Guide Steps
Primary source: Orange Coral Domes in the Shallows
Orange, bulbous Coral Domes dot the Shallows seafloor. Swim up to a dome and interact with it to break it open. Inside you will find quartz crystals. Each dome yields 2-4 quartz. Coral Domes are visually distinctive — round, orange, about the size of a Lifepod. They are abundant and respawn over time.
No loose quartz on seafloor
Unlike Subnautica 1 where quartz appeared as white crystal clusters on the seabed, on Proteus quartz is ONLY found inside Coral Domes. Do not wander the seafloor looking for white crystals — look for the orange domes instead. This is a key difference from the original game.
What quartz is used for
Glass (2 quartz per glass) — for windows, hatches, base modules. Scanner (2 quartz). System Chip (2 quartz). Flashlight (requires quartz in its recipe). Each base window costs 2 quartz. Each glass corridor costs 2 quartz. Farm quartz whenever you break Coral Domes — it stacks and is always useful.
Farming strategy
Swim a loop through the Shallows breaking every orange Coral Dome you see. Each dome takes one interaction to break open. Collect the quartz inside. A 5-minute loop yields 8-12 quartz. Mark dome-dense areas with beacons for efficient return trips. No tools required — just swim up and interact.
Quartz for base building
A basic base with 2 windows, 1 hatch, and 1 glass corridor needs 8 quartz. The System Chip (needed for Habitat Builder and Rebreather) needs 2 quartz. The Scanner needs 2 quartz. Farm 20-30 quartz before major base construction to avoid mid-build collection breaks.