Unless you’ve just started your Minecrafting adventures, you know that there are different strategies for finding the ore you need. Strip mining, or just exploring naturally, can reap all kinds of rewards if you know where to look. Below, we’ll go over how to mine every ore most effectively so that either you or the mining expert of your group can get to gathering those materials.
What Are X and Y Levels in Minecraft?
Each block has a place in the world. If you’ve been playing Minecraft for a long time, you’ve likely heard the term X and Y levels before, mostly when dealing with ore locations down underground. These X and Y levels act as your coordinates; every location has one. A specific range of coordinates for the mines below, you will reap specific ore, which is what makes strip mining with knowledge so successful. X is your coordinates for moving horizontally, while Y is for your up-and-down movement.
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Which Y Coordinates Are Best For Mining in Minecraft?
It all depends on what you’re mining in Minecraft. As you naturally progress through the game, you’ll begin to notice a few patterns in appearance for different ore. For example, you’ll find Coal in Minecraft more commonly along the surface level or as you wander about. While putting this all to memory is a great way to get what you need on time, charts work just as well. We have a chart you can refer to for details on which level is best to mine every ore in Minecraft. Bookmarking this page is an excellent decision if you want a handy reference to pull up whenever you need it.
Best Level To Mine Every Ore in Minecraft
| Ore | Y Min and Max Range | Best Y Value For Mining |
| Coal | 0, 320 | 95 |
| Iron | -64, 320 | 15 |
| Copper | -16, 112 | 48 |
| Emerald | -16, 320 | 236 |
| Lapis Lazuli | -64, 64 | -1 |
| Redstone | -64, 16 | -59 |
| Diamond | -64, 16 | -59 |
| Nether Quartz | 7, 117 | 14 |
| Nether Gold | 7, 117 | 18 |
| Ancient Debris | 6, 119 | -16 |
| Gold | -64, 32 | 16 |
