Eridium is back in Borderlands 3, but if you’ve been exploring the maps thoroughly, you’ll find that the chests encrusted in those purple crystals are completely invulnerable. They won’t break, and the smaller clusters across all the maps are totally invulnerable too. Weirdly, dead bodies infected with Eridium can be smashed easily, so you’ll be able to collect some of this valuable resource.
In Borderlands 3, Eridium is used for a variety of purposes — you can purchase Cosmetics from the Sanctuary III engine room store, or use an Eridium Slot Machine and cross your fingers. Legendary guns are pretty common drops from the slots. Eridium can also be used as ammo for one particular gun — so the big question is, how do you open the chests? It’s really simple.
Oh, and if you’re looking for ways to earn insane amounts of Eridium, check out these Eridium farming methods.
More Borderlands 3 guides:
- Borderlands 3: 10 Tips & Tricks To Become A True Vault Hunter| Beginner’s Guide
- Borderlands 3: The Best Unique Guns & How To Find Them | Easter Eggs & Secrets Guide
- Borderlands 3: All SHiFT Codes List | How To Get Golden Keys
- Borderlands 3: Vault Insider Program Codes List | VIP Guide
- Borderlands 3: How To Get More Legendary Weapons | Rare Gun Tips & Tricks
- Borderlands 3: How To Fix Low FPS, Stuttering, White Screen & More | PC & Console Tweaks Guide
- Borderlands 3: How To Dupe Weapons | Infinite Guns Guide
How To Open Eridium Chests & Smash Eridium Chunks
It’s going to take awhile before you can start collecting Eridium Chests or breaking Eridium clusters. Chests and clusters can only be smashed once you discover a special artifact — it happens naturally in the game’s story, so you can’t miss it. I’m being very vague here, so if you don’t want to get spoiled, just stop here.
Want a little more information? The Eridium device is found in the mid-game, once you reach the Great Vault on Promethea. In the underground chamber of the Forgotten Basilica, you’ll encounter an insane, rampaging monster after unlocking the entrance to the vault.
As a reward, you’ll receive a special resonator device that allows you to smash Eridium clusters and open Eridium Chests. To open a chest, just smash the Eridium around it, then you’ll be free to crack it open.
The resonator device is a permanent upgrade, and you don’t need to equip it or anything like that. It doesn’t go in your inventory, so you’ll just be able to start smashing Eridium at this point in the game.
Which is good — Eridium is very, very useful. If you’re looking to roll the dice and use the Eridium Slots or buy up lots of Eridium cosmetics, you’ll want to return to areas you’ve already visited and starts smashing crystals. They do respawn, though, so you don’t have to worry about running low.
