Here is what to look out for every time you hit the mines…
Coal
Coal ore generates in the Overworld wherever stone is found, meaning you can find it underground and even high up in cliffs. It can be mined with a wooden pickaxe (or better) and will drop one piece of coal per block mined. The coal can then be used to craft torches, or as fuel in furnaces.
Iron
Iron ore is found in layers 0-64 of the Overworld, so you have to look underground for it! It drops itself when mined with a stone pickaxe (or better), but you can then smelt the ore into an ingot using a furnace.
You can use the iron in many recipes, but most usefully for making iron tools and iron armour.
Gold
Gold ore is quite rare and found in layers 0-34 of the Overworld, but mostly below layer 29! In the Badlands biome, it can also generate on the surface (up to layer 80), especially in the abandoned mines that appear there.
You need an iron pickaxe (or better) to mine gold ore, which, again, can be smelted into gold ingots for use in crafting.
Diamond
Diamond ore is rare, found in layers 0-20 of the Overworld, so very deep underground. You can use an iron pickaxe (or better) to mine it, and an ore block will drop one diamond when mined. Diamonds are also best used for crafting gear.
Top Tip: You can usually combine ingots, gems and coal into solid blocks by crafting nine of them together.
Copper
Copper was added in version 1.17, and copper ore generates anywhere iron forms. It also works in the same way – you need a stone pickaxe (or better) to mine it and you can smelt the ore into ingots.
Copper blocks will tarnish when placed, turning from bronze to green!
Lapis Lazuli
This mineral ore generates in layers 0-34 and can be mined with a stone pickaxe (or better). When mined, it drops 4-9 pieces of lapis lazuli, which can be crafted into dye or used to power enchantments.
Redstone
Redstone ore generates in the same places as diamond ore but is much more common. It can be mind with an iron pickaxe (or better) and will drop 4-5 piles of redstone dust, for crafting redstone items or laying redstone wires on the ground. When struck, redstone ore emits a dim light for a short time.
Emerald
Emerald ore is found only in the Mountains biome in single blocks! It generates in layers 0-33 and can be mined with an iron pickaxe (or better). It is the rarest ore in the Overworld and drops just one emerald when mined.
Emeralds can be crafted into decorative blocks, but are more popular for use as money, as you can trade them with villagers to get rare and useful items.
Top Tip: Those blocks you crafted before? You can turn them back into ingots or gems by putting them on a crafting table!
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Keywords: Minecraft, Ore, Gaming, Videogames, Crafting.
