Minecraft Wiki
Advertisement
Brush
This article needs cleanup to comply with the style guide. [discuss]
Please help improve this page. The talk page may contain suggestions.
Eye of Ender
This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. [links]
Please link this article on related articles.

Digging is one of the most fundamental activities in Minecraft, performed by holding the left mouse button while the cursor is over a block. Digging is used to create passages and tunnels, to clear away unwanted blocks, and is also the primary way of acquiring blocks for future placement or crafting.

Basics of Digging

Digging is accomplished simply by holding the left mouse button while the cursor is over a block. If you are within 4 blocks of the target, you will begin swinging your hand, making a repetitive "thump" noise as you hit the block, and cracks will begin to appear. When you are in range, the block will also by marked with a wireframe cube outline, showing you the current target. After the cracks completely cover the block, it will break, and depending on the type of block and the tool you are wielding you might harvest it for resources.

Although many blocks can be harvested with your bare hands, the harder ones require the use of a tool. In particular, to get resources from stone or metal-type blocks, you will need to use a Pickaxe. For harder blocks like Iron Ore or Obsidian, not just any pickaxe will do; you need one made from sufficiently hard materials. You can also use Shovels and Axes to speed up digging of dirt and wood-type blocks, although they are not required to get the resource drop. The downside is that tools have durability, and so they eventually wear out.

You will continue to dig as long as the mouse button is held down, although there is a slight pause of 0.25 seconds between destroying one block and beginning on the one behind it. You can move freely while digging, and you can even dig while jumping or swimming. Although there is a speed penalty for the latter two, see below. This makes it easy to dig long tunnels or to clear away a large volume of material.

A bad thing that many new players do is dig directly down. This can lead you into falling in a dark cave with no lava as light, getting slaughtered inside a dungeon, or even just plainly burning up in a lava pit with no escape. For similar reasons, it is not recommended to dig UP either, due to the fact that a monster or lava can come tumbling down right on top of you. Another mistake is to stand right next to the wall at which you are digging. If there is a monster right behind it, it will be able to attack you. Also, at lower levels, you might dig into a pool of lava that will spill onto you, but if you stand back, you will have time to turn around and make a run for it.

You lose your digging progress if the target block changes while digging, so it is best to target the middle of a block's face. Progress is also reset whenever the mouse button is released. This can be used to your advantage because of a quirk in the handling of the "cooldown" between blocks: the 0.25 second cooldown is reset when you release the mouse. Thus, with proper timing you can "click mine," increasing your overall digging throughput. The "thump" noise is helpful for gauging this: it plays exactly 5 times per second, starting as soon as you click. For example, mining Stone with an Iron Pickaxe takes 0.4 seconds, so there are two thumps plus a little extra time before the block breaks. It used to be possible to "switch mine" by switching targets right as the block broke to accomplish the same thing, but that no longer resets the cooldown.

Digging speed

The speed at which you dig is controlled by two factors: The block you are breaking, and the item you are currently wielding. Every block has a hardness, which determines the base amount of time to break that block if you hit it with your bare hands. The base time in seconds is the block's hardness multiplied by 1.5. The first adjustment to this is based on whether you can harvest the block with your current tool. If you cannot, then the base time is multiplied by 3.33.

Assuming that you can harvest the block, the next check is whether your tool helps speed digging for this block. By and large, Pickaxes speed up (and are required for) mining stone, Axes help chop wood, and Shovels dig dirt faster.

If your tool helps, then it increases digging speed by a constant multiplier, given in the following table:

Material Nothing Wood Stone Iron Diamond Gold
Multiplier 1x 2x 4x 6x 8x 12x

Although Swords do not count as "helping" to harvest a block, they perform 1.5 times better (regardless of material) than bare hands or other items, although Swords take double durability loss when harvesting blocks. All swords have a speed multiplier of 15 against cobwebs. Shears have a multiplier of 15 against cobwebs and leaves, and 5 against wool.

