Ancient Debris

Ancient debris is a rare ore found in the bottom layers of the Nether, and is the only source of netherite scrap. It floats on lava in item form and it cannot be burned. It also has an extremely high blast resistance, meaning it cannot blow up under normal circumstances.

Mineral veins
Ancient debris generate in the Nether in the form of mineral veins. Two veins generate per chunk: one vein of 1–3 ancient debris generates with a periodic Gaussian distribution (similarly to lapis lazuli ore) between levels 8–22, and an additional vein of 1–2 ancient debris generates randomly between levels 8–119. There is an average of 1.7 ancient debris blocks per chunk, with a maximum of 6. Ancient debris never generates exposed to air.

Breaking
Ancient debris drops as an item if mined by a diamond pickaxe or better. If mined by any other tool, it drops nothing.



Trivia

 * Despite ancient debris' rarity, emerald ore is actually rarer due to its vein size and chance per chunk.
 * The texture of the ancient debris is supposed to look like pressed metal plates.
 * Ancient debris yields the most experience of any item when smelted.