What Do Mineral Surveys Do in Starfield & Should You Buy Them? Answered

There’s nothing more chill in Starfield than landing on a planet and surveying its local flora and fauna. It’s not a bad way to make credits, either; vendors will gladly buy your completed mineral surveys. That does require work on your part, though. Can’t we just buy them instead? As it just so happens you can! That’s great, but should you buy mineral surveys in Starfield?

What Do Mineral Surveys Do in Starfield?

First things first, if you don’t even know what mineral surveys are in Starfield, don’t worry. We’ll explain: Mineral Surveys are similar to your normal, standard surveys throughout the game. The difference here is they’re strictly related to metals.

Were you to pick up a Mineral Survey in Starfield, whether that’s out in the field or from a vendor, you’ll immediately start tracking a mineral deposit. It’s essentially like being given a clue to some valuable resources! It’s also worth mentioning the Mineral Survey only leads you to resources within the system.

Should You Buy Mineral Surveys in Starfield?

As we mentioned briefly before, Mineral Surveys can be found and purchased. The best places to find them are from mining outposts, at the provisioners. And yes, you absolutely should buy them, when you come across them as they’re rather cheap.

It’s a good way to start off surveying a new planet if you’re trying to reach 100%. Rather than run around trying to locate specific resources, this gives you a direct path. It’s equally valuable for building outposts if, say, the mineral survey leads you to a vein of rare metals for you to mine.

So, if you ever come across a Mineral Survey in Starfield, you should definitely buy them. Speaking of surveys, don’t forget you can sell survey slates, too. If you’re still trying to get the hang of it, it’s worth going over our guide on how to scan resources and fauna.