Mineshaft

Mineshafts are generated structures found primarily underground in the Overworld. They consist of interlinked 3×3 tunnels with incomplete rail lines running through them, with oak wood platforms bridging gaps or hanging in larger exposed caverns. Mineshafts are the only structures where cave spider monster spawners can be found.

A unique variant of mineshafts made out of dark oak wood can generate on the surface in badlands biomes.

Generation[]

Mineshafts generate underground in any Overworld biome. They generate before chunk features such as ores. Multiple mineshafts can generate near each other, producing larger complexes. When mineshafts intersect with caves and canyons, corridors generate a bridge of planks over empty space, either suspended with chains above or supported by log pillars below. When a mineshaft intersects with an aquifer, a barrier of solid blocks generates to prevent fluids from flowing into the mineshaft, often resulting in corridors cut off from the rest of the mineshaft.^[1]

Mineshafts often generate on the surface in badlands biomes. Badlands mineshafts are composed of dark oak planks and fences with railways more complete above ground. Since badlands biomes generate gold ore often and at higher altitudes, they are good places to easily find gold.

Structure[]

Mine shaft chest — A minecart with chest in a mineshaft.

MineshaftRoom — The central room of the mineshaft.

21w07a Mineshaft — A mineshaft generating across a large cave.

All mineshafts have:

Starting point: a 10×10 parlor, with an arched ceiling and one to four exits in each direction.
Corridors: some 3×3 tunnels and junctions are supported by planks and fences. Some places are decorated with torches and cobwebs. On long corridors, these supports are placed four blocks away from each other, while some have missing planks which may be filled up with cobwebs or blocks of stone jutting out from the top. The tunnels are connected by incomplete rail systems on the ground, upon which minecarts with chests generate uncommonly. Cobwebs do not generate if they would not be connected to solid blocks, while corridors generate with log pillars, chains and fences for support if they are in mid-air.
Crossings: dual-floor, 5×5 intersections supported by wooden columns.
Staircases: diagonal tunnels, stairs blocks are not used.
Abandoned passageways: accessory corridors with cobwebs concealing cave spider monster spawners.

Any chest found in a mineshaft always occurs as a minecart with chest that rests on top of some rails.

Loot[]

In Java Edition, each mineshaft chest contains items drawn from 3 pools, with the following distribution:

Item	Stack Size ^[A]			Weight ^[B]			Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Item	1×	2–4×	3×	1×	2–4×	3×	Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Rails	—	—	4–8	—	—	²⁰⁄₅₀	78.4%	7.200	1.3
Torch	—	—	1–16	—	—	¹⁵⁄₅₀	65.7%	7.650	1.5
Name Tag	1	—	—	³⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	42.3%	0.423	2.4
Glow Berries	—	3–6	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	38.7%	2.066	2.6
Bread	—	1–3	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	38.7%	0.918	2.6
Golden Apple	1	—	—	²⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	28.2%	0.282	3.6
Coal	—	3–8	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	1.684	3.7
Beetroot Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Melon Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Pumpkin Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Iron Ingot	—	1–5	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Activator Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Detector Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Powered Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Lapis Lazuli	—	4–9	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Redstone Dust	—	4–9	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Gold Ingot	—	1–3	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.306	6.9
Enchanted Book^[F]	1	—	—	¹⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	14.1%	0.141	7.1
Diamond	—	1–2	—	—	³⁄₉₈	—	8.9%	0.138	11.3
Nothing^[G]	1	—	—	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	7.0%	0.070	14.2
Iron Pickaxe	1	—	—	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	7.0%	0.070	14.2
Enchanted Golden Apple	1	—	—	¹⁄₇₁	—	—	1.4%	0.014	71.0

In Java Edition 1.20.2, each mineshaft chest contains items drawn from 4 pools, with the following distribution:

Item	Stack Size ^[A]				Weight ^[B]				Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Item	1×	2–4×	3×	1×	1×	2–4×	3×	1×	Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Nothing^[G]	1	—	—	1	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	⁴⁄₅	81.4%	0.870	1.2
Rails	—	—	4–8	—	—	—	²⁰⁄₅₀	—	78.4%	7.200	1.3
Torch	—	—	1–16	—	—	—	¹⁵⁄₅₀	—	65.7%	7.650	1.5
Name Tag	1	—	—	—	³⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	—	42.3%	0.423	2.4
Glow Berries	—	3–6	—	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	—	38.7%	2.066	2.6
Bread	—	1–3	—	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	—	38.7%	0.918	2.6
Golden Apple	1	—	—	—	²⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	—	28.2%	0.282	3.6
Coal	—	3–8	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	—	27.3%	1.684	3.7
Beetroot Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Melon Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Pumpkin Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Iron Ingot	—	1–5	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Activator Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	—	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Detector Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	—	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Powered Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	—	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Enchanted Book^[H]	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	¹⁄₅	20.0%	0.200	5.0
Lapis Lazuli	—	4–9	—	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Redstone Dust	—	4–9	—	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Gold Ingot	—	1–3	—	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	—	14.5%	0.306	6.9
Enchanted Book^[F]	1	—	—	—	¹⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	—	14.1%	0.141	7.1
Diamond	—	1–2	—	—	—	³⁄₉₈	—	—	8.9%	0.138	11.3
Iron Pickaxe	1	—	—	—	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	—	7.0%	0.070	14.2
Enchanted Golden Apple	1	—	—	—	¹⁄₇₁	—	—	—	1.4%	0.014	71.0

