With over 10 different ores to find and mine in Minecraft, there's a lot of searching that precedes before you can hoard these resources. But, each of these ore has a higher chance to spawn 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 info you need on their distribution.
Before we get into the details, here's a complete overview of every ore and their most commonly found levels, alongside their total 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 |
| Emerald | 85 | Y levels -16 to 320 |
As you can see some ores spawn below Y level 0. Do note that most ores blocks that spawn on 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 is arguably one of the most ores you can find in the Minecraft Overworld. The coal ore has a wide spawn range from Y levels 0 to 320, with the most common level being 45. Burnt Forest Biomes, Mountain Biomes, and Caves have the highest chance of spawning this ore.
Copper is a relatively common ore mostly found at Y level 43, with a spawn range from Y levels -16 to 112. This ore also has a higher spawn chance in the Taiga biome, but none spawn between Y -64 to -17.
Iron is a really useful ore, that spawns between Y levels -64 to 320 with the most common level being Y levels 14 and 232. Moreover, there's a higher chance of them to spawn in the Stoney Peaks biome
Lapis Lazuli has the highest spawn rate at Y level -2 with a total distribution range from Y levels -64 to 64. There's a relatively better chance for Lapis to spawn in Snomy biomes.
Gold is highly sought-after in Minecraft and spawns across the Y levels -64 to 32. The best level to find it would in Y level -18. But, Gold ore has a higher spawn chance in the Badlands biome with a spawn range of -64 to 256 with a higher chance at any Y level 32 and above.
Redstone is a versatile and useful ore that you can use to create almost anything in Minecraft. With a spawn range of Y levels -64 to 16 and the best distribution at Y level -59. If you want a better chance at finding redstone, Cave and Jungle biomes are your best bet.
Diamond Ore is quite similar to Redstone in terms of distribution. It also has a spawn range of Y levels -64 to 16 with the highest spawn chance at Y level -59. In terms of biomes, you have the highest chance to get them at Jungle and Swamp biomes.
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.
Now that you know the common levels for all the 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 on Pro Game Guides!
