The 1.18: Caves and Cliffs Update has introduced large changes in Ore Distribution in Minecraft's Overworld. Read on to learn the new Ore Distributions in Minecraft 1.18, how they compare to previous versions, as well as the best y-levels to mine ores like iron, gold, and diamond!
List of Contents
Ore | Highest Y Level Generated | Lowest Y Level Generated |
---|---|---|
Coal Ore | 320 | 0 |
Copper Ore | 112 | -16 |
Iron Ore | 320 | -63 |
Gold Ore | 32 | -63 |
Lapis Lazuli Ore | 64 | -63 |
Redstone Ore | 15 | -63 |
Diamond Ore | 14 | -63 |
Emerald Ore * | 320 | -16 |
*Emerald Ore may only be found in Mountain Biomes.
Ore | Highest Y Level Generated | Lowest Y Level Generated |
---|---|---|
Coal Ore | 128 | 0 |
Copper Ore | 96 | 0 |
Iron Ore | 63 | 0 |
Gold Ore | 79 | 32 |
Lapis Lazuli Ore | 31 | 0 |
Redstone Ore | 15 | 0 |
Diamond Ore | 15 | 0 |
Emerald Ore * | 32 | 3 |
*Emerald Ore may only be found in Mountain Biomes.
Source:
Minecraft Developer Henrik Kniberg's Tweet
If you're looking for a specific ore to mine, such as iron, gold, or diamond, you would want to consider Strip Mining (or Branch Mining) on the level where they are most frequently found.
You can check your coordinates by pressing F3 (for the Java Edition) or typing /gamerule showcoordinates true (for the Bedrock Edition).
Ore | Best Y Levels for Strip Mining |
---|---|
Coal Ore | 96 256 to 140 |
Copper Ore | 48 |
Iron Ore | 16 232 |
Gold Ore | -16* |
Lapis Lazuli Ore | 0 |
Redstone Ore | -54 to -59 |
Diamond Ore | -54 to -59 |
Emerald Ore * | 232 |
*Gold Ore appears more frequently between y-levels 256 and 32 in Badlands.
Strip Mining, also sometimes known as Branch Mining, is a mining technique that aims to expose as many blocks as possible in a short amount of time, with the least amount of actual mining. Effective Strip Mining can be used to easily acquire valuable ores such as Diamonds.
After digging down to the desired y-level, it can be a good idea to prepare an underground base. Setting up several Chests will allow you to organize your inventory better as you dig out large amounts of blocks and ores.
In addition to preparing an area for chests, it can also be a good idea to set up furnaces. This will give you a chance to smelt iron ores into iron ingots while you are strip mining!
After creating an underground base, we recommend mining 2x1 strips, three blocks apart. This allows you to create passageways where you can see most surrounding blocks within the strip.
The strips when viewed from above should look like this
While mining the strips three blocks apart will make you miss a section, the difference between mining two blocks apart does not offer a large difference between the yield.
Enchantment | Effect |
---|---|
Fortune | Increases the amount of Ore yielded from each ore mined. |
Unbreaking | Effectively increases durability of your tools. |
Efficiency | Lets you mine faster. |
Mending | Allows tools to be repaired by EXP. |
Enchanted Tools will greatly improve your mining experience. We recommend having Unbreaking/Efficiency Pickaxes to mine most of the stone in the way, while using Fortune Pickaxes to mine out ores for maximum yield!
1.18 Ore Distribution and Comparison
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