Ore (feature)

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

List

The Overworld

Block	Spawn size	Spawn tries	Minimum height	Maximum height	Biomes
Dirt	33	10	0	256	All
Gravel	33	8	0	256	All
Granite	33	10	0	80	All
Diorite	33	10	0	80	All
Andesite	33	10	0	80	All
Coal Ore	17	20	0	128	All
Iron Ore	9	20	0	64	All
Redstone Ore	8	8	0	16	All
Lapis Lazuli Ore	7	1	16^{[note 1]}	16^{[note 1]}	All
Gold Ore	9	2	0	32	All
Diamond Ore	8	1	0	16	All
Emerald Ore	1	^{[more information needed]}	^{[more information needed]}	^{[more information needed]}	Mountains Mountain Edge^{[more information needed]}
Gold Ore^{[note 2]}	9	20	32	80	Badlands^{[more information needed]}
Infested Stone	9	7	0	64	Mountains^{[more information needed]}

↑ ^a ^b The Lapis Lazuli distribution follows its own rules : instead of a minimum and a maximum height, it is based on a center height and a spread value. By default, these values are set to 16, meaning that Lapis Lazuli can generate within levels 0 to 32, mostly around level 16; i.e. a periodic gaussian distribution.
↑ This is the extra rolls for gold or in badlands biomes.

The Nether

Block	Spawn size	Spawn tries	Minimum height	Maximum height	Biomes
Magma Block	33	4	0	^{[more information needed]}	All
Nether Quartz Ore	14	16	10	128	All

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, 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.

History

This section is missing information about an actual history.

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Gallery

MultipleOreVeins.png

Multiple ores generated above an underground lava lake.
A coal vein generated underwater.
Oreveinmultiples.png

Multiple ore veins in a cave. Diamond ore and redstone ore as well as coal ore and gold ore are visible in the distance.

Environment

[periodicGaussian-1] The Lapis Lazuli distribution follows its own rules : instead of a minimum and a maximum height, it is based on a center height and a spread value. By default, these values are set to 16, meaning that Lapis Lazuli can generate within levels 0 to 32, mostly around level 16; i.e. a periodic gaussian distribution.

[2] This is the extra rolls for gold or in badlands biomes.

[note 1]

[note 2]