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Borderlands 3: How to Get Eridium, Break Eridium Purple Crystals

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Eridium is one of the currencies in Borderlands 3 that you can use to purchase powerful weapons and gear for your character.  Eridium is the found in the purple crystals you’ll see around the world.  If you’ve just started playing Borderlands 3 and you’re wondering how to break the purple crystals to get Eridium, this guide will explain what you need to do.

You won’t be able to break the Purple Eridium Crystals until you’ve completed story missions

To be able to farm the Eridium from these purple crystals you’ll actually need to be able to break them, and to do that, you will have to progress far enough into the game to unlock an item that allows you to do this.  This item will be your reward from clearing the boss of the first vault.

To break the purple crystals of Eridium you will have to progress through and complete the mission Beneath the Meridian.  Once you complete this mission (around Chapter 10) you will be able to break the purple eridium deposits that you’ve likely seen all over the world up to this point.  Once you are able to break these purple Eridium crystals you will be able to harvest the Eridium shards within them.

Eridium can be used at Crazy Earl to purchase customization or guns at the vending machine

This Eridium currency can then be used in Sanctuary to purchase from vendor that you’ll find in the depths of the ship.  Crazy Earl is holed up behind a chained door and he’ll sell you items, but only if you have Eridium.

His items include unique customization items which can be used to further customize your character’s look.  There’s also a vending machine which stock guns next to Crazy Earl called the Veteran Rewards which also requires Eridium as well.

Below you’ll find the Vault Guardian Boss Fight where you’ll get the Eridium Resonator item that allows you to break the purple crystals and farm Eridium.

Vault Guardian Boss Fight (Spoilers)


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