Swarm Biominerals are a combat resource in Star Trek Fleet Command. You do not mine them: you earn them by defeating Swarm hostiles and completing Swarm kill daily goals, then refine them into Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium. They are the Swarm loop’s way of topping up the core three, and they run on the USS Franklin and its successor, the USS Franklin-A.
Why you need swarm biominerals
Biominerals refine into parsteel, tritanium, and dilithium — tokens and raw resources alike. For a mid-game commander that makes the Swarm a second income stream for the three resources every upgrade eats, earned through combat instead of parking miners. The daily Swarm kill goals also fold neatly into a normal play session, so biominerals tend to accumulate without a dedicated grind.
How to get swarm biominerals
- Swarm hostiles. The main source. Swarm systems open from Operations level 15, and defeated Swarm ships drop biominerals. Higher-level Swarms drop more.
- Swarm kill daily goals. Your dailies reward biominerals for clearing a set number of Swarm hostiles, which is the steadiest way to bank them.
- Rare Swarm Hordes. Tougher Swarm spawns in the higher-level systems, worth more per kill once you can handle them.
- Swarm Armadas. The late-game path, requiring a Franklin-A. These are the top-end source, though they mainly pay Advanced Biotics and Jaylah shards rather than biominerals (see below).
Where to fight the Swarm
Swarm systems are spread across the galaxy by level. Search a system name in the Galaxy map to jump to it. This is a representative list, verified July 2026; Scopely adds higher-level systems and Hordes most updates, so treat it as a starting map rather than the full set. Above roughly level 40, warp range becomes the real gatekeeper — you need Franklin-A upgrades and the warp-range research to reach the deepest systems at all.
Early Swarm (Ops 15–24)
| System | Swarm level |
|---|---|
| Andvaris | 15 |
| Caldik | 16 |
| Altamid | 17 |
| Herias | 18 |
| Ezani | 19 |
| Beta Vordunn | 20 |
| Klaiz | 22 |
| Er’Yozun | 24 |
| Lahrel | 24 |
Mid Swarm (Ops 26–32)
| System | Swarm level |
|---|---|
| Alpha Horunia | 26 |
| Sayo | 26 |
| Ortek | 28 |
| Redmond | 28 |
| Fontaine | 30 |
| Von | 30 |
| Adelphi | 32 |
| Fyrsta | 32 |
Beyond these, Swarm systems continue up past level 60, including Rare Swarm Hordes and Elite (Acrocanth) Swarms in the highest systems. Those shift with updates, so confirm current names and levels in game.
Refining biominerals
Raw biominerals are inventory until you refine them. The Swarm refinery converts them into Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium, in both token and resource form. As with material refining, higher output tiers unlock with your refinery level — 3★ materials from level 20 and 4★ from level 39 — so a higher refinery turns the same biominerals into more valuable resources.
Best ships for the Swarm
The Swarm has always had a dedicated killer. The USS Franklin is the original: an explorer built to disrupt Swarm clusters, and the ship most players farm biominerals with through the mid game. At Operations 35+, the meta shifts — you scrap a maxed (Tier 9, Level 45) Franklin for the blueprints to the USS Franklin-A, the only ship that efficiently clears Level 40+ Swarms and runs Swarm Armadas. Its Swarm Hunter ability multiplies its damage against Swarm targets. Don’t keep pouring resources into a maxed original Franklin past that point; the scrap is the upgrade path.
The Ex-Borg research tree is worth a look too: several nodes cut the damage you take from Swarm hostiles and extend the Franklin-A’s warp range, which is what actually unlocks the high-level systems.
Swarm Biominerals FAQ
Are Swarm Biominerals mined?
No. They are a combat drop from Swarm hostiles and Swarm kill daily goals, not gathered from system nodes. You refine them afterward into the core three resources.
What do biominerals refine into?
Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium, as tokens and resources. Your refinery level determines how high a tier of material you get.
Are Biominerals the same as Advanced Biotics?
No, and this trips people up. Swarm Biominerals refine into the core three resources. Advanced Biotics are a separate Swarm resource used to tier up the Franklin-A, earned mainly from Swarm Armadas. Same enemy, different currencies.
When can I start fighting the Swarm?
Swarm missions and systems open at Operations level 15. You can farm biominerals with the USS Franklin from there, and move to the Franklin-A once you are 35+ and ready to scrap a maxed Franklin.