Subnautica Diamond — Where to Find It and Every Crafting Recipe

Diamonds in Subnautica come almost entirely from Shale Outcrops — the small dark-brown rocks that crack open into diamonds, lithium or gold — plus a handful of loose seabed crystals. The best farms are the Sea Treader's Path (where Sea Treader Leviathans kick up shale as they walk), Mountain Island, the Mushroom Forests and the Jellyshroom Caves. You need diamonds early for the Laser Cutter (2) and the Modification Station, and constantly afterward — the Prawn Suit takes 2, the Reinforced Dive Suit 2, and the Cyclops Hull Reinforcement 4. This guide covers every reliable farm, the full recipe list, and the three other early materials that come from the same outcrops (lithium and silver) and the same early-game phase (Table Coral).

Here's what you'll learn:

• Every biome where Shale Outcrops spawn diamonds
• The fastest farming routes, including the Sea Treader trick
• Every recipe that consumes diamonds, with quantities
• Where to find lithium and silver (same outcrop family)
• Where Table Coral grows and why you need it

Official resources: Steam store page · Official Subnautica Wiki — Diamond · Official Subnautica Wiki — Shale Outcrop · IGN Subnautica page

Where to Find Diamonds

Diamonds spawn in Shale Outcrops across the mid-deep biomes, and loose on the seabed in a few:

Per the official Subnautica Wiki: "To obtain a large quantity of Diamonds, it is recommended to go to the Sea Treader's Path and break the Shale outcrops that the Sea Treader Leviathans reveal, visit the Mountain Island and its Caves, visit the Mushroom Forest, or the Jellyshroom Cave to find Shale outcrops there."

The Fastest Farming Routes

Route 1: Sea Treader's Path (the meta)

The Sea Treader Leviathans are passive bottom-walkers that permanently churn the seafloor as they migrate — every step reveals fresh Shale Outcrops. Farm in their wake:

1. Build the Seamoth Depth Module MK1 (needed: 300 m — the Modification Station and Vehicle Upgrade Console chain is covered in our laser cutter guide).
2. Dive to the Sea Treader's Path (170–425 m) and follow a herd.
3. Break every Shale Outcrop they expose — each has a ~1-in-3 chance of diamond, with lithium and gold as the other outcomes.
4. Repeat along the migration route; a single pass yields 5–10 diamonds.

Route 2: Mountain Island (fastest if you're brave)

The island's surface and Mountains Caves are carpeted in shale — you can collect 6–8 diamonds in ten minutes. The catch: a Reaper Leviathan patrols the eastern cliff face. Land on the island from the shallow side, farm the surface outcrops first, and dive the caves only with a knife and nerves. The Reaper behavior and counters are in our leviathans guide.

Every Recipe That Uses Diamond

The Laser Cutter (2) is usually the first spend — the full fragment and door guide is here. The Prawn Suit's 2 and Hull Reinforcement's 4 are the big late-game sinks.

Where to Find Lithium (Same Outcrops, Same Trip)

Lithium comes from the same Shale Outcrops as diamonds (plus loose seabed crystals and Large Resource Deposits), in nearly the same biomes: Blood Kelp, Bulb Zone, Crag Field, Dunes, Grand Reef, Lost River, Mountains, Mushroom Forest, Sea Treader's Path, Sparse Reef and Underwater Islands. Its uses are just as constant:

Since diamonds and lithium share the shale spawn table, the Sea Treader farm above fills both at once — the Cyclops guide lists every module that will consume the result.

Where to Find Silver Ore

Silver Ore comes from Sandstone Outcrops (a different outcrop type) in the Grassy Plateaus, Kelp Forest, Bulb Zone, Grand Reef, Crash Zone, Dunes and the Lost River. It's an early-game staple:

• Wiring Kit = 2 Silver Ore (needed for tons of electronics)
• Medical Kit Fabricator = 1 Silver Ore + 1 Computer Chip + 1 Fiber Mesh + 1 Titanium
• Ion Battery = 1 Ion Cube + 1 Gold + 1 Silver Ore (endgame)

Sandstone also yields gold, so one Grassy Plateaus sweep covers both metals. Grassy Plateaus is where you'll also find the Laser Cutter fragments (see our laser cutter guide).

Where to Find Table Coral

Table Coral is the other early material players hunt: it's the harvestable coral disks in the Safe Shallows, Grassy Plateaus, Bulb Zone, Mushroom Forest, Crash Zone and Lost River, with red disks commonest in the starting biome. You knife it for Table Coral Samples, which feed the electronics tree:

• Computer Chip = 2 Table Coral Sample + 1 Gold + 1 Copper Wire (the chip is in the Modification Station, Seaglide and more)
• Scanner Room = 5 Titanium + 2 Copper Ore + 1 Gold + 1 Table Coral Sample

FAQ

Where do I find diamonds in Subnautica?

Shale Outcrops in the Sea Treader's Path, Mountain Island, Mushroom Forests, Jellyshroom Caves, Grand Reef, Blood Kelp, Bulb Zone, Crag Field and Lost River. Loose crystals also spawn on the seabed in the deep biomes.

What is the fastest way to farm diamonds?

Follow the Sea Treader Leviathans on the Sea Treader's Path and break every Shale Outcrop they kick up — passive, safe and repeatable. Mountain Island is faster per minute but has a Reaper on its east cliff.

What are diamonds used for in Subnautica?

Laser Cutter (2), Modification Station (1), Reinforced Dive Suit (2), Prawn Suit (2), Prawn Drill Arm (1), Hull Reinforcement (4), Purple Tablet (2). Budget 13+ across a playthrough.

Where is the Mountain Island and is it safe?

It's the northern island, visible from the surface; the east side has a Reaper Leviathan patrol. Farm the surface shale first, dive the caves with care, and use the shallow lagoon side to approach.

Where do I find lithium and silver in Subnautica?

Lithium: Shale Outcrops and seabed in Blood Kelp, Bulb Zone, Dunes, Grand Reef, Lost River, Mountains, Mushroom Forest and Sea Treader's Path (2 per Plasteel Ingot). Silver: Sandstone Outcrops in Grassy Plateaus, Kelp Forest and Bulb Zone (2 per Wiring Kit).

Related Guides

• Subnautica Laser Cutter Guide — Fragments, Recipe and Uses
• Subnautica Grand Reef Guide — Depth, Resources and Dangers
• Subnautica Biome Map — Every Biome and Depth Range
• Subnautica Cave Sulfur Guide — How to Get It and Every Recipe
• Subnautica Cyclops Guide — Fragments, Upgrades and Pilot Tips

Last updated: August 13, 2026.