What is the best place to find copper in Minecraft?

A newer material introduced during Minecraft's Caves & Cliffs update, copper has a few uses in crafting and can also be formed into a block that oxidizes over time unless it is waxed.

Copper, like many ores in Minecraft, is found primarily underground. However, there are certain locations where copper ore can be found in larger numbers and even on the surface in some areas.

This provides plenty of options for players to find the copper they require for building and crafting. Since copper ore spawns in blobs, like many ores in the game, players should reasonably be able to mine multiple blocks' worth of copper once they find it.

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Minecraft: Top locations to find copper

Underground layers Y= 47-48

Copper ore is easily distinguished by its green/orange coloration (Image via Mojang)

Although copper can spawn in many underground locations in Minecraft, it tends to generate in its highest concentration in the elevation levels Y=47-48. Levels around these may also provide copper in solid amounts, but the ore becomes more scarce as players approach the surface or the bedrock layer.

However, copper ore can also replace deepslate and tuff layers in elevations from Y=0-16, which may be worth investigating. Regardless of whether the copper is found in stone or deepslate, it will still serve the same use.

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Dripstone caves

The new dripstone cave biomes exhibit a larger number of copper blobs than usual (Image via Mojang)

Recently implemented fully in Minecraft 1.18, dripstone cave biomes are one of two new cave biomes. What makes this particular biome enticing past its unique dripstone blocks that can funnel liquids is its increased yield of copper ore.

Compared to other locations, dripstone caves possess larger blobs of ore than can be found in many other places. If players have managed to spot a dripstone cave, it's not a bad idea to pick it clean of copper ore before looking at different locations.

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Stone shore biomes

Surface copper can be found in beach biomes, specifically stone shores (Image via Mojang)

Copper ore on the surface above Y=0 can often appear in beach biomes. Specifically, stone shore variants typically showcase a significant number of copper ore blocks on their rocky surfaces.

Players may even be fortunate enough to spot a copper ore vein running through these biomes, much as they would underground. Copper ore veins are one of the best ways to gather copper in the entire game, and if players spot them, they should absolutely capitalize on the moment.