SpaceCraft Bauxite: Locations, Mining and Aluminum Ingots

SpaceCraft bauxite isn't something you just pick up in your starting system. Search for it and you quickly end up in Steam discussions where players confirm that aluminum is missing from the starting area. This guide sums up what the banrado item database and verifiable sources actually confirm, including the full chain from bauxite to the finished Aluminum Ingot.

⛏️ What is Bauxite Rock and what does it drop?

Bauxite Rock is a tier 3 resource node. According to spacecraft.tools (v0.5.25674) it drops Aluminum Ore (1–2 per harvest, 65.6% chance) and Aluminum Nugget (2–3, 33.7% chance), plus a rare Vanadium Ore (0.3%). The nugget is worth 1.92 credits, the ore 3.58.

🪐 SpaceCraft bauxite and aluminum sources at a glance

Next to SpaceCraft bauxite, the game data lists several more sources that give you aluminum, with clear differences in tier and output:

The banrado item database still had no linked item for the dense deposit, Aluminum Reduction and Augurite when the German version of this guide was written. The current data on spacecraft.tools lists aluminum drops for all three, so they count as real sources now. Granite Shell and Clay Shell also drop aluminum; shells have to be cracked open with missiles, as the dev blog "First Steps 2" explains.

Why you find nothing in your starting system

According to consistent player reports in the official Steam discussions, aluminum isn't available in the starting area. One user put it this way: "even if you grind there's no silicon for concrete or aluminum or any other resources needed for the higher tier upgrades". It only gets concrete in later systems. One player names "Ximeda 2, white feldspar mound, aluminum" in the Terminus sector.

That fits the game data, which lists the White Feldspar Mound as an aluminum source. Specific sector and planet names are community hints without official confirmation, though, and they can change with patches.

⛏️ Mining SpaceCraft bauxite: what to watch out for

• Ore or nuggets: You need 2 Aluminum Ore for one ingot, but 4 Aluminum Nugget. Ore takes 5 SU of storage per unit, a nugget only 1 SU, so nuggets aren't worse for your cargo hold. Aluminum Reduction, with 5–7 nuggets per harvest, is the richest node.
• Automation pays off: The Aluminum Deposit delivers 60 units of ore per hour. At that rate an Extractor is worth it as soon as you have a base nearby. Scanning and finding deposits is covered in our guide on how to find resources in SpaceCraft.
• Take rare resources along: If you're flying through aluminum-rich sectors anyway, combine the trip with other rare materials. Bauxite Rock can also drop a little Vanadium Ore, covered in our SpaceCraft vanadium guide.

📦 From SpaceCraft bauxite to Aluminum Ingot: the smelting chain

According to the item database, there are seven recipes that produce Aluminum Ingot:

The direct route through Aluminum Ore is the cheapest: 2 units at 3.58 credits each give you one Aluminum Ingot worth 9.60 credits. That value matches the independent English database spacecraft.tools exactly. If you smelt Aquamarine or Emerald instead, you're burning more valuable crystals for a fairly cheap ingot. That only makes sense when you need the Silicon Ingots as well. Ore and nugget recipes need no permit; they unlock when you discover the resource. Since Community Update #1, Recycling Plants work three times faster.

📦 What you need Aluminum Ingot for

Aluminum Ingot isn't a dead end. According to the item database it goes into 14 further recipes. Among them are advanced ingots like Alu-K Ingot and Levinium Ingot, the crystals Aquamarine, Emerald and Kaolinite, and classic parts such as Stainless Plate, Watertight Pipe, Metal Sheet and Wire, all the way to the Construction Tool and Metallic Fertilizer.

That makes the ingot you get from SpaceCraft bauxite one of the central intermediates in the middle of the tech tree, much like iron or copper ingots at the basic tier.

💡 FAQ about SpaceCraft bauxite

Why can't I find bauxite or aluminum in my starting system?
Because, according to player reports, neither shows up in the starting area. You have to push into more distant sectors such as Terminus, where players report a White Feldspar Mound on Ximeda 2.

What's more efficient: Bauxite Rock or an Aluminum Deposit?
The Aluminum Deposit, if you can reach it. It gives Aluminum Ore directly (only 2 per ingot) and runs at 60 units per hour with an Extractor. Bauxite Rock mixes ore and nuggets, and you need 4 nuggets per ingot.

Should I sell Aluminum Ore raw or smelt it into ingots?
Smelting usually pays off, since Aluminum Ingot goes into 14 further recipes. Only sell raw if you need credits fast and aren't feeding any of those chains right now.

🔗 Quick summary

• SpaceCraft bauxite (Bauxite Rock) is a tier 3 node that drops Aluminum Ore and Aluminum Nugget. The Aluminum Deposit (tier 1) gives ore directly and is the more efficient source.
• White Feldspar Mound, Dense Aluminum Deposit, Aluminum Reduction and Augurite also give aluminum according to the current game data.
• In the Smelter, Aluminum Ingot comes from Aluminum Ore, Aluminum Nugget, Aquamarine or Emerald. The ore route is the cheapest.
• Aluminum Ingot feeds 14 more recipes, from Alu-K Ingot and crystals to parts like plates, pipes and wire.

As of October 2026. Sources: the spacecraft.tools game database (v0.5.25674), the banrado item database, Community Update #1 patch notes and the dev blog "First Steps 2" on Steam, plus community reports from SpaceCraft's Steam discussions. More guides on the SpaceCraft overview. SpaceCraft is in Early Access, so sources, recipes and values can change with patches. Sector claims about bauxite and aluminum are community hints without official confirmation.