Part of the series:

How to Make Units Fast in No Man's Sky (2026): Every Money Method Ranked: Start here for a full overview of every income method.

No Man's Sky Stasis Device & Fusion Igniter: Max Units per Hour: The crafting alternative that rivals Activated Indium at endgame.

No Man's Sky Automated Mining: Mineral Extractors & Supply Depots: Deeper dive into extractor mechanics for all resources.

Quick Answer

Activated Indium is a high-value chromatic metal and stellar resource found only on planets in blue star systems, accessible only after installing an Indium Drive.
Its sell value was significantly reduced by the Waypoint (4.0) update (it now sells for a fraction of its pre-2022 price), but it remains one of the more practical raw resources to mine passively.
You locate a mineral hotspot using the Survey Device upgrade on your Multi-Tool, then build Mineral Extractors on top of it.
Hotspots are rated C, B, A, or S class: the higher the class, the more Activated Indium each extractor produces per hour. S-class produces roughly double the output of C-class.
Connect extractors to Supply Depots via Supply Pipes to accumulate resources passively, including while you are fully offline.
Sell across multiple star systems to avoid crashing the local market price.
This method provides low-effort, semi-passive income but is outpaced in raw units-per-hour by crafting-based farms (Stasis Devices, Fusion Igniters) at full endgame scale.

Overview

Activated Indium mining has been a community staple for passive unit generation since it was introduced. The appeal is straightforward: find the right planet, plant some extractors, connect some storage, and return periodically to a stack of accumulated material. Unlike crafting routes that require active play and recipe chains, a well-built Activated Indium base generates income whether you are logged in or not.

It is important to set expectations upfront. The Waypoint (4.0) update in 2022 permanently and sharply reduced Activated Indium's sell price from its earlier peak. The method is no longer the dominant money-maker it once was. It still works well and generates steady, hands-off income, but players chasing the absolute maximum units per hour at endgame typically pair it with or transition to crafting-based methods.

The setup also requires meaningful mid-game progression. You need specific ship drive upgrades to reach blue star systems, a Multi-Tool upgrade to locate hotspots, and several blueprints that cost Salvaged Data to unlock. This is not a starter-hour strategy. It sits squarely in the mid-game, making it a natural next step once you have finished the main story missions and started thinking about long-term wealth. If you are still getting your bearings, the No Man's Sky Beginner's Guide (2026) is a better starting point.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start

The Indium Drive

Activated Indium only spawns on planets inside blue star systems. Your hyperdrive cannot reach these systems without the Indium Drive installed. The upgrade progression is sequential:

Cadmium Drive: unlocks red star systems (blueprint purchased from Iteration: Hyperion on the Space Anomaly for Nanites)
Emeril Drive: unlocks green star systems (requires Cadmium Drive first)
Indium Drive: unlocks blue star systems (requires Emeril Drive first; crafted using Emeril x250 + Wiring Loom x5)

Each drive blueprint is purchased from Iteration: Hyperion aboard the Space Anomaly for Nanites. The Indium Drive supersedes its predecessors. Once installed, you can travel to red, green, and blue systems without swapping modules.

The Survey Device

To locate mineral hotspots on a planet's surface, you must install the Survey Device upgrade in your Multi-Tool. The blueprint is available from the Construction Research Station on the Space Anomaly, purchased with Salvaged Data. Without it, you cannot identify hotspot locations or their quality class, and building extractors in random spots yields nothing. See the No Man's Sky Multi-Tool Guide (2026) for help acquiring and upgrading your Multi-Tool efficiently.

Blueprints to Unlock

The Mineral Extractor and Supply Depot blueprints are both unlocked at the Construction Research Station on the Space Anomaly using Salvaged Data. Unlock both before traveling to a blue system. If you need more Salvaged Data, check the No Man's Sky Salvaged Data Farming: Buried Technology Modules Guide.

Step 1: Find a Blue Star System with a Good Planet

Open the Galaxy Map and look for blue-tinted star icons. Fly to one and land on a planet with a surface you can build on. Activated Indium is described by the game as a stellar resource found only on planets with hazardous weather in blue star systems, so extreme-weather planets are the most reliable source, but the key is confirming via the Survey Device that the hotspot type is Activated Indium before committing to a build.

Step 2: Locate and Evaluate a Hotspot

Once landed, equip your Multi-Tool and activate the Analysis Visor. Switch to Surveying Mode using the Survey Device. Pulsing signals will appear on your HUD when you are within range of a mineral hotspot.

Navigating to the hotspot:

Turn until the pulse signals are balanced on both sides of your HUD.
Walk forward while keeping the signals centered. The distance readout will decrease.
When you are close enough, the Analysis Visor will auto-complete the scan and show the hotspot class.

Hotspot classes and what they mean:

Class	Relative Output per Extractor per Hour
C	Lowest
B	Moderate
A	High
S	Highest — roughly double C-class output

Always prioritize an A or S class hotspot. The difference in output over time is substantial, and it is worth exploring multiple planets in a blue system before settling.

Also note: extractors built farther from the hotspot center produce less. Place them as close to the center marker as the terrain allows.

Step 3: Build the Base

Claim the land by placing a Base Computer. Then build your extractor network.

