Talk:Tutorials/Mining

I think the article should be renamed to "Mining Techniques"

About branch mining
IMO mining a "branch" every THIRD block is the best method as then you will check all blocks between the branches.

Strip mining
What's the advantages/differences compared to branch method? And why is it called "Strip mining"? Strip mining is referred to surface mining IRL. --Slider2k 01:30, 31 December 2010 (UTC)
 * The advantage to branch method is that it reveals every block in a certain area, and a difference is that it is usually done from a single room as oppsed to from a tunnel. It is called strip mining because it 'strips' the rock so you can see every square. –The preceding unsigned comment was added by Quornslice (Talk . Please sign your posts with   !
 * Let's analyze here. Does your method reveals every block in area? As you can see it does not reveal blocks in corner areas. - So answer is no, it does not reveal every block. On contrary, a branch method lets you inspect every block in an area if you make 2 block spacing between tunnels.--Slider2k 23:07, 1 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Yeah, "strip mining" is a poor/confusing name for a technique that isn't actual strip mining. In Minecraft, the closest thing to a real stripmine is a quarry. Besides that, this just seems like a more complicated variant of a branch mine. It probably doesn't need to be here at all, and if kept should at least be renamed. Phasma Felis 01:16, 20 January 2011 (UTC)
 * I like to make a quarry 10x10 and have strip mines around the sides. It gives lots of minerals.

More efficient method of strip mining
[[Media:ImprovedStripMine.jpg|Picture]]. Once multiple levels are considered, strip mining could be more efficient if you had 3-block thick walls instead of 2-block. After mining out a room, mine again below the room. This time center your mined hallways on the center of the three blocks of the first room, and mine again. The next level down, mine in your original arrangement. You'll alternate patterns with each level this way. The middle of the 3 blocks is exposed as the roof of the hallway below and the floor of the hallways above. Chris3145 09:17, 15 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Just to add to this, a few staircases in front of this makes for easy access to all corridors in such a set-up:


 * [[File:Mining_example.png]]


 * I'm quite sure someone else thought of this before, but at least this could form a nice example of how to set such a mine up.
 * EDIT: ladders might actually work more convenient,, I just liked the look of this.Roady1990 21:20, 1 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Please put this in the main article - it makes the idea so much clearer that the existing diagram with the green lines! --Adje 09:29, 20 April 2011 (UTC)

Adding a cosmetic mine design section
It looks slightly out of place with only one entry. If you have any ideas for better organization feel free to change stuff around
 * It needs screenshots, also it would probably be better as a series of tips on how you can make a mine look better.Roady1990 13:10, 15 May 2011 (UTC)
 * I disagree, mining techniques implies methods, tactics would be the individual points to think about when making a mine, also thanks to whoever added to it. clc02

Tips Misinformation
There is no correlation between dirt, gravel, or lava, and the frequency of ore spawning. I think that portion should be removed. NZPhoenix 07:08, 16 May 2011 (UTC)

Layer Strategy
I would like to add a 'best layer' section for finding diamonds. With regard to layer 12 mining, and utilizing the large number of exposed blocks every time you come across a magma lake. I would also like to contribute 2 mining designs of my own, but am unfamiliar with how Wiki's work and don't know if I need permission first or not. NZPhoenix 07:15, 16 May 2011 (UTC)

1x1 Shafts
Anyone who has played Minecraft for at least a day knows not to dig down. But if you do the math, it might actually be a better strategy.

This only works if you have most of your items in a chest. Just take out an iron pickaxe and a couple torches,m and start mining down.

The risk of dropping into a lava pit is very small, and insignificant considering how many iron you will get while mining down.

And yes, it does give you a better yield. If you mine 1x2 shafts, you are mining 2 blocks to reveal 8. This gives you a 4:1 ratio of revealed blocks to mined blocks. If you dig 1x1's, you are revealing 5 blocks and mining 1. That's 5:1.

Also, when mining 1x1's, you can keep holding your mouse in one place. Almost no errors can happen because of your faulty mouse controlling.

One more thing : It gets you down to the bottom faster.

Because of these three things, I think 1x1's are worth the risk.