It is not for nothing that the game is called MINEcraft. Here, mining is one of the main activities and it is certainly where you will spend most of your time looking for raw materials for your crafts. For those who still don't know how to mine in the most effective way, we bring you a complete guide with everything you need to know to get straight to the point. Check out the complete guide on how to mine in Minecraft below!
Layers and altitude
The first step for you to be a good miner is to understand the layers and altitude in the game. The Minecraft world has 128 layers, that is, 128 blocks high. You can build blocks from the base to the topmost layer. The base is found in layers 0-4, that is, if you dig until you reach the base, you will be stepping on layer 4. The sea level is layer 64. A practical way to know which layer you are on and access the debug screen by pressing the F3 key. There you can check your x, y, and z coordinates. Your altitude will be the Y coordinate.Starting your mine
Choose a safe and well-lit place to start digging your mine, as many times when you return to the surface, it will be night. Also avoid high places for this task as this will only hinder the process of going deeper. A good suggestion is to start in the basement of your home.Necessary equipments
To start your mine, you only need picks, shovels, torches and wood to make more torches. As you go deeper, you will surely find coal for better lighting and iron for new tools. Carrying some weapons and armor may be necessary in case you find an abandoned cave or mine.Special care when mining
There are some dangers that you must avoid when mining. The main ones are: Lighting : Dangerous mobs appear in the dark, so always carry plenty of wood to make torches. If your stock is running low, it's time to get back to the surface to replenish. Also remember to place torches every 10 blocks. Abandoned caves and mines : from time to time you will encounter open environments with hostile creatures while mining. Keep that in mind and take weapons and armor with you. Never dig straight down : never dig the block you're stepping on, as it may be what separates you from a lava river or worse. So always try to mine the block immediately in front of you. Be careful when digging straight up : the same logic is used for digging up, as the lava river may be above you. The same thing goes for sand, water or other elements that can suffocate you. Placing signs and ladders at the height of your head prevents things from falling down after you mine the block below. In addition, water and lava above the blocks is indicated by pigmented drops, so stay tuned.Where to find ores
All ores are available from layer 16 onwards, so building your mine near the base (0-4) is the best option. However, abandoned caves, lava and mines can hinder this process, so if you are only after coal, iron and gold, you can limit yourself to layer 30, more or less.| Ore | Where to look | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| coal | Any point under the earth, but more abundant below layer 40 | Torches and fuel for furnace |
| Iron | Any point under the earth, but more abundant below layer 40 | Crafting tools, armor and building rails |
| Gold | Below layer 30 | Potions, crafts and electric rails |
| Redstone | Below layer 16 | Crafts and potions |
| Lapis lazuli | Below layer 30, but more abundant near layer 12 | Decorative |
| Emerald | Below layer 30, only in the "Extreme Hills" biome | To trade with villagers |
| Diamond | Below layer 16 | Crafting the best weapons, tools and armor |
| Nether Quartz | In the Nether | Quartz blocks and Sunlight Sensor |
Most popular mine models
Your mine model is totally up to you, but there are two very optimized formats that you can follow:Main hallway
Build a very wide corridor with a rail in the middle. The tunnels will be on the sides, as shown in the image above. Also don't forget the lighting.Side chambers
Build your tunnels 3 blocks apart. This is because most of the ores are grouped in "veins", that is, small groups that, if you find a block, you will find others interconnected. Thus, 3 blocks away is the ideal measure for you to dig as little as possible and still find the most ores. Considering that emeralds are always in single blocks, you should shorten the distance between the tunnels to 2 blocks. Click here for more Minecraft tips and tutorials!