Top 5 things beginners should know about ores in Minecraft

Ever since Minecraft was created, ores have been a prevalent facet of the game. Currently, as of Minecraft 1.17, there are 11 ores readily available for the player.

Ores are something that every player needs in order to get through Minecraft and beat it, as most of these contribute in crafting armor and tools, as well as help with builds or act as fuel.

Because ores are so useful and plentiful, it can be overwhelming for new players to know exactly where to start and how to learn about these resources. Listed down below are the top 5 things players need to know about ores in Minecraft!

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Ores in Minecraft

5) Coal is the most common ore

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Coal is the first ore that players usually encounter in Minecraft. As of now, coal ore attempts to generate 20 times per chunk in sizes 0-37, from levels 0 to 127, in all biomes.

On average, there are 207 coal ore that generate per chunk.

In Java Edition 1.18, which is coming out later this year, coal ore appears in two batches per chunk. The first batch will try to generate 30 times per chunk in sizes 0-37, evenly from levels 136 to 320.

The second batch will try to generate 20 times per chunk in sizes 0-37, from levels 0 to 190, the most common being at Y=95. In Bedrock Edition 1.18, coal tries to generate 20 times per chunk in sizes of 0-37, evenly from levels 128 to 256, within any type of mountain biome.

Coal is very useful in the early game, providing a source of fuel for furnaces and making torches whilst also being an easy way for new players to gain XP.

4) Emerald is the rarest ore

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Emerald ore is by far the rarest in Minecraft, as it only generates in mountain biomes. As of now, single emerald ores try to generate 3 to 8 times per chunk, from Y=4 to Y=31.

In Java 1.18, emeral ore will attempt to generate 50 times per chunk in blobs of 1, from levels 32 to 320, with the most common being Y=255, and becoming less common toward either end of the range.

In Bedrock 1.18, emeral ore will try to generate 20 times per chunk in blobs of 0-10 ores, from y-levels 128 to 256, and will be more common as the y-level increases. In the extreme hills biome, it will try to generate 50 times per chunk in blobs of 0-10, from levels 32 to 320, being most common at Y=255.

Emeralds might not seem important, but they are useful in trading with villagers to get enchantments or items in bulk.

3) Iron is the most useful ore for early game

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Iron is a material that players need in Minecraft to advance. It is pretty easy to obtain, spawning very often, although not as often as other ores such as coal. On average, it generates about 112 ores per chunk.

Iron in Minecraft can be used to create armor, tools as well as a few materials, such as water buckets and shears. In order to mine iron, players will need at least one stone pickaxe, as using anything less than that (wood pickaxe, no tool) will result in the iron not dropping.

Lots of Minecraft players say that iron is very valuable, and while that is true, it should not be the end-game of mining. Iron is durable and strong, but it is definitely not the strongest out there.

2) Gold isn't very durable

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Gold ore is very close behind iron ore in terms of how common each are. It appears in the overworld in the form of blobs, and generates on average 12.4 ores per chunk.

Because gold in Minecraft is so common, players might be tempted to grab it instead of iron. Apart from that, gold armor and tools admittedly look quite pretty. However, gold and its tools are not very durable at all, thus not being worth the hassle of mining.

It does have another use though - when players travel into the nether, carrying gold around is crucial, as the Piglins will be upset with the player unless they are wearing or carrying around gold.

It can also be used to barter with said Piglins.

1) Diamond ore is the most valuable

Image via Tynker

Diamond ore in Minecraft is unfortunately quite rare, spawning an average of 3.7 ores per chunk. However, looking for diamonds is definitely well worth the time and effort.

Diamond armor and tools are considered the strongest in the game, especially when enchanted. They can also be upgraded by using netherite - a rare material found in the nether, and diamonds are the only material that can be upgraded by netherite.

While crafting armor and tools sounds nice, diamonds are also required to create things such as enchantment tables. And, for those who are unaware, Minecraft players need a diamond pickaxe in order to mine obsidian and ultimately go to the nether, making diamond tools a necessity.