just a little bit short and don’t want to put your current mission on hold.
At the end of the day, the best method for you comes down to how much platinum you need and how much time you want to put in. If you’re early game and need a couple hundred for starship upgrades, asteroid mining is your best bet. If you’re a long-term player who wants to never worry about running out of the resource, a passive extractor farm will save you hours of work down the line. No matter which approach you pick, these tips make it far easier to get platinum in No Man’s Sky without the frustration of endless searching. I’ve used all of these methods myself for everything from upgrading my freighter to building massive base decorations, and I still go back to quick asteroid mining runs when I need a top-up between exploration trips.