SpaceCraft Vanadium: Locations, Mining and Uses

SpaceCraft vanadium isn't something you pick up in your starting system on the side. Search for it and you mostly find community reports on Steam that partly contradict each other. This guide sums up what the banrado item database and verifiable sources actually confirm, and what's only a community hint right now.

⛏️ What is Vanadium Ore and what do you need it for?

Vanadium Ore is a level 7 ore that, according to its in-game description, is found in many metal alloys. In the Smelter you turn it into Vanadium Ingot. You don't need a permit for that: according to spacecraft.tools, the recipe unlocks as soon as you discover Vanadium Ore.

The current market value of Vanadium Ore is 5.6 credits per unit, according to both the banrado item database and spacecraft.tools. That's a rare case where two independent sources match exactly.

🪐 Where does SpaceCraft vanadium spawn?

According to spacecraft.tools (v0.5.25674), Vanadium Ore is the main yield of three node types, plus a deposit for extractors:

Patronite doesn't give you vanadium on every harvest. Don't count on it as your main source when Vanadinite or a Carnotite Cluster is in reach.

On top of that, the database lists SpaceCraft vanadium as a rare secondary drop from Coal Clump (about 1%), Bauxite Rock (0.3%) and Sulphuric Stone (0.2%). That lines up with community reports on Steam saying vanadium is hard to find apart from very rare drops from coal.

The Vanadium Deposit itself is a tier 1 deposit with a rate of 60 units per hour. Since Major Update #1 you can also tap unclaimed deposits with Extractor Pods without building a base there (Remote Extraction 1 permit).

Specific sectors: what's confirmed and what isn't

The item databases make no reliable statements about specific planets or sectors. In two Steam threads, players point to two different sectors as good vanadium spots. Since the two claims contradict each other and neither is officially confirmed, treat them as uncertain for now. Don't rely on a single community hint. Check the interactive map on spacecraft.tools/map for your own server instead.

One official hint came with Major Update #1: according to the developer preview, the Data Disks from Restricted Areas now contain practical tips, including where to find vanadium. Since the update you turn Data Disks in to the new UCG Agent at the Mining Bureau.

Also only backed by a community report, not officially verified: one player puts the trip to a distant vanadium source at about 500 units of Mag-Plasma for the first flight and about 250 units for later trips with a better-equipped ship. Plan enough fuel reserve before you go hunting for SpaceCraft vanadium.

⛏️ Mining SpaceCraft vanadium: what to watch out for

• Reliability over volume: Vanadinite and the Carnotite Cluster give vanadium every time. Patronite is only worth it as a side source.
• Grab it on the way: Since SpaceCraft vanadium drops rarely from Coal Clump, Bauxite Rock and Sulphuric Stone, mine those nodes when you pass them anyway instead of searching specifically.
• Automate once you have a deposit: A Vanadium Deposit delivers a steady 60 units per hour. At that rate an Extractor pays off as soon as you have a base nearby.
• Search with a plan: The basics of scanning and finding deposits, Mining Bureau included, are in our guide on how to find resources in SpaceCraft.

📦 What you need SpaceCraft vanadium for in the end

Vanadium Ore first becomes Vanadium Ingot, which goes into two further recipes according to the item database:

So Vanadium Ingot isn't an end product. It's an intermediate for two different branches: energy storage (Chemical Battery) and a better titanium alloy (B-Titanium Ingot). The Chemical Battery needs the Chemical Battery permit, the B-Titanium Ingot the Better Titanium permit. Since Major Update #1, vanadium is also on the list of items that grant Technology XP when produced. If you also need aluminum for your next tier, our SpaceCraft bauxite guide covers that chain.

💡 FAQ about SpaceCraft vanadium

Why can't I find vanadium in my starting system?
Because it isn't one of the basic resources like iron or copper. It's a rarer material tied to specific sources (Vanadinite, Carnotite Cluster, Patronite) or a tier 1 deposit.

Is the long trip to a vanadium source worth it?
Only if you actually need Vanadium Ingot for a Chemical Battery or B-Titanium Ingot. Without a concrete need, the fuel cost reported by players (around 500 Mag-Plasma for the first trip) is hard to justify. Pick it up as a secondary drop from coal or bauxite instead.

Do I need a permit to smelt vanadium?
No. According to spacecraft.tools, the Smelter recipe unlocks once you discover Vanadium Ore. Permits only come in for the Chemical Battery and the B-Titanium Ingot.

Which source gives the most vanadium?
Per harvest, Vanadinite (1–3) and the Carnotite Cluster (2–3) always drop Vanadium Ore. A Vanadium Deposit with an Extractor gives a steady 60 units per hour.

🔗 Quick summary

• Vanadium Ore comes from four sources: Vanadinite, Carnotite Cluster, Patronite and the tier 1 deposit, plus rare drops from Coal Clump, Bauxite Rock and Sulphuric Stone.
• Specific planets or sectors aren't officially confirmed, and community hints partly contradict each other. The interactive map on spacecraft.tools/map is more reliable than a single Steam post.
• You smelt Vanadium Ore into Vanadium Ingot, which goes into the Chemical Battery and B-Titanium Ingot.

As of October 2026. Sources: Major Update #1 patch notes (October 8, 2026) and the developer preview from October 1, 2026 on Steam, the spacecraft.tools game database (v0.5.25674), the banrado item database, and 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 vanadium are community hints without official confirmation.