With over 10 different ores to find and mine in Minecraft, there’s a lot of searching that goes into it before you can amass these resources. But, each of these ore has a higher chance of spawning at certain levels or depths on the map. So, to help you mine optimally, here are the best levels for all ores in Minecraft 1.21 with all the information you need about their distribution.
Best level for each ore in Minecraft
Before we get into the details, here’s a complete overview of each ore and their most commonly found levels, along with their overall distribution range:
| Ore | Most common level (in Y level) | Total distribution range |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 45 | Y levels 0 to 320 |
| copper | 43 | Y levels -16 to 112 |
| iron | 14 | Y levels -64 to 320 |
| lapis lazuli | -2 | Y levels -64 to 64 |
| Gold | -18 | Y levels -64 to 32 |
| Redstone | -59 | Y levels -64 to 16 |
| Diamond | -59 | Y levels -64 to 16 |
| an emerald | 85 | Y levels -16 to 320 |
As you can see, some ores spawn below Y level 0. Be aware that most ores block this spawn at Y level 0 and below will be in their deepslate variant. The ores that drop from deepslate blocks are also labeled as deepslate ores.
Coal Ore
Coal is probably one of the most abundant ores you can find in the Minecraft Overworld. The coal ore has a wide spawning range of Y levels 0 to 320with the most common level is 45. Burnt Forest Biomes, Mountain Biomes, and Caves have the highest chance of generating this ore.
Copper Ore
Copper is a relatively common ore for the most part found at Y level 43with a spawn range of Y levels -16 to 112. That ore also has a higher spawn chance in the Taigo biome, but none spawn between Y -64 to -17.
Iron ore
Iron is a really useful ore that generates between Y levels -64 to 320 with the most common level being Y levels 14 and 232. Moreover, there is a higher chance that they spawn in the biome of Stoney Peaks
Lapis Lazuli Ore
Lapis lazuli has the highest spawn rate at Y level -2 with a total distribution range of Y levels -64 to 64. There is a relatively better chance for Lapis to spawn in Snomy biomes.
Gold Ore
Gold is highly sought after in Minecraft and spawns through the Y levels -64 to 32. The best level to find it would be Y level -18. But, Gold ore has a higher spawn chance in the Badlands biome with a generation range from -64 to 256 with a higher chance at anyone Y level 32 and up.
Redstone Ore
Redstone is a versatile and useful ore that you can use to craft almost anything in Minecraft. With a reproductive range of Y levels -64 to 16 and the best distribution at Y level -59. If you want a better chance of finding redstone, Cave and Jungle biomes are your best bet.
Diamond Ore
Diamond Ore is quite similar to Redstone in terms of distribution. It also has a reproductive range of Y levels -64 to 16 with the highest reproductive chance at Y level -59. As for biomes, you have the highest chance of getting them at Jungle and Swamp biomes.
Emerald Ore
Emerald Ore is essential for trading with NPCs in Minecraft. If you want to find this ore, Y levels -16 to 320 is your best bet. The highest distribution of this ore is at Y level 85. Mountain and Hill biomes are the best places to farm this ore.
Best level for each ore in the Lower Realm
Now that you know the common levels for all overworld ores, here are the best levels for all the ores you can find in the Nether Realm in Minecraft:
| Ore | Most common level (in Y level) | Total distribution range |
|---|---|---|
| Nether Quartz | 30 | Y levels 6 to 118 |
| Nether Gold | 70 | Y levels 10 to 114 |
| Ancient Debris | 16 | Y levels 8 to 119 |
For more on Minecraft, check out Best Minecraft Ancient City Seeds for Bedrock & Java at Pro Game Guides!
