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Colorful scenery of a house made of bedrock in Minecraft

Minecraft 1.20 Ore Distribution: Best Y-Levels for All Ores

If you want to become a pro miner, you'll need to know the best Y-levels and depths to start hunting for Iron, Diamonds, and other ores.

The best Minecraft players know how to optimize their mining strategies in order to get as many ores as possible per mining trip. If you want to become a pro miner, you’ll need to know the best Y-levels and depths to start hunting for Iron, Diamonds, and other ores.

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There’s a complex metagame behind mining in Minecraft, especially after the release of the Version 1.18 update that expanded the verticality of each world. While you can stumble across Diamonds and other rare resources just by aimlessly wandering around in the mines, you’ll have better chances of finding them if you focus your attention on specific Y-levels when you’re mining.

Minecraft Ore Y-Levels

OreMinimum Y-LevelMaximum Y-LevelRecommended Y-Level
Coal-6425656
Iron-6425615
Gold-64
32 (Badlands Biome)
32
256 (Badlands Biome)
-16
Copper-1611247
Diamonds-6416-59
Lapis Lazuli-64640
Redstone-6416-59
Emeralds-16256235

Minecraft ores follow a triangular distribution pattern, with ores less common at their minimum and maximum Y-levels and most common at the midpoint between the two. There are exceptions — some ores like Iron have high distribution levels at higher Y-levels in mountainous biomes — but that’s a solid rule of thumb to follow.

Minecraft Air Exposure, Explained

Air Exposure also affects ore spawn rates in Minecraft. For example, Coal, Gold, and Diamonds favor reduced air exposure, meaning they will be less likely to be exposed to open air. Because of this, they’re more likely to be hidden behind other stone blocks. You can still find them out in the open while exploring caves, but they’re rare.

Related: Best Minecraft Enchantments – Pickaxe, Sword, Bow, Armor, and Other Tools

Lapis Lazuli, on the other hand, only spawns with no air exposure. Lapis will never be exposed to open air and you will always have to mine through stone to find it. If you want to farm these ores, strip mining is your best bet. This Reddit post has excellent information on air exposure levels and ore distribution.

Minecraft Nether Ore Y-Levels

OreMinimum Y-LevelMaximum Y-LevelRecommended Y-Level
Nether Quartz711714
Nether Gold711718
Ancient Debris611914

The Nether still follows the same rules as the overworld, so some Y-levels are better than others for finding certain materials. Mining in the Nether is dangerous because of lava and Piglins, so be careful when strip mining for these resources.


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Diego Perez
Currently serving as an Associate Editor at Attack of the Fanboy, Diego Perez has been writing about video games since 2018, specializing in live service games like Destiny and Final Fantasy XIV. His work is featured at publications like Game Rant and The Outerhaven, but Attack of the Fanboy is home to his best work. When he's not editing or writing guides, he's yelling about Ape Escape or grinding Lost Sectors in Destiny. Plus, he has a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication Media Studies for Texas A&M University.
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Anna Williams
Anna Williams -- not to be confused with the Tekken character -- is an editor and writer that has been working closely with the anime and manga industry for over four years for a variety of publications including Comic Book Resources, Screen Rant, and We Got This Covered. She has had the opportunity to sit down and talk with key figures in the industry, and continue to grow a vast knowledge of the art and culture that goes into each new seasonal and ongoing franchise. She's also had the opportunity to work alongside indie game developers like Baroque Decay to edit and localize early devlog materials for their upcoming game Catechesis.