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 equipment and very rarely they can contain a Ship Schematic or Ascendant Material. 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 hidden 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. Only 1 Exotic chest exists and it's in the Vault of Glass

Earth

 * Near rusted out tanks. Sometimes near walls, on main wall by railings up high or by short block stone cover behind tank.
 * In L shaped building near tanks. Sometimes on top, inside or on lake side.
 * By building with large fans on top. Sometimes found by river on below street level near rusted cars, across from previous spot on other side of river or between this building and one with a hole in the roof as well as inside.
 * Inside small room near dead ghost location where Shanks spawn. Can be by pillars, pipe or in room.
 * Room near parlor beacon. Sometimes found in room, by 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 barrel of planes.

The Divide

 * On the roof, inside in 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. Spinmetal can also be found on the ground in front of these walls.
 * 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. A Dead Ghost can also be found on the floor here.
 * 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. Spinmetal can sometimes be found around the 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. Spinmetal can sometimes be found near the submerged train tracks.
 * Down the stairs of the collapsed underground railway entrance, on top of two barrels out in 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 Dead Ghost can be found on a shelf nearby, and a Hallowed level 16 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.

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

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.

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.