Water is one of the basic conditional elements of human survival. Most worlds have this compound in relative short supply and hence must rely on starship freight.

Derived from heavy metals, toxic metals are those that have no biological function and are in fact poisonous to most living creatures.

As one of the most common elements in the universe, it's no surprise that silicon has found its way into almost every aspect of manufacturing, resulting in a steady price and perpetual mining operations on most solid planets.

Very dense metals are often called reactive metals, as their ability to conduct electrical currents and absorb heat is unparalleled. Rarely found in a natural solid state, they are instead usually assembled on an atomic level from particulate matter found in other forms.

One of the most basic components of biological life, proteins form the core DNA structure and are involved in almost every process that sustains a living being. Harvested at the microscopic level, proteins can be put to use in everything from medical genetics to nanite technology.

A cousin of noble metals, precious metals are named as such because of how infrequently they appear on terrestrial worlds where they were first encountered.

In the early days of humanity's return to space flight, scientists Planto and Ginch co-discovered a self-sustaining natural structure made entirely from plasma suspended in a planetary magnetic field. Since then, the term has been applied to any such construct, whether occurring under normal conditions or produced artificially using electrical currents.

Oxygen is a commodity in constant demand. While most stations have their own supply units, smaller depots and space crafts rely on imports.

Converting various matter from its basic state to an oxidized form requires an oxidizing compound, the most effective of which is a powerful agent made from pressurized reactive gas. Special containers are required to keep the compound from causing significant damage to common metals and organic life.