If you want to progress in Minecraft, you’re going to need to mine for ore. While you can do this without knowing where to find important resources like Diamonds or Iron, it’s going to be slow. That’s why I’ve put together this guide to Minecraft‘s ore distribution after the 1.21 update.
For some, diving into caves and searching like a true explorer is the best way to play Minecraft. I’m not here to tell you how to play though, so if you’re all about speed and want to be as efficient as possible, then you need to maximize your mining time with our guide to ore distribution.
Minecraft Overworld ore distribution
Below, we’ve put together a list of all the ore you can find in the Overworld, including the range where they spawn, the layers they’re found most often in, and where you’ll struggle to find any.
| Name | Range | Best layers | Unavailable layers | Best Biome | Rarity |
| Coal | 0 to 320 | 44, 95, 136 | -64 to -1 | Any | Common |
| Copper | -16 to 112 | 48 | -64 to -17, 113 to 320 | Dripstone Caves | Common |
| Iron | -64 to 320 | 15, 232 | 73 to 79 | Any | Common |
| Gold | -64 to 32 | -16 | 33 to 320 | Badlands | Rare |
| Lapis Lazuli | -64 to 64 | -1 | 65 to 320 | Any | Uncommon |
| Redstone | -64 to 16 | -59 | 15 to 320 | Any | Uncommon |
| Diamonds | -64 to 16 | -59 | 16 to 320 | Any | Rare |
| Emeralds | -16 to 320 | 236 | -64 to -17 | Mountains, Windswept Hills | Uncommon |
This table should help you maximize your mining team, giving you the best chance of finding the resources you need.
Minecraft Nether ore distribution
Of course, the Nether realm has its own ore too, which you can find below.
| Name | Most common layers | Unavailable layers | Best Biome | Rarity |
| Nether Quartz | 10 to 114 | 128 and above | Any | Common |
| Nether Gold | 15 to 95 | 117 and above | Any | Common |
| Ancient Debris | 13 to 23 | 120 and above | Any | Rare |
How does ore distribution work in Minecraft?
Trying to picture how ore distribution works can be tricky, but Reddit user Bazoqa created the perfect graph that explains what it looks like.
Essentially, ore distribution works like a triangle that has been tilted on its side. The top and bottom points are where the least amount of the resources are, while the middle point is where the highest concentration of ore will be.
With all this information, you’re ready to go stock up on all the resources you need in Minecraft! For more, check out how to get Heavy Core, or how to make and use a Crafter.