Lastly, digging can be slowed if you are not on the ground. There is a 5x penalty (digging takes five times as long) if you are not standing on the ground while digging. There is also a 5x penalty to digging while in water. If you are swimming, (underwater and not walking on the bottom,) then the two combine for a whopping 25x penalty, making it very difficult to dig even with tools. However, if you cannot harvest with your current tool then only the original 3.33x penalty applies, and none of the other adjustments are made. This means that it is faster to punch stone while swimming than to use an Iron Pickaxe.

Blocks by hardness

The following table shows the time it takes to break each type of block. Values with a red background indicate that it cannot be harvested by that quality of tool. Note that some blocks, like Ice, don't drop anything even when they are "harvested"; these are marked with a yellow background. If there is no tool that helps speed up mining the block, the row will have a grey background.

Block Hardness Tool Nothing Wood Stone Iron Diamond Gold
Bedrock -1 (unbreakable)
End Portal -1 (unbreakable)
End Portal Frame -1 (unbreakable)
Nether Portal -1 (unbreakable)
Lava (Still) 100 [note 1] 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s
Water (still or flowing) 100 [note 1] 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s 150 s
Obsidian 50 Grid Diamond Pickaxe 250 s 250 s 250 s 250 s 10 s 250 s
Block of Diamond 5 Grid Iron Pickaxe 25 s 25 s 25 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 25 s
Block of Iron 5 Grid Iron Pickaxe 25 s 25 s 2.5 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 25 s
Enchantment Table 5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 25 s 3.75 s 1.875 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s
Iron Bars 5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 25 s 3.75 s 1.875 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s
Iron Door 5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 25 s 3.75 s 1.875 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s
Monster
Spawner
5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 25 s 3.75 s 1.875 s 1.25 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s
Cobweb [note 2] 4 File:Grid Wooden Sword.png 20 s 0.4 s 0.4 s 0.4 s 0.4 s 0.4 s
Dispenser 3.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 17.5 s 2.625 s 1.3125 s 0.875 s 0.6563 s 0.4375 s
Furnace 3.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 17.5 s 2.625 s 1.3125 s 0.875 s 0.6563 s 0.4375 s
Block of Gold 3 Grid Iron Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 15 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Coal Ore 3 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 15 s 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s
Diamond Ore 3 Grid Iron Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 15 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Dragon Egg 3 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 15 s 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s
End Stone 3 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 15 s 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s
Gold Ore 3 Grid Iron Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 15 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Iron Ore 3 Grid Stone Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Lapis Lazuli Block 3 Grid Stone Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Lapis Lazuli Ore 3 Grid Stone Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Redstone Ore 3 Grid Iron Pickaxe 15 s 15 s 15 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 15 s
Trapdoor 3 File:Use-axe.png 4.5 s 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s
Wood Door 3 File:Use-axe.png 4.5 s 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.75 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s
Chest 2.5 File:Use-axe.png 3.75 s 1.875 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s 0.4688 s 0.3125 s
Crafting Table 2.5 File:Use-axe.png 3.75 s 1.875 s 0.9375 s 0.625 s 0.4688 s 0.3125 s
Brick Stairs 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Bricks 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Cauldron 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Cobblestone 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Fence 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Fence Gate 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Jukebox 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Moss Stone 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Nether Brick 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Nether Brick Fence 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Nether Brick Stairs 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Slabs 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Stone Stairs 2 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 10 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Wood 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Wooden Planks 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Wooden Stairs 2 File:Use-axe.png 3 s 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.5 s 0.375 s 0.25 s
Bookshelf 1.5 File:Use-axe.png 2.25 s 1.125 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s 0.2813 s 0.1875 s
Stone 1.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 7.5 s 1.125 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s 0.2813 s 0.1875 s
