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 it is also the primary way of acquiring blocks for future placement or crafting.
Blocks by hardness
The following table shows the time it takes to break each type of block. Values marked with an asterisk and a red background indicate that no resource will be dropped when it is destroyed by that quality of tool. (Note that some blocks, like Ice, don't drop anything even when the "proper" tool is used.) If there is no tool that helps speed up mining the block, the row will have a grey background.
| Block | Hardness | Tool | Bare hands | Wood | Stone | Iron | Diamond | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedrock | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | |
| Portal | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | Infinite | |
| Water | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | |
| Lava (Still) | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | 150.0 secs | |
| Obsidian | 15.0 secs | Pickaxe | 50.0 secs* | 50.0 secs* | 50.0 secs* | 50.0 secs* | 15.0 secs | 50.0 secs* |
| Iron Door | 7.5 secs | Pickaxe | 25.0 secs* | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs |
| Diamond Block | 7.5 secs | Pickaxe | 25.0 secs* | 25.0 secs* | 25.0 secs* | 1.25 secs | 0.95 secs | 25.0 secs* |
| Iron Block | 7.5 secs | Pickaxe | 25.0 secs* | 25.0 secs* | 25.0 secs* | 1.25 secs | 0.95 secs | 25.0 secs* |
| Monster Spawner |
7.5 secs | Pickaxe | 25.0 secs* | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs | 7.5 secs |
| Dispenser | 5.25 secs | Pickaxe | 17.5 secs* | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs |
| Furnace | 5.25 secs | Pickaxe | 17.5 secs* | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs | 5.25 secs |
| Wood Door | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | |
| Coal Ore | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 2.25 secs | 1.15 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 0.4 secs |
| Diamond Ore | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Gold Ore | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 1.15 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Iron Ore | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 1.15 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Lapis Lazuli Ore |
4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 1.15 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Redstone Ore | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 4.5 secs | 4.5 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Gold Block | 4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Lapis Lazuli Block |
4.5 secs | Pickaxe | 15.0 secs* | 15.0 secs* | 1.15 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.6 secs | 15.0 secs* |
| Chest | 3.75 secs | Axe | 3.75 secs | 1.9 secs | 0.95 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.35 secs |
| Workbench | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | 3.75 secs | |
| Brick | 3.0 secs | Pickaxe | 10.0 secs* | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs |
| Cobblestone | 3.0 secs | Pickaxe | 10.0 secs* | 1.5 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.25 secs |
| Moss Stone | 3.0 secs | Pickaxe | 10.0 secs* | 1.5 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.25 secs |
| Fence | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | |
| Jukebox | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | |
| Slab | 3.0 secs | Pickaxe | 10.0 secs* | 1.5 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.25 secs |
| Stone Stairs | 3.0 secs | Pickaxe | 10.0 secs* | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs |
| Wooden Stairs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | 3.0 secs | |
| Wood | 3.0 secs | Axe | 3.0 secs | 1.5 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.25 secs |
| Wooden Plank | 3.0 secs | Axe | 3.0 secs | 1.5 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.5 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.25 secs |
| Bookshelf | 2.25 secs | Axe | 2.25 secs | 1.15 secs | 0.6 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.3 secs | 0.2 secs |
| Stone | 2.25 secs | Pickaxe | 7.5 secs* | 1.15 secs | 0.6 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.3 secs | 0.2 secs |
| Block | Hardness | Tool | Bare hands | Wood | Stone | Iron | Diamond | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | |
| Sign | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | 1.5 secs | |
| Note Block | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | |
| Sandstone | 1.25 secs | Pickaxe | 4.0 secs* | 0.65 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.25 secs | 0.2 secs | 0.15 secs |
| Wool | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | 1.25 secs | |
| Rails | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | 1.05 secs | |
| Clay | 0.9 secs | Shovel | 0.9 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.25 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Farmland | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | |
| Sponge | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | 0.9 secs | |
| Grass | 0.9 secs | Shovel | 0.9 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.25 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Gravel | 0.9 secs | Shovel | 0.9 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.25 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Button | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | |
| Cake | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | |
| Dirt | 0.75 secs | Shovel | 0.75 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.2 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Ice | 0.75 secs | Pickaxe | 2.5 secs* | 0.4 secs | 0.2 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Lever | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | |
| Pressure Plate | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | |
| Sand | 0.75 secs | Shovel | 0.75 secs | 0.4 secs | 0.2 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Soul Sand | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | 0.75 secs | |
| Cactus | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | |
| Ladder | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | 0.65 secs | |
| Netherrack | 0.65 secs | Pickaxe | 2.0 secs* | 0.35 secs | 0.2 secs | 0.15 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.1 secs |
| Glass | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | |
| Glowstone | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | 0.45 secs | |
| Bed | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | |
| Leaves | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | 0.35 secs | |
| Snow Block | 0.35 secs | Shovel | 1.0 secs* | 0.2 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.1 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs |
| Snow | 0.2 secs | Shovel | 0.5 secs* | 0.1 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs |
| Crops | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Fire | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Flower | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Lava (Flowing) | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Mushroom | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Redstone Repeater |
0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Redstone Torch |
0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Redstone Wire | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Reeds | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Sapling | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Tnt | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | |
| Torch | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs | 0.05 secs |