In Bedrock Edition, each mineshaft chest contains items drawn from 3 pools, with the following distribution:

Item	Stack Size ^[A]			Weight ^[B]			Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Item	1×	2–4×	3×	1×	2–4×	3×	Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Rails	—	—	4–8	—	—	²⁰⁄₅₀	78.4%	7.200	1.3
Torch	—	—	1–16	—	—	¹⁵⁄₅₀	65.7%	7.650	1.5
Name Tag	1	—	—	³⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	42.3%	0.423	2.4
Glow Berries	—	3–6	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	38.7%	2.066	2.6
Bread	—	1–3	—	—	¹⁵⁄₉₈	—	38.7%	0.918	2.6
Golden Apple	1	—	—	²⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	28.2%	0.282	3.6
Coal	—	3–8	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	1.684	3.7
Beetroot Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Melon Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Pumpkin Seeds	—	2–4	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Iron Ingot	—	1–5	—	—	¹⁰⁄₉₈	—	27.3%	0.918	3.7
Activator Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Detector Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Powered Rail	—	—	1–4	—	—	⁵⁄₅₀	27.1%	0.750	3.7
Lapis Lazuli	—	4–9	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Redstone Dust	—	4–9	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.995	6.9
Gold Ingot	—	1–3	—	—	⁵⁄₉₈	—	14.5%	0.306	6.9
Enchanted Book^[F]	1	—	—	¹⁰⁄₇₁	—	—	14.1%	0.141	7.1
Diamond	—	1–2	—	—	³⁄₉₈	—	8.9%	0.138	11.3
Nothing^[G]	1	—	—	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	7.0%	0.070	14.2
Iron Pickaxe	1	—	—	⁵⁄₇₁	—	—	7.0%	0.070	14.2
Enchanted Golden Apple	1	—	—	¹⁄₇₁	—	—	1.4%	0.014	71.0

↑ ^a ^b ^c The size of stacks (or for unstackable items, number) of this item on any given roll.
↑ ^a ^b ^c The weight of this item relative to other items in the pool.
↑ ^a ^b ^c The odds of finding any of this item in a single chest.
↑ ^a ^b ^c The number of items expected per chest, averaged over a large number of chests.
↑ ^a ^b ^c The average number of chests the player should expect to search to find any of this item.
↑ ^a ^b ^c All enchantments are equally probable, including treasure enchantments (except Soul Speed, and Swift Sneak), and any level of the enchantment is equally probable.
↑ ^a ^b ^c 'Nothing' does not refer to the chance of an empty chest. Instead, it refers to the chance that the random loot generator does not add any loot on a single roll.
↑ Enchanted with a random level of Efficiency.

Data values[]

Name	Identifier
Mineshaft	`mineshaft`
Mesa Mineshaft	`mineshaft_mesa`

History[]

Java Edition Beta
1.8		Pre-release			Added mineshafts.
		Pre-release 2 ;)			Mineshafts are a lot less dense and do not stretch out as far as before.^[2]
		Pre-release 2 ;)			To counter this change, they were made 2¹⁄₂ times as common throughout the world.^[3]
1.8.1					Support beams in mineshafts are converted from oak planks to oak fences.
Java Edition
1.2.1		12w05a			Added wooden bridges under floating sections of mineshafts.
1.4.6		12w50a			Added enchanted books to mineshaft chests.
1.5		13w02a			Changed mineshaft chests to minecarts with chests on rails.
1.6.1		13w18a			Added iron horse armor to mineshaft chests.
1.7.2		13w36a			Mineshafts appear as often as in the future release of Java Edition 1.8-pre1 again,^[4] but without any increase in density or size, which makes them 60% less common than before.
1.9		15w44a			Added torches, beetroot seeds, name tags, enchanted and normal golden apples, activator, detector and powered rails to minecart chests.
					Removed saddles and iron horse armor from minecart chests.
					Decreased the average yields of iron & gold ingots, melon and pumpkin seeds, diamonds, lapis lazuli, redstone and bread.
					Increased the average yield of iron pickaxes and substantially increased the average yield of rails and enchanted books.
1.10		16w20a			Mineshafts can now generate on the surface in mesa biomes, using dark oak planks and fences rather than oak.
					If directly exposed to the sky during generation, no wooden parts spawn at that exact location.
					No longer generate floating in the air when using a low ground level in a superflat world.
1.17		21w06a			Mineshaft pieces no longer generate if they were fully floating in the air.
					Corridors now generate with wooden pillars for support if needed.
					Floating cobwebs from open spaces no longer generate.
		21w07a			Corridors are now supported by chains above.
		21w07a			Wooden pillars are now made of oak logs instead of bark wood.
		21w13a			Increased the max length of pillars and chains.
		21w13a			Glow berries now generate as loot in mineshaft minecart with chests.
1.18		21w37a			The starting room in mineshafts no longer generates with a dirt floor.^[5]
1.18		21w41a			Mineshafts in badlands generate higher up.
Upcoming Java Edition
Villager Trade Rebalance (Experimental)		1.20.2 Pre-release 1			Efficiency enchanted books now have a higher chance of generating in mineshaft chest loot.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.9.0		build 1			Added mineshafts.
v0.9.0		build 1			Cave spider spawners are replaced by regular spiders until potion effects are added.
v0.10.0		September 9, 2014			Tommaso Checchi tweeted a picture of mineshafts generated at surface level within a badlands biome.
		build 1			Mineshafts can now generate on the surface in badlands biomes.
		build 1			Above-ground mineshafts now use dark oak planks and fences rather than oak.
v0.11.0		build 12			Mineshafts now generate with cave spider spawners.
v0.13.0		?			Added enchanted books to mineshaft chests.
v0.14.0		build 1			Mineshafts now generate minecarts with chests.
v0.15.0		build 1			Name tags now can be found inside chest minecarts.
Bedrock Edition
1.2.0		?			Mineshafts are now more common.
1.11.0		beta 1.11.0.1			Mineshafts are now less dense.
1.17.0		beta 1.16.230.54			Glow berries now generate as loot in mineshaft chest minecarts.
		beta 1.16.230.56			Mineshafts now fit into large caves.
		beta 1.16.230.56			Mineshaft corridor is now attached to the ceiling via chains or to the floor via wood columns when missing support platform.
		beta 1.17.0.50			Cobwebs no longer generate suspended in the air in mineshaft.
1.18.0		beta 1.18.0.20			Mineshaft tunnels can't replace bedrock anymore.^[6]
		beta 1.18.0.24			The starting room in mineshafts no longer generates with a dirt floor.
					Mineshaft support pillars are no longer able to extend into lava.^[7]
					Wooden pillars are now made of oak logs instead of bark wood.^[8]
Legacy Console Edition
TU5	CU1	1.0	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added mineshafts.
TU12	CU1	1.0	Patch 1		Added wooden bridges under floating sections of mineshafts.
TU43	CU33	1.36	Patch 13		Mineshafts can now generate on the surface in mesa biomes, using dark oak planks and fences rather than oak.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added mineshafts.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Mineshaft" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

The central room of a mineshaft never generates in the same chunk as (0, 0) in any Minecraft world.‌^{[Java Edition only]}

Publicity[]

In LEGO Minecraft Micro World – "The Village", a mineshaft is beneath a village.^[9]

Gallery[]

The monster spawner location
A mineshaft generated on superflat using the customize feature.
A cave spider monster spawner in a mineshaft.
A view of a mineshaft generated in a default Minecraft world, shown in Spectator.
Spider monster spawner which generated connected to mineshaft. Check the image for seed and coordinates.
A mineshaft, which generated at bedrock level, along with diamonds. Check the image for seed and coordinates.
Triple Canyon with mineshaft at the bottom.
A mineshaft generated at bedrock level.
A cobweb generated in a mineshaft.
A mineshaft in 21w06a.
A mineshaft generating across a cave deep underground.
Double ravine with many mineshaft bridges in it.
Crowded mineshaft.
A mineshaft that generated directly above an aquifer.
Desert pyramid, mineshaft and stronghold generated together.
Mineshaft sections in a cave.
A bridge with pillars and chains.
A mineshaft in a deep dark biome.
Two mineshaft tunnels parallel to each other.
A mineshaft without supports.
A mineshaft with supports.
A mineshaft hanging over lava.

Badlands mineshafts[]

Exposed gold ore in an above-ground mineshaft.
The central room of an above-ground mineshaft.
An above-ground mineshaft generated from a nearby badlands into a jungle.
The monster spawner corridor generated above ground.
An entrance to a mineshaft.
Badlands mineshaft bridge generated over a ravine.
A mineshaft beneath a badlands biome.
Skeleton monster spawner in badlands mineshaft.
Desert pyramid connected to a badlands mineshaft.
A hanging badlands mineshaft in a grotto.
A mineshaft hanging from beneath a floating island.

Odd generation[]

A mineshaft intersecting with a ravine.
A stronghold and a mineshaft intersection.
A mineshaft's chest cart generated in a monster room chest.
A small badlands mineshaft that tried to generate on an island.
A badlands mineshaft spawned into an iceberg.
A standalone mineshaft crossing in spectator mode.
A mineshaft in a ravine.
A cave spider monster spawner area in a stronghold.
Mineshaft which generated in close proximity to stronghold.
A mineshaft that only generated the central room, without any of the tunnels.
Mineshaft along with Stronghold and Jungle pyramid generated in one ravine.
Minecart with Chest generated on top of End Portal Frame, because there is Mineshaft behind the wall.
A mineshaft generated in floating buffet.
A mineshaft, monster room, and stronghold are in one area.
A mineshaft that generated with two store rooms in stronghold.
Five monster rooms and two cave spider monster spawners close together in a mineshaft, cleared to show all 7 monster spawners.
A floating rail in a mineshaft.
A monster room that intersecting with a mineshaft at a bedrock level.
A monster room that connected to a dead end of a mineshaft.
Tree which generated in ravine, next to the lava and mineshaft. Check the image for seed and coordinates.
Huge crater exposing mineshaft. Check the image for seed and coordinates.
Amethyst geode and mineshaft.
Amethyst geode with mineshaft and 2 cave spider monster spawners. Check the image for more details, including seed and coordinates.
Ruined portal generated along with mineshaft.
2 cave spider monster spawners next to each other.
Mineshaft and skeleton monster spawner generated at the very bottom of the world.
3 sunflowers found in mineshaft.
A lush caves biome inside a mineshaft.
Zombie monster room connected to a mineshaft.
Cave spider monster spawner exposed on a hillside.
A floating door in a stronghold, along with an intersecting geode and mineshaft.

References[]

↑ MC-214787 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
↑ de:Datei:Mine Ausdehnung b1.8.gif
↑ de:Datei:Mine Verteilung b1.8.gif
↑ de:Datei:Mine Verteilung 13w36a.gif
↑ MC-215876 — "Dirt can generate below y=0 from mineshafts" — resolved as "Fixed".
↑ MCPE-141123 — "[Experimental] The passage from the mine created a passage to the bedrock" — resolved as "Fixed".
↑ MCPE-135221 — "Mineshaft can generate on lava lakes, causing fire" — resolved as "Fixed".
↑ MCPE-125133 — "Mineshaft support pillars are made out of bark oak wood, not logs" — resolved as "Fixed".
↑ http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Micro-World-The-Village-21105

Generated structures, features and terrain features

[stacksize-2] The size of stacks (or for unstackable items, number) of this item on any given roll.

[weight-3] The weight of this item relative to other items in the pool.

[chance-4] The odds of finding any of this item in a single chest.

[items-5] The number of items expected per chest, averaged over a large number of chests.

[chests-6] The average number of chests the player should expect to search to find any of this item.

[enchant-randomly-7] All enchantments are equally probable, including treasure enchantments (except Soul Speed, and Swift Sneak), and any level of the enchantment is equally probable.

[nothing-8] 'Nothing' does not refer to the chance of an empty chest. Instead, it refers to the chance that the random loot generator does not add any loot on a single roll.

[enchant-randomly-efficiency-9] Enchanted with a random level of Efficiency.

[1] MC-214787 — resolved as "Works As Intended".

[10] :Datei:Mine Ausdehnung b1.8.gif

[11] :Datei:Mine Verteilung b1.8.gif

[12] :Datei:Mine Verteilung 13w36a.gif

[13] MC-215876 — "Dirt can generate below y=0 from mineshafts" — resolved as "Fixed".

[14] MCPE-141123 — "[Experimental] The passage from the mine created a passage to the bedrock" — resolved as "Fixed".

[15] MCPE-135221 — "Mineshaft can generate on lava lakes, causing fire" — resolved as "Fixed".

[16] MCPE-125133 — "Mineshaft support pillars are made out of bark oak wood, not logs" — resolved as "Fixed".

[17] ttp://shop.lego.com/en-US/Micro-World-The-Village-21105

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