Dilithium is the research resource in Star Trek Fleet Command, and the scarcest of the core three. Parsteel nodes fill the galaxy and tritanium is close behind, but dilithium only spawns in a short list of systems, which is why the good ones are always crowded. You get it from mining, your station generators, hostile loot, raiding, and events. No grades, no refining.
Why you need dilithium
Every node in your research trees pulls dilithium: combat research, station efficiency, ship upgrades, the works. Research is also the least skippable spend in the game, since it compounds forever. One more reason to care: your vault protects less dilithium than parsteel or tritanium, so banked dilithium is the most raidable thing on your station. Spend it into research quickly rather than sitting on it.
How to get dilithium
- Mining. The main active source, from a much shorter system list than parsteel or tritanium. Systems below.
- Station generators. Your Dilithium Generators produce it passively. Upgrade them and collect often.
- Daily goals and events. Mining and research events pay dilithium at every level.
- Hostile loot. Destroying hostiles pays out resources along with the rest of their loot.
- Raiding other stations. Dilithium is one of the three raidable resources, and the least protected of them, which makes research-hoarding neighbors profitable targets. Expect the same treatment back.
- Missions and the Battle Pass. Steady but smaller amounts.
Dilithium Mining Locations
Curated and verified July 2026. Dilithium is scarce by design: below system level 20 there are only six dilithium systems in the whole galaxy, so expect competition and crew for protection.
Early game (Ops 10–19)
| System | System level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Murasaki 312 | 10 | Warp 6, the classic first dilithium stop |
| Clytomenes | 12 | Warp 7 |
| Coridan | 16 | Warp 13 |
| Kaikara | 18 | Warp 13 |
| Krah’Hor | 18 | Warp 13 |
| Lorillia | 18 | Warp 13 |
Mid game (Ops 20–29)
Mid-game dilithium lives in faction space, so reputation gates the door. The upside is bigger nodes and fewer neighbors.
| System | System level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vulcan | 23 | Federation space, reputation required |
| Khitomer | 23 | Klingon space, reputation required |
| Draken | 23 | Romulan space, reputation required |
| Izth | 26 | Klingon space, reputation required |
| Querlz | 26 | Federation space, reputation required |
| Rooth | 26 | Romulan space, reputation required |
Late game (Ops 30+)
| System | System level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elequa | 30 | Warp 26 |
| Izanagi | 32 | Warp 26 |
| Carraya | 33 | Warp 27 |
| Altanea | 38 | Warp 38 |
| D’Deridex | 38 | Warp 38 |
| Devoras | 39 | Warp 38 |
| Chaltok | 39 | Warp 45 |
| Caerulum | 39 | Warp 46 |
| B’Oh | 42 | Warp 70 |
| Imada | 44 | Warp 105 |
| Hilo | 46 | Warp 120 |
| Aramis | 52 | Warp 230 |
| Isa’day | 57 | Warp 400 |
Best Dilithium Mining Crews
The right crew depends on your server’s rules of engagement: are miners sitting over their protected cargo fair game? (Players call this an OPC hit, for over protected cargo.)
- If OPC hits are allowed: crew full protection. Joaquin as captain with T’Pring and One of Eleven keeps the most cargo safe, and matters more on dilithium nodes than anywhere else in core space because the competition is thicker.
- If miners are safe on your server: crew for speed. Captain: Domitia > Dilithium Miner – increases the dilithium mining rate of the ship, or Ten of Eleven > +50% mining rate to Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium. Fill the bridge with Surveyors & Miners officers for the synergy bonus.
For current rankings past these staples, see the officer tier list.
Best Ships to Mine Dilithium
The Horizon is the dedicated dilithium miner, and its ship ability grows as it levels. Upgrade its mining laser for speed and its cargo bay for capacity. Later on, your newest survey ship with the biggest hold usually takes over, since node size becomes the limit before mining speed does.
Dilithium FAQ
Does dilithium have grades like ore or gas?
No. Like parsteel and tritanium, dilithium has no star grades and never touches the refinery.
Where do I mine dilithium at low levels?
Murasaki 312 (level 10) is the classic first stop, then Clytomenes at 12. There is nothing else until level 16, so those two stay busy on every server.
Can other players steal my dilithium?
Yes, and more easily than anything else: raids take unprotected station dilithium and the vault protects less of it than parsteel or tritanium. Spend it into research, and crew for protection when you mine.
Why am I always short on dilithium?
Research costs scale brutally and every tree wants dilithium at once. Prioritize the research that unlocks your next real bottleneck instead of spreading it across every branch.