SpaceCraft Rare Resources: Farming Quartz, Titanium, Vanadium and Tungsten (2026)

You'll find iron and copper almost everywhere in SpaceCraft, but Quartz, Titanium, Vanadium and Tungsten are a different story. These SpaceCraft rare resources slow down many chains, from the mining laser to the battery.

This guide shows where each material comes from according to the game data, how to smelt it and what you need it for. The values come from the spacecraft.tools game database (v0.5.25674) and our SpaceCraft database.

⚡ Quick check

• Quartz comes from Gray Quartz and is already needed for the starter quest OP#03.
• Titanium, Vanadium and Tungsten are tier 6 to 7 ores from high-tier nodes (tier 3 to 5) or from deposits with 60 units per hour.
• Two ore or four nuggets make one ingot in the Smelter for Titanium and Tungsten; the recipe unlocks when you discover them.
• Helium-3 and Iridium can't be farmed in SpaceCraft, more on that below.

📊 SpaceCraft rare resources at a glance

Deposits are especially valuable: according to the database, an Extractor, or since Major Update #1 an Extractor Pod, pulls 60 units per hour there without you standing next to it.

💎 Quartz: the early bottleneck

You need Quartz (base value 11 credits) very early. The starter quest OP#03: Exotic Resources already sends you out to find it. It mainly comes from Gray Quartz and rarely drops from Wolframite nodes too.

The main consumer is the Crystalline Focuser: 1 Quartz and 5 Wire make one focuser in the Workshop, and the Simple Mining Laser needs two. Later, the Crystallizer can make Quartz itself: 32 Silicon Ingots and 1 h-Crystal Matrix give 25 Quartz. So don't sell your early Quartz too quickly.

🛡️ Titanium: the key hull metal

According to the game data, Titanium Ore and Titanium Nuggets are tier 6. Titanium Ore comes from the Titanium Deposit (60 per hour) and from Titanomagnetite and Augurite nodes with 1 to 2 ore per hit. Titanium Nuggets come from Titanite (4 to 5 per harvest) and as a rare side drop from Sandstone Mounds.

You need Titanium for Titanium hull parts (Better Titanium permit, 7,000 credits), Strong Metal Sheet and Levinium Ingots. All the details are in the titanium guide.

⚗️ Vanadium: a tier 7 ore

According to the game data, Vanadium Ore is a tier 7 ore. It comes from Vanadinite (tier 4), Carnotite Cluster and Patronite (tier 3 each) and from the Vanadium Deposit. As a very rare side drop it also comes from Coal Clumps, Bauxite Rock and Sulphuric Stone.

Two Vanadium Ore make one Vanadium Ingot in the Smelter. You need it for the Chemical Battery in the Chemical Factory, among other things. Since Major Update #1 there's also an encyclopedia hint that tells you where to find vanadium. More in the vanadium guide.

🔩 Tungsten: the base for Unbendinium

Tungsten Ore comes from Wolframite (tier 5) and the Tungsten Deposit, Tungsten Nuggets from Tungsten Reduction, which is probably found underwater. With Wolframite, almost two thirds of the yield are Iron Nuggets.

According to the game data, Tungsten Ingots go into just one recipe, but an important one: 4 Platinum, 4 Tungsten and 1 Silicon Ingot make 6 Unbendinium Ingots (Modular Systems 3 permit). More in the tungsten guide.

❌ Helium-3 and Iridium: not farmable

Many guides online promise Helium-3 from gas giants and Iridium from anomalies. That's not in SpaceCraft's game data: Helium does exist as an item in the database, but it's marked as not implemented and has neither recipes nor sources. Iridium doesn't exist as an item at all, and anomalies aren't a game object. Stations like "Refinery T2" or "Capital Bay" don't exist either.

If a guide names such materials or recipes, it very likely doesn't come from the game.

⚒️ Mining: laser and mining tier

High-tier nodes need a suitable mining laser. The Simple Mining Laser has mining tier 2, the Overclocked Mining Laser mining tier 3. If you can't mine a source, first check whether it's been identified with the Scanalyzer and whether your mining tier is high enough.

Laser patches help too: since Major Update #1 you add patches without taking the module out of the ship, and Increased Output IV with +200 % only fits the Giant Laser (Heavy Beam permit, 60,000 credits). More in the patches guide and the mining laser comparison.

💡 Farming order: what you need first

• Secure Quartz first, as soon as Crystalline Focusers for lasers and detectors are coming up.
• Grab Titanium once you're planning bigger hull parts, ideally through a Titanium Deposit with an Extractor.
• Look for Vanadium on purpose when the Chemical Battery is next.
• Plan Tungsten only once Modular Systems 3 and Unbendinium are within reach.

🔗 Further guides

How to search for sources systematically is explained in the guide to finding resources. Whether refining pays off is shown in the crafting chains guide. For Extractor and Smelter, see the base automation guide.

❓ FAQ: SpaceCraft rare resources

Which rare resources do I need first?
Quartz, because the Crystalline Focusers for mining lasers and detectors depend on it. Titanium, Vanadium and Tungsten come later.

Is there Helium-3 or Iridium in SpaceCraft?
No. Helium is marked as not implemented in the game data, and Iridium doesn't exist.

How do I farm SpaceCraft rare resources without standing next to them?
Through deposits: Titanium, Vanadium and Tungsten Deposits give 60 units per hour with an Extractor or Extractor Pod.

Why can't I mine a node?
Either it hasn't been identified with the Scanalyzer yet, or your mining laser's tier is too low.

As of October 2026, SpaceCraft Early Access v0.5.25674. Checked against the spacecraft.tools game database (sources, yields, recipes), our SpaceCraft database (implementation status) and Shiro Games' patch notes for Major Update #1. Locations and values can change with patches.