Phantom Quartz Shards are the Tier 3 crystal that gates almost all of the underwater progression added in Grounded 2’s Into the Abyss update. They only spawn in one place, and you cannot pick them up bare-handed. The good news is that the first node sits close to the entrance, so you can grab a starter batch without a hard fight.
Quick answer: Head to the Gnarly Bark region, find the cave tucked under the large tree roots near the Paper Boat and Ranger Outpost: Gnarly Bark, drop into the water, swim straight through the tunnel, and break the glowing Phantom Quartz clusters with a Tier 3 Omni-Hammer to collect Phantom Quartz Shards.
What you need before entering the cave
Phantom Quartz is a Tier 3 resource, and the larger formations will not break unless you carry the right hammer. Reaching the cave without it means a wasted trip, so pack the gear below first.
| Item | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Tier 3 Omni-Hammer | Required to harvest the crystal nodes |
| Torch or light source | The grotto is dark and flooded; without one you can barely see the crystals on the walls |
| Underwater breathing gear | Much of the route and many nodes sit underwater |
| Healing items | Deeper nodes are guarded by enemies |
| Open inventory space | You will want several shards per run |
A mount or buggy is not required, but it speeds up travel between deposits once you push deeper into the cave.
Phantom Quartz location in Gnarly Bark
Every Phantom Quartz deposit lives inside a single flooded cave beneath the Gnarly Bark biome, reached through an opening along its border with Skunk Pond. The entrance is on the pond bank, hidden under a large tree root right around the Paper Boat and Ranger Outpost: Gnarly Bark. Use those landmarks rather than hunting the open water, since the crystals are inside the cave, not out in the pond.
The cave entrance can be guarded by an O.G.R.R. Striped Bark Scorpion, so be ready for a fight before you reach the water.
Farming more crystals deeper in the cave
That first node is only the start. The same cave holds several more Phantom Quartz deposits scattered both underwater and along the interior banks. From the first cluster, keep moving left and deeper to reach them.
Two Whipper Earwigs stand guard over the next set of crystals, so this stretch is not the free pickup the first one is. Clear both, and you will find another pair of clusters right there, with more sitting underwater beyond that. Visibility in the flooded sections is poor, so keep a light source out the whole time. If you only need a handful of shards, take the accessible node by the first interior bank and leave; if you are stocking up for the full crafting chain, mine every node before you head out.
Analyze the shard to unlock the Quern
Before doing anything else, carry your first Phantom Quartz Shard to a Resource Analyzer at a Ranger Station. Analyzing it unlocks a set of recipes at level 11 Brain Power, including Crushed Quartz, the Crystal Trident, and the Quern processing station you need for the next step. You will know it worked when those recipes appear in your crafting menus.
Once the Quern is unlocked, build it from the Building Menu with these materials.
| Quern material | Amount |
|---|---|
| Clay | 4 |
| Sturdy Quartzite Shard | 3 |
| Lint Rope | 2 |
| Pinecone Piece | 3 |
| Striped Scorpion Chunk | 2 |
From shards to Quartz Glass
Phantom Quartz Shards are the raw start of a longer refining chain. You grind them into Crushed Quartz, bake that into Fire Bricks, then use both to reach Quartz Glass, the Tier 3 material behind the diving gear and underwater base pieces. Each processed item needs analyzing before the next recipe appears.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Crushed Quartz | Process 1 Phantom Quartz Shard in the Quern |
| Analyze Crushed Quartz | Unlocks the Fire Brick recipe |
| Fire Brick | Bake 4 Clay + 1 Crushed Quartz in an Oven |
| Analyze Fire Brick | Unlocks Quartz Glass, the Kiln, and Marine building pieces |
| Quartz Glass | Bake 2 Crushed Quartz + 1 Horsetail Stem in the Kiln |
Quartz Glass only comes from the Kiln, a more expensive station than the Quern. Gather its parts before you spend all your Crushed Quartz, since every Fire Brick eats one and the Kiln needs eight bricks by itself. Horsetail Stems grow in and around Skunk Pond, harvested with Tier 2 Clippers when submerged and a Tier 2 Axe when above the water.
| Kiln material | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fire Brick | 8 |
| EverChar Coal Chunk | 5 |
| Green Shield Bug Parts | 3 |
| Rust | 4 |
| Horsetail Stem | 3 |
Note: to reach your first Quartz Glass from scratch you will need roughly 10 Phantom Quartz Shards, since building the Kiln alone burns eight Crushed Quartz through its Fire Bricks. Farming a stack in one cave run saves a second trip.
Crafting the Diving Suit and reaching the abyss
The whole point of the Phantom Quartz chain is the Diving Suit, which lets you enter the new underwater zone. Craft all three pieces at a Workbench once you have enough Quartz Glass and Fire Bricks.
| Piece | Materials |
|---|---|
| Diving Helmet | 3 Quartz Glass, 2 Toe Biter Shells, 2 Cattail Fluff, 2 Wax |
| Diving Suit Chestplate | 5 Chrysalis Leather, 2 Quartz Glass, 5 Cattail Fluff, 4 Lint Ropes |
| Diving Boots | 4 Chrysalis Leather, 2 Fire Bricks, 4 Toe Biter Shells, 3 Wax |
With the full set equipped, interact with the SCAB scanner to unlock access to the diving area and head into the abyss. Phantom Quartz Shards also feed a few other recipes along the way, including the Crystal Trident weapon, the Toenail Cutlass, the Reflex Guard trinket, and the Gloom Sconce, so keep a reserve of shards and Crushed Quartz on hand.
Keep in mind that Phantom Quartz is its own material and not the older quartzite you may have mined elsewhere in the park, so do not go looking for it in the wrong spots. Treat the Gnarly Bark cave as your one steady source, clear it fully each visit, and gather Horsetail around Skunk Pond on the same loop to keep the Quern and Kiln running.
