Ore (feature)

A mineral vein, ore vein, lode or seam is a terrain feature consisting of a natural deposit of ores or other blocks in the ground.

The Nether
{{missing information|section|java edition patches, do they match bedrock; 20w21a basalt deltas changes; does soul sand truly generate as a mineral vein? apparently it doesn't show up in the same region of code}|type=code}}

Generation
Players can come across these veins in caverns or anywhere where there is natural stone. Underground deposits of dirt and gravel are generated in this step, followed by the more precious ores: coal, iron, gold, redstone, diamond, emerald (in mountains biomes) and lapis lazuli. They can form only in stone, andesite, diorite and granite (also in their polished variants, replacing parts of structures, and do not replace each other or any other block. Note that two or more mineral veins can form next to each other and make it look like a mineral vein made of more than one material.