The most common iron level in Minecraft 1.18

In the world of Minecraft, Iron is one of the most used items, even in Minecraft 1.18. It is one of the first few items that players gather after entering a new world. Once raw iron is smelted into iron ingots, it can be used in a plethora of ways within the game. Whether it's used to craft new and strong gear, or to activate a beacon, players of every level need this vital material.

With one of the biggest updates for the game released by Mojang, Minecraft 1.18 Caves and Cliffs Update Part 2, ore generation in the world has changed drastically. Players who return to the game after a while will notice that the common Y levels at which these materials are generated have changed. Players should understand the ore distribution changes to know where iron is most commonly generated.

---

What is the most common iron level in Minecraft 1.18?

Understanding Ore distribution change in Minecraft 1.18

In the Minecraft 1.18 update, the world generation changed completely as the bedrock layer shifted down 64 levels, creating a huge area underground for ore blocks to generate. Consequently, the ore distribution in the game was also updated.

Ore distribution (Image via Mojang)

After the update, Diamonds, which used to be common at Y level 11, shifted down to Y level -58, while Emeralds became much more common in the mountains. Iron was affected in the same way.

Previously, players used to find iron ore blocks below sea level in the caves. However, after the update, players can find them more commonly in the mountains. If they are lucky, they might also find iron underground in the form of ore veins. Fortunately, these ore veins can easily give players several stacks of iron.

---

Most common Y level for iron in Minecraft 1.18

The ore generates the most at Y level 232 (Image via Mojang)

By studying the ore distribution chart released by Mojang back when Caves and Cliffs Update Part 2 came out, the best Y level for iron can be determined. The most common iron level in Minecraft 1.18 is Y level 232. This might come as a shock to some players because this means that iron will generate the most in the mountains. As shown above, the ore distribution chart shows a huge bulge at the very top.

Loads of ore blocks found at the top of a mountain (Image via Mojang)

Hence, if players find any type of mountain that is not snow-laden, they might have a good chance of finding loads of iron. Alternatively, players can also find it in a good amount at Y level 16. If players are looking for large iron ore veins, they will find them between Y level -8 and -56. If players want to increase the amount of raw iron they can obtain from an ore, they can use Fortune enchantment on their pickaxe.