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Gathering resources is at the heart ofThe Planet Crafter, and few materials are as essential as Iridium. It’s a cornerstone for crafting vital machines and progressing your terraforming efforts. Its distinctive glowing red crystals make it easily identifiable, but locating them can be challenging for new players.
Iridium is essential for crafting advanced equipment, such as heaters, which are used to increase the planet’s temperature. Additionally, Iridium is used to create Iridium Rods, necessary for builds such as Ore Extractors, which enable automated resource collection. Understanding where to find and how to effectively use Iridium is vital for progressing in the game and achieving a sustainable, livable planet.
Where To Find Iridium
Caves are the most accessible locationto find Iridium, with some entrances more hidden than others.Treasure Crates and Golden Cratesare item containers randomly scattered throughout the world and have a chance to contain minerals like Iridium.
Beyond dotting the ground near some Osmium and Sulfur deposits,Iridium meteor showersalso give you this valuable resource.
While exploring for resources, construct small shelters with oxygen supplies at regular intervals. This lets you travel longer without the constant need for oxygen bottles.
Treasure Crates
Treasure crates, whichresemble standard storage containers, are scattered throughout the planet, often hidden in wrecks, bunkers, or partially buried in the terrain. These crates cancontain a variety of resources, including Iridium, especially as players progress andunlock higher terraformation stages.
Exploring different biomes and thoroughly searching wreckage sites can yield these valuable crates.
If your Iridium supply suddenly starts to deplete, check your auto-crafters. Making too many Iridium Rods can eat through your stock before you even notice.
Iridium Caves
A convenient source of Iridium is the cave known as theIridium Mine, located atcoordinates 815:51:1237. Stone pillars covered in Iridium deposits stand in the cave, and it can be entered through the Central Plateau and the Sulfur Fields.
Two other reliable locations includeThe Grand Rift to the north, atcoordinates 2027:3:-45, and anOsmium-Iridium cave near the Cracked Spiresat coordinates328:4:-181. As you progress, deploying Ore Extractors in these areas can provide you with a steady supply of Iridiumfor your base.
Iridium Meteor Events
Meteor events are another opportunity to collect Iridium. Bylaunching a Magnetic Field Protection Rocket, unlocked at 345 kTi (Kilo Terraformation Index), you may trigger meteor showers that deposit Iridium across the landscape.
These meteors typically land within a certain radius of your location, so it’s advisable to be in an open area when they happen. After the meteors impact, Iridium remains on the ground for a limited time, allowing players to gather it before it despawns.
