How to get Tantalum in Starfield

A tough one to find.

A screenshot of the resources menu in Starfield, with Tantalum selected and displayed as a grey graphite-like rock.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Among the many planets and systems in Starfield, you’ll come across a wide variety of metals and resources scattered across the universe. These materials are crucial for crafting weapon and ship upgrades, and can even be sold for credits.

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Tantalum is one such resource, and it is critical for crafting internal mods for weapons, as well as a variety of other uses in the Starfield universe. The only problem though, is just how tough it is to find it in the wild.

Where to find Tantalum in Starfield

The player character in Starfield fires a mining laser beam at a glowing green rock. The game's HUD indicates this is Tantalum.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Tantalum is a resource in Starfield that can be mined and used primarily for weapon and mod upgrades. Unfortunately, it is quite rare to find in the wild.

Those desperate for Tantalum can purchase it directly from certain vendors. I was lucky enough to buy what I needed from Jemison Mercantile in New Atlantis, but it is believed some other vendors do stock the resource.

As for finding and mining it yourself, you’re in luck; by progressing the main quest you’ll come across Tantalum when you reach Nesoi in the Olympus System. It’s still quite a rare rock that can be found on the surface using your scanner.

Use your scanner while surveying the Nesoi landscape and check each highlighted resource for Tantalum, which has the periodic element symbol “Ta.” When you find it, use your Cutter to fire a beam and harvest the resource, as shown in the video below.

Video by Dot Esports

Do note, it is possible for Tantalum to appear on other planets. You can check for its abundance in the planet survey screen, which lists all resources found on any given planet.

It will likely be in the rare or very rare category and may still take some time to find, so make sure you store it up and save it for a rainy day.

Author
Image of Nicholas Taifalos
Nicholas Taifalos
Weekend editor for Dot Esports. Nick, better known as Taffy, began his esports career in commentary, switching to journalism with a focus on Oceanic esports, particularly Counter-Strike and Dota. Email: nicholas@dotesports.com