Stone Brick 1.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 7.5 s 1.125 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s 0.2813 s 0.1875 s
Stone Brick Stairs 1.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 7.5 s 1.125 s 0.5625 s 0.375 s 0.2813 s 0.1875 s
Block Hardness Tool Nothing Wood Stone Iron Diamond Gold
Melon 1 1.5 s 1.5 s 1.5 s 1.5 s 1.5 s 1.5 s
Pumpkin 1 File:Use-axe.png 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.25 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s
Sign 1 File:Use-axe.png 1.5 s 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.25 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s
Note Block 0.8 File:Use-axe.png 1.2 s 0.6 s 0.3 s 0.2 s 0.15 s 0.1 s
Sandstone 0.8 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 4 s 0.6 s 0.3 s 0.2 s 0.15 s 0.1 s
Wool [note 3] 0.8 File:Grid Shears.png 1.2 s 1.2 s 1.2 s 1.2 s 1.2 s 1.2 s
Monster Egg 0.75 1.15 s 1.15 s 1.15 s 1.15 s 1.15 s 1.15 s
Rails (including
detector and powered)
0.7 File:Use-pickaxe.png 1.05 s 0.525 s 0.2625 s 0.175 s 0.1313 s 0.0875 s
Clay 0.6 File:Use-spade.png 0.9 s 0.45 s 0.225 s 0.15 s 0.1125 s 0.075 s
Farmland 0.6 File:Use-spade.png 0.9 s 0.45 s 0.225 s 0.15 s 0.1125 s 0.075 s
Grass Block 0.6 File:Use-spade.png 0.9 s 0.45 s 0.225 s 0.15 s 0.1125 s 0.075 s
Gravel 0.6 File:Use-spade.png 0.9 s 0.45 s 0.225 s 0.15 s 0.1125 s 0.075 s
Mycelium 0.6 File:Use-spade.png 0.9 s 0.45 s 0.225 s 0.15 s 0.1125 s 0.075 s
Sponge 0.6 0.9 s 0.9 s 0.9 s 0.9 s 0.9 s 0.9 s
Brewing Stand 0.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 2.5 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Button 0.5 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s
Cake 0.5 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s
Dirt 0.5 File:Use-spade.png 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Ice 0.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 2.5 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Lever 0.5 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s
Piston
(normal or sticky)
0.5 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s 0.75 s
Sand 0.5 File:Use-spade.png 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Soul Sand 0.5 File:Use-spade.png 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Stone
Pressure Plate
0.5 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 2.5 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Wooden
Pressure Plate
0.5 File:Use-axe.png 0.75 s 0.375 s 0.1875 s 0.125 s 0.0938 s 0.0625 s
Cactus 0.4 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s
Ladders 0.4 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s 0.6 s
Netherrack 0.4 Grid Wooden Pickaxe 2 s 0.3 s 0.15 s 0.1 s 0.075 s 0.05 s
Glass 0.3 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s
Glass Pane 0.3 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s
Glowstone Block 0.3 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s
Redstone Lamp 0.3 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s 0.45 s
Bed 0.2 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s
Huge Mushrooms 0.2 File:Use-axe.png 0.3 s 0.15 s 0.075 s 0.05 s 0.0375 s 0.025 s
Leaves 0.2 File:Grid Shears.png 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s
Snow Block 0.2 File:Grid Wooden Shovel.png 1 sec 0.15 s 0.075 s 0.05 s 0.0375 s 0.025 s
Vines 0.2 File:Grid Shears.png 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s 0.3 s
Snow 0.1 File:Grid Wooden Shovel.png 0.5 s 0.075 s 0.0375 s 0.025 s 0.0188 s 0.0125 s
Dead Bush 0 File:Grid Shears.png 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Fire 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Dandelion 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Grass 0 File:Grid Shears.png 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Lava
(Flowing)
[note 1]
0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Lily Pad 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Melon Stem 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Mushrooms 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Nether Wart 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Pumpkin Stem 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Redstone Repeater 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Redstone Torch 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Redstone Wire 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Rose 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Saplings 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Sugar Cane 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
TNT 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Torch 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Wheat 0 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s 0 s
Block Hardness Tool Nothing Wood Stone Iron Diamond Gold

Notes

  1. a b c These blocks cannot be targeted (the block behind them is mined instead), so they cannot be broken, even though they have a finite hardness.
  2. Cobwebs can also be harvested with shears, at the same speed as with swords (0.4 s).
  3. Wool can be harvested more quickly with shears, in 0.24 s.

History

Jigsaw Block (top texture) JE2 BE2
This section needs expansion. 
You can help by expanding it.

As of Minecraft 1.0, it takes 4 minutes and 10 seconds to break obsidian using anything other than a diamond pick.


Advertisement