Quartz is a slightly different ore that you can only find in the Nether. It’s perfect for all kinds of exciting building projects! Thanks to its milky-white surface, it’s a very elegant building block that shines in modern builds. With its variants, it also works great for Roman-style architecture, evoking a classical era. But quartz isn’t just for looks — it’s surprisingly versatile. You don’t even have to mine it yourself: you can set up an automated farm for quartz! Let’s take a closer look.
Finding Minecraft Nether Quartz: locations, biomes, and Y-levels
As the name Nether Quartz suggests, quartz can be found only in the Nether. That alone makes it rarer overall, but once you reach the Nether you’ll quickly spot the white veins against the deep red Netherrack. Quartz isn’t hard to locate, and you should be able to gather plenty just by exploring the Nether.
Nether Quartz Ore generates in all biomes, but it’s most visible in the Nether Wastes. It generates by replacing Netherrack, so areas with lots of Netherrack feel richer. That’s why it can seem rarer in biomes like the Soul Sand Valley or the Basalt Deltas.
In general, Quartz Ore appears more often near the top and bottom of the Nether, where there’s more Netherrack. The best layers to dig are Y-level 10–15 or Y-level 104–114. Watch out for lava pockets and use Fire Resistance potions while mining. We also recommend a Fortune III pickaxe to get up to 4 Nether Quartz per ore.
Minecraft Nether Quartz via Piglin bartering and Mason trades
You can also obtain Nether Quartz through Piglin bartering. These porcine fellows roam the Nether and are especially fond of gold. Give them a gold ingot and there’s a 4.26% chance to receive 5–12 Nether Quartz.
On the other hand, you can trade with a Mason villager to get Blocks of Quartz. Level the Mason up to Master, and you can trade Blocks of Quartz and Quartz Pillars for one emerald each.
Minecraft Nether Quartz uses: building blocks, Redstone, and armor
Quartz as a building block: variants and recipes
Quartz is a great building block thanks to its clean white color. It also comes in several variants. To gather more quartz efficiently, use a Fortune pickaxe. Use the Stonecutter to simplify many recipes.
- Block of Quartz: Craft from four Nether Quartz. It’s the foundation for most other recipes. You can also turn it into slabs and stairs, making it very versatile.
- Quartz Pillar: Place two Blocks of Quartz vertically to craft a pillar — ideal for Roman-style builds.
- Chiseled Quartz Block: Features a geometric pattern, great for decoration. Craft from two quartz slabs (made from Blocks of Quartz).
- Smooth Quartz Block: Smelt a Block of Quartz in a furnace for the smooth variant. It has a fine, clean texture and looks very sleek. Also available as slabs and stairs.
- Quartz Bricks: Combine four Blocks of Quartz to make bricks. This variant also looks very premium.
You can also use Nether Quartz to craft three additional stone types, making these blocks renewable:
- Diorite: 2 Quartz + 2 Cobblestone
- Granite: 1 Diorite + 1 Quartz
- Andesite: 1 Diorite + 1 Cobblestone
Quartz for Redstone: Observer, Comparator, and sensors
Quartz is a key component in several Redstone mechanics, so you’ll need Nether access for certain farms.
- Daylight Detector (and its inverted mode): Stores power and outputs a signal based on the time of day.
- Observer: Detects changes in the block in front of it and emits a Redstone signal.
- Redstone Comparator: A versatile Redstone block. Details in our guide: (Minecraft Redstone Comparator: Doors, Passwords & Puzzles) .
Nether Quartz for armor trims: using Smithing Templates
You can also use quartz to trim your armor. First, find a Smithing Template in various structures. Then use a Smithing Table to apply a color to the armor piece of your choice. Quartz gives a white trim.
Trading Nether Quartz with the Mason
The Mason not only sells quartz blocks but also buys raw Nether Quartz. Trade 12 Nether Quartz for one emerald at Expert level.
Quickly farming XP with Nether Quartz
Nether Quartz Ore is an excellent way to farm experience without fighting mobs — especially useful in Peaceful mode. Mining Quartz Ore yields 2 to 5 XP. The Fortune enchantment does not affect XP drops.
Automatically farming Minecraft Nether Quartz: Piglins and villagers
Option 1: Piglin bartering with a gold farm for Nether Quartz
You can obtain quartz by bartering gold ingots with Piglins in the Nether. This is a viable option, though the odds are only around 5%. You’ll want a combination of an efficient gold farm and a Piglin bartering setup to collect enough Nether Quartz.
We have in-depth guides for both:
- (Minecraft gold farm: build an advanced gold and XP farm)
- (Trading with Piglins in Minecraft: Guide & How to Build an Automatic Farm)
Option 2: Mason villager and a raid farm for quartz blocks
Your second option is to gather enough emeralds and trade them with a Mason for Blocks of Quartz. In Java you can get both Blocks of Quartz and Pillars; in Bedrock only one of these trades is available. The trade is 1-to-1, so you’ll need lots of emeralds. We recommend a raid farm (Building a Minecraft Raid Farm: Farm Infinite Totems & Emeralds) , though you can also earn emeralds through other trades.
Conclusion: Plenty of Nether Quartz for elegant builds and Redstone
Nether Quartz is not only a fantastic building block for your world, it also has many other uses. From Mason trades and Redstone components to a handy XP source, the block and its variants are remarkably versatile. You can also rely on two automated methods if you want to farm quartz. And mining in the Nether with a Fortune enchantment is always worth it.
Rent your own Minecraft server and get rich in quartz. It’s perfect for building — from Roman temples to modern villas.
