Quartz

Glass production (2 quartz per panel) is the single largest quartz sink. Before building observation rooms or windowed habitat modules, calculate how many glass panels you need and stockpile double that number in raw quartz.

The Scanner, Flashlight, Echo Location device, Glowsticks, and Lightsticks all require quartz. If you are equipping for a cave expedition, budget 5–8 quartz just for lighting and detection gear.

Quartz Deposits yield 3–5 per resonator hit versus 2–3 from breaking crystals. Deposits are still more efficient per node, especially in the Coral Gardens where large formations cluster together.

The PDA notes quartz forms near coral structures in this world. In the Coral Gardens, search around prominent coral domes and reef formations — quartz deposits tend to cluster where coral growth is densest.

Quartz spans 0–500m depth across two biomes, giving it the joint-widest depth range alongside gold. Early-game players can farm shallow Coral Gardens quartz; late-game demand is met by deep Observatory Ruins deposits.