Extractor Count and Diminishing Returns

You can place multiple Mineral Extractors on a single hotspot, but the game applies diminishing returns as you add more. Community testing shows that extraction rate per extractor drops sharply beyond a small cluster. The practical approach is to build separate networks of no more than 4 extractors, each connected to their own depot chain, rather than a single sprawling farm all competing for the same hotspot. If you want more total output, find a second nearby hotspot and build an independent cluster on it.

Each Mineral Extractor requires:

5 Metal Plating
100 Chromatic Metal
50 kPs of power to operate

Power Setup

For a small cluster of extractors, a solar panel and battery setup is the most common approach. Scale your solar panel and battery count to match your extractor count, keeping in mind that solar panels do not generate power at night. Batteries bridge that gap. Alternatively, a biofuel reactor provides 50 kPs and can run a single extractor without worrying about day/night cycles, though you must manually refuel it. For a full power wiring walkthrough, see the No Man's Sky Base Power & Wiring Guide: Solar, Batteries & Generators.

Storage Chain

Build Supply Depots and connect them to your extractors with Supply Pipes (found in the base building menu). Each Supply Depot provides 1,000 units of storage capacity. Without depots, your extractors fill their small internal buffer and stop accumulating, so connect at least a few depots per extractor network to maximize passive fill time between your visits. Note that all depots connected together in a chain share a single pooled total, so when you collect from one, you collect from all.

Step 4: Collect and Sell

Return to your base periodically and collect from the Supply Depots. Your inventory fills fast, so having a well-upgraded Exosuit with extra storage slots makes this significantly smoother.

Selling Strategy

The local market price for Activated Indium will drop when you sell large quantities to the same terminal. To get the best return:

Check the color-coded price modifier on the sell screen. White or green means you are getting close to full price; red means the market has been depressed.
Spread your sales across multiple star systems. Warp to a new system, sell a portion of your stack, move on.
Selling to NPC ship captains who land at space stations is an alternative some players use to avoid crashing the terminal price, though quantities per transaction are smaller.
Prices recover on their own over time. A system you depressed will return to near-normal pricing if you leave it alone.

How This Compares to Other Methods

Activated Indium mining is solid for low-effort, semi-passive income. You build once, visit occasionally, and collect steady profits, including while you are fully offline. However, at true endgame scale, players who also run a Stasis Device or Fusion Igniter crafting operation typically earn more per hour of active play, because those crafted items sell for far more per unit than any raw resource.

The two methods are complementary rather than competing. Many players run an Activated Indium base for passive background income while actively engaging in crafting or trading routes when they want to play more actively.

FAQ

Do I need to be online for the extractors to run?

No. Mineral Extractors continue to produce resources even while you are fully offline. The Supply Depots hold the accumulated resources until you next log in and visit the base, so you can leave for an extended period and return to a full batch.

Can I build an Activated Indium base on any planet in a blue system?

Not necessarily. You need a planet that actually has Activated Indium deposits. Use your Survey Device to confirm the mineral hotspot type before committing to a location, not every planet in a blue system will have Activated Indium.

Why is my extractor not producing anything?

The two most common causes are: (1) the extractor is not receiving power: check your solar/battery setup and wiring connections; and (2) the extractor is not placed on a hotspot, or is placed too far from the hotspot center. The Survey Device scan must complete and show an Activated Indium hotspot at that location for extraction to work. If connections look correct but extraction is still not running, try saving and reloading.

Is Activated Indium still worth farming after the Waypoint nerf?

Yes, though it is far less dominant than it once was. The Waypoint (4.0) update sharply reduced the sell price, but the method still generates a meaningful stream of units passively with very little active time investment. It remains among the most approachable passive income methods in the mid-game, especially when paired with active crafting or trading.

How do I avoid crashing the market when I sell?

Sell in smaller portions across multiple star systems, and watch the color-coded price indicator on the sell screen. Avoid dumping everything in one terminal in one system. Prices recover on their own over in-game time if you leave a system alone.

What hotspot class should I aim for?

Aim for A or S class whenever possible. S-class produces roughly double the output of C-class per extractor per hour, which compounds significantly over many hours of passive fill time. If you find only a C or B class hotspot, it is worth continuing to explore other planets in the blue system for a better one before committing to a full build.

Key Takeaways

Activated Indium mining is a reliable mid-game passive income method requiring an Indium Drive, Survey Device, and a handful of base building blueprints.
Blue star systems are the only place to find Activated Indium. You must upgrade through the Cadmium and Emeril Drive chain to reach them.
The Waypoint (4.0) update significantly reduced Activated Indium's sell price; set realistic expectations and consider pairing this base with active crafting at endgame.
Always locate an A or S class hotspot before building; the quality difference has a major impact on total output.
Keep extractor clusters small and in separate networks (no more than 4 per cluster) to minimize diminishing returns.
Supply Depots connected via Supply Pipes are essential for accumulating resources. Extractors run and fill depots even while you are offline.
Spread sales across multiple systems to preserve market prices and maximize your return per unit.
Pair this base with active crafting methods like Stasis Devices for the strongest overall economy at endgame.

No Man's Sky Activated Indium Mining Base: Passive Units Guide