5 best levels for mining ores in Minecraft PE

Minecraft is a game that offers many different ore blocks for players to mine to gain different raw materials. However, these ores do not generate in defined areas, but rather in a wide range of different height levels.

But which levels are best for mining in Minecraft: Pocket Edition? The answer is entirely dependent on the resources a player is looking for. Each ore generates differently, and the way that ores generate was revised in the 1.18 update when the Caves & Cliffs update adjusted the total height levels that players can access.

With that in mind, it doesn't hurt to take a look at the best height levels for mining some of the most precious ores in Minecraft 1.19.

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Excellent Height Levels to Mine in Minecraft: Pocket Edition 1.19+ for Quality Ores

1) Y=15 (Ancient Debris)

Ancient debris is rare, but can be used to make netherite (Image via Mo, in general,

Ancient debris is one of the rarest ores in Minecraft. As such, finding it in general can be difficult, especially because it requires mining in the hazardous Nether dimension. From levels 8 to 22, this ore has a distribution similar to lapis lazuli, and it also has a randomized distribution from levels 8 to 119. However, on average, ancient debris tends to concentrate at its highest at level 15.

If players need a little extra assistance in finding ancient debris even on level 15, it might be a good idea to bring along some explosive blocks like TNT to create larger openings than a pickaxe can on average.

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2) Y=-59 (Diamond and Redstone)

Diamonds are crucial for crafting many different Minecraft recipes (Image via Mojang)

Diamonds and Redstones are both pretty important resources to collect. Diamonds are used in plenty of different crafting recipes, including high-quality tools, weapons, and armor. Whereas, Redstone is the lifeblood of many different automated creations in Minecraft, it's definitely worth grabbing.

While these two ores are distributed differently overall, they are both conveniently concentrated at a height level of -59 on average, as they appear more frequently as the elevation decreases.

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3) Y=15 and Y=232 (Iron)

Iron ore is more plentiful than some ores, but still has levels where it is found abundantly (Image via Mojang)

Iron may not be as rare and precious as diamonds or ancient debris, but it's incredibly practical, so players will want to collect plenty of it for later use. Fortunately, Mojang was aware of this when iron ore was re-distributed in Minecraft 1.18.

Iron ore can now be found at incredibly high elevations in hills and mountains as well as underground. However, if players are searching for abundant iron ore blocks, they'll want to look at height levels 15 and 232.

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4) Y=-1 (Lapis Lazuli)

Lapis lazuli saw a shift in its ideal elevation after Minecraft 1.18 (Image via Mojang)

In some ways, Lapis Lazuli isn't that important as a crafting material. However, this material is still incredibly helpful for enchanting in Minecraft, gathering as much lapis as possible is advised.

The distribution of lapis lazuli was adjusted after the Caves & Cliffs update revealed deep slate blocks and the deep slate layer below Y=0. While lapis lazuli can be found anywhere from height levels -64 to 64, players will want to start their search at Y=-1 for the best results.

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5) Y=236 (Emerald)

Emerald ore has quite an interesting distribution as of update 1.18 (Image via Happy Plays/YouTube)

It's possible to acquire emeralds through trading with villagers, and this can certainly be a lucrative pursuit. However, it's also possible to mine emeralds directly from emerald ore.

This ore is distributed from levels -16 to 320, meaning players will likely find plenty of emeralds in mountains and other high-elevation areas. But if players really want to hone in on the height layer with the most likely concentration, they'll want to take a trip up to level 236.

It's not a height level that's easily accessible outside of mountain ranges, but players won't argue with the results.