Quick answer
PC Gamer reports that early Quartz appears as white crystal chunks on and inside orange-green coral domes, including under the Lifepod, with many domes northwest of the Lifepod. Hand pickups are enough for early Scanner and Glass work, medium crystals can be smashed with the Survival Multitool, and large Quartz deposits later need the Sonic Resonator. Subnautica2Hub lists Quartz in Coral Gardens and Observatory Ruins, while Subnautica2.gg lists it as used in 20 recipes and tied to Processor / glass crafting data. Save a marked Quartz route before you spend the lot on base windows.
Field notes for Quartz hoarding
Quartz disappears quietly
You rarely lose a run because Quartz is impossible to find. You lose time because Glass, Scanner Station, and electronics all pull from the same little pile while you are thinking about something else.
Beacon the boring route
The best early Quartz line is not dramatic. It is the coral dome route you can repeat half-awake without checking three maps. Mark that line before base windows start eating stock.
Keep electronics Quartz separate
A tiny side stack for System Chip, Wiring Kit follow-ups, and module work saves you from turning every crystal into Glass because the base looked bare.
Quartz route plan
Start with the domes near the Lifepod
PC Gamer describes Quartz as white crystal chunks on and inside orange-green coral domes, including under the Lifepod. Check the nearby domes before turning the first tool craft into a long swim.
Sweep northwest for early stacks
The same guide points to loads of coral domes northwest of the Lifepod. This is the safer early route for Scanner, Glass, and Habitat Builder prep.
Drop a Beacon on the good dome line
Once you find a repeatable cluster, mark it. Quartz is annoying not because it is hidden, but because you need it again when Glass, Scanner Station, and System Chip plans collide.
Break medium crystals when you see them
Medium Quartz crystals can be smashed with the Survival Multitool in PC Gamer reporting. Use that to top up without committing to a full mining run.
Save bulk farming for Sonic Resonator
Large Quartz deposits need the Sonic Resonator. PC Gamer calls out cave deposits and a trench near a water current north of the Lifepod, around the Old Habitat route, as a repeatable stock spot.
Split storage by job
Quartz feeds both glass and electronics. Keep a small stack with Wiring Kit and System Chip parts so every piece does not vanish into base windows.
Quartz split
First tools
Hand pickup
Scanner and early Glass prep.
Base work
Glass
Habitat Builder and windows eat stacks fast.
Later stock
Sonic
Large cave deposits become the real route.
Quartz checklist
| Need | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Early pickup | White crystals on or inside coral domes near the Lifepod. |
| Direction | PC Gamer points to many domes northwest of the Lifepod. |
| Bulk mining | Large deposits need Sonic Resonator. |
| Biome data | Subnautica2Hub lists Coral Gardens and Observatory Ruins. |
| Recipe pressure | Subnautica2.gg lists Quartz as used in 20 recipes. |
| Route marker | Beacon one reliable dome route before Glass and base work ramp up. |
Do not let glass consume all of it
A pretty base can empty the Quartz box before System Chip, Echo Location, or other electronics are ready. Keep a separate electronics stack even if it feels fussy.
FAQ
Where is Quartz near the start in Subnautica 2?
PC Gamer points to white crystal chunks on and inside orange-green coral domes, including under the Lifepod, with many domes northwest of the Lifepod.
Do you need Sonic Resonator for Quartz?
Not for the first pieces. Hand pickups and medium crystals work early, but large Quartz deposits need the Sonic Resonator.
What is Quartz used for?
Quartz feeds Scanner and Glass prep early, then electronics such as System Chip and modules later. Subnautica2.gg currently lists it in 20 recipes.
Where should you store Quartz?
Split it between glass/base materials and electronics. That keeps System Chip and module crafts from being blocked by base decoration.