The 0.4.0 update introduced locked treasure pods found all over the map, which can be opened once you have the required upgrade, but they're not purchasable right away.
So far I've found three different kinds of treasure pod, but I've only been able to buy the lowest level of Treasure Cracker.
What causes the Treasure Crackers to become available for purchase?
The game developer Nick Popovich has confirmed in a Tweet that there are requirements other than time.
Best Answer
Seems to be based entirely on Extractor Cycles (get items from drill/pump/apiary buildings) now that I've played more.
Mk1 (Green) Treasure Cracker:
Mk2 (Blue) Treasure Cracker:
Mk3 (black) Treasure Cracker:
Slime Rancher Wiki found the exact(?) numbers.
You usually have to sleep to get the unlock to pop, but one time I did not--might check every X hours or Y time of day instead of whether you slept.