How to farm amethyst shards in Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update on Java Edition

Minecraft Caves and Cliffs Update Part 1 officially released on June 8th for both Bedrock and Java Edition. The much-awaited cave update was announced at Minecon 2020. One of the most significant features of the 1.17 update is amethyst geodes.

Amethyst geodes are a new cave structure commonly found underground. These rare structures come in three different sizes: large, medium, and small. Along with various sizes. they also have three layers:

• The outer layer is made of smooth basalt
• The middle layer is made of calcite.
• The inner layer contains amethyst blocks, shards, and budding amethyst.

Out of all the blocks found in amethyst geodes, players should prioritize farming amethyst shards first. This article informs players how to farm amethyst shards in the Minecraft 1.17 update.

Farming amethyst shards in Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update

Locate amethyst geodes

Large amethyst geode (Image via rockpapershotgun)

To farm amethyst shards, players must find an amethyst geode first, since geodes are the only source for these beautiful crystals. Players who want lots of shards should spend their time locating a large geode.

After finding an amethyst geode, mine all the blocks except the budding amethyst. Amethyst shards can grow on all sides of budding amethyst. Do not try to mine budding amethyst, as it is unobtainable even with the silk touch enchantment.

Bring a pickaxe

Enchanted pickaxe (Image via Minecraft)

Players can use either a netherite, diamond or iron pickaxe to farm amethyst shards from a geode. Breaking one amethyst cluster drops four amethyst shards. Players can increase the number of drops using a fortune-enchanted pickaxe.

Before mining amethyst shards, players should know that only amethyst clusters drop shards, whereas breaking amethyst buds with a regular pickaxe will drop nothing.

Amethyst geode (Image via Minecraft)

Amethyst shards take pretty long to grow. Due to this, players should look for a geode with many budding amethyst blocks. First, remove all the blocks surrounding the budding amethyst to let the shards grow from all sides.

Using a silk touch pickaxe, players can obtain amethyst buds and clusters as a block. While buds and clusters can only be used as decoration, amethyst shards have many uses in Minecraft.

Uses of Amethyst shards

Craft spyglasses (Image via Minecraft)

In Minecraft, players can use amethyst shards to craft tinted glass, spyglasses, and amethyst blocks. Using four amethyst shards, players can craft an amethyst block. It means amethyst blocks are a renewable resource.

To craft tinted glass, place four shards around a glass block on the crafting table. As for the spyglass, players will first have to find some copper. Players can make spyglass using one amethyst shard and two copper ingots.

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