In Starfield, you can collect resources by mining solid deposits with a Cutter, taking liquid or gas from a source, gathering from plants and animals, or building outpost extractors. Use the scanner to locate deposits. For item codes, consult a resource-ID reference or search with the in-game console—but verify codes in your current game version, and note that console commands disable achievement completion.
How to find and collect resources
Resources appear on planets and can be located with the scanner. Bethesda’s resource-gathering guidance describes several ways to collect them:
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- Solid deposits: Use a Cutter to mine the deposit. Bethesda gives an approximate interaction range of 12 metres.
- Liquid and gaseous sources: Collect the resource directly from its source.
- Flora and fauna: Gather resources from plants and animals where available.
Watch environmental warnings while gathering. Bethesda notes that some sites can expose you to hazards such as toxic gas. Resources can also be heavy, so use ship cargo holds or outpost storage boxes to manage what you collect.
Manual gathering or outpost extraction?
For a small amount or a resource you encounter while exploring, manual collection is usually the straightforward option. For larger quantities over time, an outpost can extract resources from a deposit. Match the extractor to the resource’s physical state, then link the extractor to resource storage containers.
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| Approach | Best suited to | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Manual collection | Small quantities, exploration, or resources from flora and fauna | Use the scanner to find a source; mine solids with a Cutter or collect liquid and gas directly. |
| Outpost extraction | Larger quantities gathered over time | Locate a deposit, establish an outpost, build an extractor suited to the resource’s state, and link storage. |
The practical choice depends on the amount you need, the resource type, travel and setup time, and whether you already have an outpost and storage in place. Bethesda’s support article covers extraction and storage basics.
Where to look up resource locations and properties
Third-party catalogs can help narrow down where to search and compare resource properties. StarfieldDB’s resource catalog displays resource types, value, and mass. It reports 114 resources across 1,694 Settled Systems planets; that is the database’s stated catalog scope, accessed in 2026, not an official or independently verified count of every resource in the current game.
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INARA’s resource catalog groups entries as organic, inorganic, and manufactured, and displays information including rarity, mass, value, and locations. Neither catalog’s coverage of every current update or add-on is established here. Treat listed locations and totals as reference data, not a guarantee of complete current-version coverage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to find and use resource item IDs
Published ID tables can save time, but they are not established as complete or fully current. Dot Esports’ resource and material ID guide, dated January 6, 2024, describes its entries as known IDs. Check a code against your own game version before relying on it.
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- DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD - Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes.
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On PC, you can also search item names through the in-game console. PC Gamer’s console guide describes this lookup-and-add sequence:
- Open the console and enter
helpfollowed by the item name. - Inspect the matching results and identify the item’s ID. The guide also describes adding a search category number to refine results.
- Use
player.additem [ID] [quantity], replacing the bracketed values with the item ID and amount you want to add.
Using console commands prevents achievement completion, according to Dot Esports. Consider that consequence before spawning items. The exact console behavior and the availability of particular IDs can vary with game version, so check the results shown in your own game rather than assuming an older table covers newer content.
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