As you explore the vast, expansive universe in "No Man's Sky" you begin to discover new planets, and according to the game, there's 18 quintillion of them out there. Landing on one of these, you will encounter new life forms of different shapes and sizes, but as you look past the awe-worthy flora and fauna, you will begin to notice something more valuable, the mineral resources.
Much like back here on earth, the planets on "No Man Sky" are home to precious resources that you can convert down to their core elements. Once broken down, these elements can be used for numerous purposes. Players can either trade them at alien outposts for units, craft the elements into useful items, such as rocket fuel, or use them to upgrade your arsenal.
It's important to know what type of element players in "No Man's Sky" must use in certain situations, and since players have a maximum carrying capacity for elements, inventory management is important. Luckily, we here have a handy guide to the "No Man's Sky" elements, courtesy of Gamepedia.
Elements from "No Man's Sky" are classified under five categories in a periodic table style. These are namely, "Isotopes," "Oxides," "Neutrals," Silicates," and "Precious". The five different elements also come with their own specific color, which makes finding them a little bit easier.
The "Isotopes", which come in red, are used to recharge or fuel different technology that players use in "No Man's Sky", such as ships, weapons, mining equipment, hyperdrives, and shields. Carbon can be found in plants, Thamium9 can be collected from asteroids, Plutonium is harvested from red crystals in caves.
The "Oxides", which come in yellow, are used to craft and recharge the player's defenses. These are usually found scattered throughout the planets in "No Man's Sky", in rock formations and asteroids. "Oxide" elements are Iron, Sulfur, Titanium, and Zinc.
"Neutrals", are the green colored elements, used mainly for crafting. They are also found in rock formations, and these elements are Nickel, Copper, Gold, Aluminium, Emeril, and Iridium.
"Silicates", the blue elements in "No Man's Sky", are combined with other elements for crafting. "Silicates" can be found in certain flora, rock formations, caves, and even in the debris of fallen Sentinels. These elements are Chrysonite, Heridium, Silicon, and Platinum.
The last and most valuable of the elements in "No Man's Sky" are the "Precious". These elements are purple and are the hardest to find. These can be sold for a hefty sum of units. Oregon and Calium are "Precious"
A complete list of all the "No Man's Sky" resources, and their classifications can be found at Polygon. Players should always give time to discover the hidden treasures of every plain in "No Man's Sky", because there will always be something valuable to find, if one looks hard enough.
