Suggest implementing the use of credits to purchase artifacts, research elements, ect. The disproportionate availability of mining resources versus research or artifact, and the logarithmic growth of leveling leaves players with more credits than they know what to do with.

If artifacts have a "scrap value", those same artifacts ought to have a "retail value".

No, if this were to be implemented then those who are at already high ranks could advance even faster by putting everything into minerals, if you have too much money you are either spreading your research too thin, or just dont have enough to begin with. Besides youll need more credits later, no matter how many you have youll need more.

Think of this game as an incredibly long RTS, if you getting too many of one resource to the point in which your floating it, you got find a way to spend it that wastes as little of it as possible. By managing the resources properly you will become stronger faster, this is simply part of the game.

After rank 150, users get poor, fast.
However I see the need for a fresh change.
Early users need something fun to do with their excess credits.
Also for experienced users, the late techs should cost less, and make them spend credits elsewhere - somewhere fun. (however none of the FB games seem to have solved this money problem)

If you have some bright ideas on how to gain more research, please state them. I can only colonize 1 planet every 4 levels, leveling is (apparently by design) logarithmic over time, and significant research resources are rare among the planets to begin with.

There needs to be some way to progress through the game that is associated with efforts/skills put into playing the game as opposed to just the passage of time. Oh wait, I guess I could spend real money on it - that is the way to progress...

get more research planets, and research getting planetary buildings. if you dont have good research planets scan some more, if you cant scan for more, research better scanners and then scan for more. It can be hard to get a foothold at first but just be patient. And there is a way to progress through the game that is associated around efforts/skills, its called thinking ahead, doing the math before you spend your credits, and managing your rescources so you dont float any of them.