Loot Chest

Loot chests contain loot and are spawned in various locations throughout Destiny. After a chest is looted, it remains open for other Guardians to access for a short time before vanishing. Chests will typically contain a modest sum of Glimmer and the region's material. Less commonly, they can contain a Ship Schematic, Strange coins, Motes of Light, and/or Encrypted and Legendary engrams. There is a very very rare chance of getting an exotic from a loot chest. When regular loot chests respawn, they can change location, but remain in the general area. This moving behavior is one of the ways they differ from Golden Loot Chests.

Chests spawn in predetermined areas around Destiny. Some common places include small caves and small rooms in many buildings, but chests can also spawn behind objects, like crates outside in certain locations. Chests can also spawn on cliffs and on top of objects, like crates. After respawning, they are usually in the same general location, however the exact location will vary. The player can attempt to respawn a chest by leaving the area and returning after a few minutes have passed, but chest locations are not guaranteed to spawn a chest every time they are visited. All chests make a slight humming noise, when in close proximity. This is the same noise made by Spinmetal, Helium Filaments, Spirit Bloom, and Relic Iron but at a much lower volume.

Old Russia

 * Near rusted tanks. Sometimes near walls,
 * On the main wall by railings that are high up from the ground or by short concrete blocks behind tanks.
 * In the "L"-shaped building near tanks. Sometimes on top, inside, or on lake side.
 * By the building with the large fans on top. Sometimes found near the river, below the streets, near rusted cars, across from the previous spot on the other side of the river or between this building and one with a hole in the roof as well as inside.
 * Inside a small room near a dead Ghost and where Shanks spawn. Near pillars, pipes or in rooms.
 * In the room near parlor beacon. Sometimes found in the room, by the previous chest area, leading to next zone or under collapsed bridge next to room wall in rusted tank area.

Rocketyard

 * Small rooms where enemies come out.
 * In the plane barrels.

The Divide

 * On the roof, inside the small corridor or behind the crates in the room of the structure with a small satellite dish and a rusty billboard.
 * High up on the concrete support pillars behind the destroyed tanks.

The Steppes

 * Various locations along the top of the outer wall's concrete base, in front of the rusted pipeline.
 * On or around the elevated concrete platform with two brown pipes leading into the water, behind the crashed Jumpship.
 * Up on the more highly elevated concrete platform with two rusty blue pipes leading into the water, around the crashed Jumpship.
 * Up on top of the controls in the corner of the smaller structure by the crashed Jumpship.
 * On the roof of the smaller structure by the crashed Jumpship.
 * On the roof of the larger structure near the crashed Jumpship.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, down the flooded tracks, behind the stairs by the destroyed train.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, down the flooded tracks, up the stairs, near the double door to the left.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, in the dead-end hallway to the left of the room with the map on the wall.
 * In the same area mentioned above, in the short dead-end hallway near the flickering light.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, in the destroyed ceiling above the ruined desks.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, on top of two barrels outside the front of a room with a Level 18 Hallowed Knight and two Level 18 Hallowed Acolytes.
 * Rarely in the small dead-end caves where enemies spawn.
 * On a raised ledge near the roof of the bombshelled building.

Mothyards

 * Near the end of the outer wall around the overgrown shed.
 * On top of the shed mentioned above.
 * On top of the ruined plane closest to the shed mentioned above.
 * By the large structure with a satellite dish on top, on a cliff between a rusty billboard and an electronics shed.
 * By the large structure with a satellite dish on top, near a truck in front of two garage doors.
 * On the other side of the rock wall of the previous chest location, above a cave entrance.
 * On a lowered cliff in the ravine by the rusted billboard.
 * Rarely in the small dead-end caves or rooms where enemies spawn.

Skywatch

 * On the edge of Skywatch, on top of a desk in the hollow foundation below the two helicopters. A Level 16 Hallowed Knight/Ogre guards the chests that spawn here.
 * In the same room mentioned above, on top of an object to the left of the hole in the wall.
 * In the same room mentioned above, in the ceiling above the desks.
 * On the edge of Skywatch inside a contested structure with stairs leading to its breached roof, located in various spots along the room's ceiling.
 * In the same area mentioned above, outside behind the fence. Spinmetal can be found around this area.
 * Rarely in the small dead-end rooms where enemies spawn.

