Grating Crystal
Overview
Grating Crystal is a rare ore and crafting material used to simplify the production of Photon Combiners and Casimir Crystals, and it is also part of the 
It is mined from optical grating crystal veins, which are usually found in star systems other than the starting system. The sources give no clear connection between planet type and the appearance of these veins, so finding them is mainly a matter of exploration. Small amounts can also be obtained by breaking rocks on lava planets.
Grating Crystal is especially valuable because it can replace other materials in recipes that are otherwise easy to mass-produce: it can stand in for Titanium Crystals, which themselves can be produced from harvested Organic Crystals, and it can also replace glass Prisms, which are easy to make from stone. For that reason, it is not always essential for basic progress, but it becomes very convenient once production chains grow larger and you want to reduce intermediate processing.
- It is a rare natural resource, so veins should be exploited whenever they are found.
- Its biggest strategic value is in late-game logistics and advanced manufacturing, especially for Photon Combiners and Casimir Crystals.
- Even if the resource is not abundant, it is worth stockpiling because it reduces demand on other production lines.
Lava planets can provide small bonus amounts through rock breaking, which can help before a dedicated vein supply is established.
