Minecraft Steve running with a pickaxe while a creeper chases them
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Minecraft ore distribution after 1.21 update: Best levels for Diamonds

Maximize your mining.

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.

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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.

NameRangeBest layersUnavailable layersBest BiomeRarity
Coal0 to 32044, 95, 136-64 to -1AnyCommon
Copper-16 to 11248-64 to -17, 113 to 320Dripstone CavesCommon
Iron-64 to 32015, 23273 to 79AnyCommon
Gold-64 to 32-1633 to 320BadlandsRare
Lapis Lazuli-64 to 64-165 to 320AnyUncommon
Redstone-64 to 16-5915 to 320AnyUncommon
Diamonds-64 to 16-5916 to 320AnyRare
Emeralds-16 to 320236-64 to -17Mountains, Windswept HillsUncommon

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.

NameMost common layersUnavailable layersBest BiomeRarity
Nether Quartz10 to 114128 and aboveAnyCommon
Nether Gold15 to 95117 and aboveAnyCommon
Ancient Debris13 to 23120 and aboveAnyRare

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.

A graph showing ore distribution in Minecraft
This will show you how ore distribution works. Image via Bazoqa

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.


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Author
Image of Matt Porter
Matt Porter
Matt has been writing about Call of Duty for almost 10 years, with bylines at Gfinity, Dexerto, and a spell as CharlieIntel's editor. Matt is experienced in all things CoD, including multiplayer, Warzone, and esports.