Forgotten Shore

 * In the cave near the entrance from Mothyards.
 * Ground level in the rear end of the ship near the rusty billboard, in the room with the descending staircase.
 * On the rocky shore surrounding the elevated peninsula with a large structure on it, beneath the remains of a concrete bridge.

Archer's Line

 * High up in various locations on both sides of the Accelerator rail itself.
 * Inside the structure the Accelerator is protruding from, sitting on the vents close to the ceiling.
 * Inside the smaller accessible structures beneath the Accelerator. Helium Filaments can sometimes be found inside and on top of these structures.
 * In the container tilted off a cliff near the Accelerator.
 * Rarely in the small dead-end caves where enemies spawn.

Hellmouth

 * Found near the Fallen encounter on the right side, near the Summoning Pits, inside of their spawn cave.
 * Can sometimes be found in the crevices on the right side of the Hellmouth. It can either spawn on a ledge or down in the crevice itself. Be careful because you could fall off if you don't land in the right spot.

Anchor of Light

 * Rarely in the small buildings where enemies spawn.
 * Near the large buildings that Servitors spawn.
 * In the small caves near the entrance of the Hive temple.

The Shattered Coast

 * Near the statue, next to a blue car on a cliff.
 * Near the statue by a building that has some blue tiled pillars; in the grass.
 * Where the servitor spawns in the building, there is a ledge outside that leads to the back of the building where there are stairs.

Ember Caves

 * All the caves around the perimeter of the area. Start with one cave, if it's not there, move on to the next, working your way around the area in a circle. This is probably the most ideal location to farm Glimmer and Spirit Bloom.

The Cinders

 * High up on a ledge before finding the Ketch of the House Of Winter

Ishtar Cliffs

 * Coming from the Waking Ruins, go through the stone gate where some Vex spawn and turn left towards the cliff. a chest can spawn on the stone blocks.
 * Same area as above, there is a stone ledge underneath.
 * same area above, when facing the water, look left to find a rock ledge. note that retrieving this chest will start the turn back timer and possibly death.
 * additional chests may spawn on some of the rock spires that appear.

The Barrens

 * In the pit where the Cabal and Vex are constantly fighting, a chest will spawn in and around the Cabal bunker as well as across the pit from the bunker.
 * Outside the round room, on the right side.
 * Just inside the door of the round room.
 * On the antenna platform on top of the round room.
 * Behind the round room, against the rock cliff.
 * The first lower room at the left of the round room.
 * In a pocket in the wall directly across the hall from the first lower room.
 * Outside the bunker hall between the hall and a pointed rock formation.
 * In the second lower room at the far end of the hall.
 * In both pockets in the wall at the end of the hall.
 * In the cave across the pit from the bunker.
 * Against a pointed rock formation sticking out of the sloped sand to the right as you exit the cave.

The Hollows

 * Back room through side entrance of round building

Scablands

 * Against the outside edge of the far left wall of the huge bunker. Near a Patrol mission beacon.
 * Inside the wide bunker that the Colossus spawns in, past/under the bridge.
 * Inside any of the holes around the huge main bunker and any near the surrounding round bunkers.

Prison of Elders

 * After completing the the boss battle in the Prison of Elders mode, a door opens that allows Guardians to descend into a loot room that contains three loot chests.

The Lighthouse

 * After Guardians accumulate a streak of 9 wins and 0 losses in the Trials of Osiris, a new social space called The Lighthouse is unlocked which contains a large loot chest similar to the large loot chest in the Queen's Barrow. The Lighthouse Loot chest has a high chance to drop Exotic weapons and armor.

General Loot Chests
There are a number of general loot chests found on the Dreadnaught.

Specific Loot Chests
There are a number of loot chests can can only be opened with keys.
 * Chest of Eir
 * Chest of Maggots
 * Chest of Xol
 * Chest of Akka