No Man's Sky: How to Get Cadmium

Cadmium is one of the valuable resources in the world of No Man's Sky. Here's everything you need to know about

First Published April 20, 2023, 10:14

Cadmium is one of the valuable resources in No Man's Sky that you will need to farm in order to craft other materials and structures in the game. It's basically a chromatic metal generated by fusion in the heart of a star.

As is tradition, there are a few certain ways through which players can obtain Cadmium in No Man's Sky. With that said, we've put together some of the best methods to get this precious substance in the game.

How to Get No Man's Sky Cadmium

Firstly, it is important to note that cadmium can be harvested on planets found in red star systems. To reach these systems, you need to install a specific hyperdrive, which is the Cadmium Drive. This hyperdrive allows you to jump into the red star systems to harvest cadmium. However, to get cadmium early on in the game without jumping into these systems, you need to follow a few steps.

Cadmium Drive Hyperdrive Upgrade: Red Systems. (Picture: NunoLac Games YouTube)

The first step is to go to a space station and head to the ship merchant, who will sell a specific item known as the Pulse Engine Module. It is essential to buy the cheapest one, which is Model C. Once you have bought the Pulse Engine Module, you need to install it on your ship.

No Man's Sky Pulse Engine Module. (Picture: NunoLac Games YouTube)

Next, you must dismantle the Pulse Engine Module, which will give you 75 Deuterium, 75 Cadmium, and one Wiring Loom. You can disassemble it by going to your ship's upgrade menu, selecting the Pulse Engine Module, and choosing the dismantle option. Once you have the 75 Cadmium, you must go to your base, where you will use your Large Refiner to get more.

You can refine Cadmium using the Large Refiner. (Picture: NunoLac Games YouTube)

It is important to note that you need to have a Large Refiner to carry out this process. You can get the Large Refiner by unlocking it from the Nexus Anomaly or completing your base mission. After that, the Technology Merchant will give you the recipe for the Large Refiner. Once you have the Large Refiner, you can refine the 75 Cadmium into Chromatic Metal on a 1:1 ratio, which is better than Copper.

The final step is to add Chromatic Metal to the Cadmium in a 1:1 ratio in the Large Refiner. This process will give you four Cadmium for every Cadmium and one Chromatic Metal you add to the Refiner. By following these steps, you can convert 75 Cadmium into 300 Cadmium.

No Mans Sky Cadmium Uses

Cadmium plays a crucial role in No Man's Sky (NMS) as it is required to unlock the next upgrade. Without it, crafting an Emeril drive is impossible, and the player would be unable to explore green star systems.

Cadmium is also used to craft the following items: