Redstone ore is the ore block from which redstone is obtained.
Deepslate redstone ore is a variant found in the deepslate layer of the world, below y=0.[upcoming: JE 1.17]
Obtaining
Natural generation
Redstone ore can generate in the Overworld in the form of mineral veins. Redstone ore attempts to generate 8 times per chunk in veins of size 0–10, from altitudes 1 to 16, in all biomes. On average they generate 29.5 ores per chunk.
In Java Edition 1.17[upcoming], redstone ore generates in two batches per chunk. The first batch attempts to generate 4 time per chunk, in veins of 0–10, evenly from levels -63 to 15. The second batch attempts to generate 8 times per chunk, in veins of 0–10, from levels -63 to -34, being more common the lower the elevation. Redstone ore can replace stone, granite, diorite, andesite, tuff, and deepslate. If it replaces tuff or deepslate, it will become deepslate redstone ore.
Breaking
Redstone ore must be mined with an iron pickaxe or higher to drop redstone dust. When mined, it drops 4–5 redstone dust (or more with Fortune, averaging at 6 redstone dust with Fortune level 3[1][2]). If mined with Silk Touch, it drops itself instead of redstone dust.
| Block | Redstone Ore | Deepslate Redstone Ore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 3 | 4.5 | |
| Tool | |||
| Breaking time[A] | |||
| Default | 15 | 22.5 | |
| Wooden | 7.5 | 11.25 | |
| Stone | 3.75 | 5.65 | |
| Iron | 0.75 | 1.15 | |
| Diamond | 0.6 | 0.85 | |
| Netherite | 0.5 | 0.75 | |
| Golden | 1.25 | 1.9 | |
- ↑ Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.
Usage
Light
Redstone ore produces light (strength 9) and red particles when clicked, updated, or contacted by any mob (exception being a sneaking player). This effect continues until the redstone ore block receives a random block tick (averaging 68.27 seconds). This effect does not actually produce redstone power, but the block changes can be detected with an observer or a block update detector.
Subsequent clickings on a redstone ore block causes it to emit an extra burst of particles per click.
Smelting ingredient
| Name | Ingredients | Smelting recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Redstone Dust | Redstone Ore or Deepslate Redstone Ore + Any fuel |
Note Blocks
Redstone ore can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass drum" sound.
Sounds
| Sound | Subtitles | Source | Description | Resource location | Translation key | Volume | Pitch | Attenuation distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block broken | Blocks | Once the block has broken | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block placed | Blocks | When the block is placed | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block breaking | Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | block | subtitles | 0.25 | 0.5 | 16 | |
| None[sound 1] | Entity-Dependent | Falling on the block with fall damage | block | None[sound 1] | 0.5 | 0.75 | 16 | |
| Footsteps | Entity-Dependent | Walking on the block | block | subtitles | 0.15 | 1.0 | 16 |
| Sound | Source | Description | Resource location | Volume | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blocks | Once the block has broken | dig | 1.0 | 0.8-1.0 | |
| Blocks | When the block is placed | dig | 1.0 | 0.8-1.0 | |
| Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | hit | 0.37 | 0.5 | |
| Players | Falling on the block with fall damage | fall | 0.4 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Walking on the block | step | 0.3 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Jumping from the block | jump | 0.12 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Falling on the block without fall damage | land | 0.22 | 1.0 |
Data values
A redstone ore that glows and emits particles in the dark.
ID
| Name | Identifier | Form | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redstone Ore | redstone_ore | Block & Item | block.minecraft.redstone_ore |
| Deepslate Redstone Ore | deepslate_redstone_ore | Block & Item | block.minecraft.deepslate_redstone_ore |
| Name | Identifier | Numeric ID | Form | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redstone Ore | redstone_ore | 73 | Block & Giveable Item[i 1] | tile.redstone_ore.name |
| Lit Redstone Ore | lit_redstone_ore | 74 | Block & Ungiveable Item[i 2] | tile.lit_redstone_ore.name |
| Deepslate Redstone Ore | deepslate_redstone_ore | 658 | Block & Giveable Item[i 1] | tile.deepslate_redstone_ore.name |
| Lit Deepslate Redstone Ore | lit_deepslate_redstone_ore | 659 | Block & Ungiveable Item[i 2] | tile.lit_deepslate_redstone_ore.name |
Block states
| Name | Default value | Allowed values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| lit | false | falsetrue | If the redstone ore is lit. |
Video
History
| Java Edition Alpha | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v1.0.1 | |||||
| The mining time of redstone ore takes far longer compared to other ores (4.5 seconds with iron pickaxe). | |||||
| July 7, 2010 | Redstone ore now has a name (previously all redstone-related blocks had no official name). | ||||
| Java Edition | |||||
| 1.0.0 | Beta 1.9 Prerelease 6 | The mining time of redstone ore has been significantly reduced - it now has the same mining time as other ores. | |||
| 1.3.1 | 12w22a | Mining redstone ore, along with other ores, now gives the player experience orbs. One stack of redstone ore gives roughly 10 levels of experience. | |||
| 1.13 | 17w47a | The different block IDs for the redstone ore have been merged into 1 ID. | |||
| A lit block state has been added to redstone ore. | |||||
| Prior to The Flattening, these blocks' numeral IDs were 73 and 74. | |||||
| 1.14 | 18w43a | ||||
| Upcoming Java Edition | |||||
| 1.17 | 21w07a | ||||
| February 17, 2021 | |||||
| February 18, 2021 | |||||
| February 22, 2021 | |||||
| 21w08a | |||||
Added redstone_ores block tag. | |||||
| 21w10a | |||||
| Pocket Edition Alpha | |||||
| v0.1.0 | |||||
| v0.4.0 | Redstone ore added to creative mode. | ||||
| v0.8.0 | build 2 | Redstone ore now drops redstone when mined. | |||
| v0.12.1 | build 1 | Redstone ore can now be obtained if mined with a pickaxe enchanted with Silk Touch. | |||
| v0.13.0 | build 1 | Redstone ore now emits light and red particles when walked on. | |||
| Bedrock Edition | |||||
| 1.10.0 | beta 1.10.0.3 | ||||
| 1.16.220 | beta 1.16.220.50 | ||||
| Upcoming Bedrock Edition | |||||
| 1.16.230 | beta 1.16.230.52 | ||||
| Legacy Console Edition | |||||
| TU1 | CU1 | 1.0 | Patch 1 | 1.0.1 | |
| 1.90 | |||||
| New Nintendo 3DS Edition | |||||
| 0.1.0 | |||||
Lit redstone ore "item"
- Pick Block functionality.
| Java Edition Alpha | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v1.0.1 | |||||
| Java Edition Beta | |||||
| 1.0 | The item is generically labelled "Redstone Ore" in the inventory. | ||||
| 1.6 | Test Build 3 | ||||
| Lit redstone ore items can be obtained from the newly added debug chests, mainly from the 16th slot of the 3rd chest from the left, and the 27th slot of the 5th chest from the left. | |||||
| release | Debug chests no longer spawn, preventing lit redstone ore items from being obtained this way. | ||||
| 1.8 | Pre-release | ||||
| Java Edition | |||||
| 1.0.0 | Beta 1.9 Prerelease 4 | Lit redstone ore can be obtained with the Silk Touch enchantment by breaking a block with an appropriate tool enchanted with it. | |||
| Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5 | Lit redstone ore can no longer be obtained via Silk Touch. | ||||
| RC2 | |||||
| 1.3.1 | 12w16a | Lit redstone ore can now be obtained as an item in singleplayer worlds via the /give command using the respective numeric ID. | |||
| 12w22a | |||||
| 1.4.2 | 12w34a | ||||
| 1.7.2 | 13w37a | The direct item form of lit redstone ore has been removed from the game. It can no longer exist as an item in any way, only as a placed block. | |||
| Pocket Edition Alpha | |||||
| ? | Lit redstone ore exists as an item. | ||||
| v0.1.0 | |||||
| v0.2.0 | Lit redstone ore no longer has an item sprite. | ||||
Issues
Issues relating to "Redstone Ore" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
Gallery
Naturaly generated Diamond Ore, redstone ore and Lapis Lazuli Ore found in a Canyon. Check the image for seed and cords.









