This will be a consolidated guide to mining covering everything from ore spawn rates to mining patterns, mathematics, spelunking strategies, and recommended materials.
Anchor tags aren't working, so ToC will have to wait. You'll have to scroll for now.
Version History:
0.1 - Navigation Method, Segmentation
0.2 - Ore Spawn Rates by Layer and Quadrant
- Initial Cave Bonus Data
0.3 - Improved Navigation Method w/ Save File Example
- Added Pickaxe Material Section
- Added Dirt/Gravel Section
0.4 - Updated Quadrant Information for 1.6
- Added 2-Gap vs. 3-Gap Section
0.5 - Added Multi-Level vs Single Level Section
- Added X Mine
For anyone who knew, or wanted to know, about the SW quadrant ore glitch, it is a glitch that exists in chunks generated prior to 1.6. Every world has a central point (0,0), and the SW quarter of a world used to have 50% more ore than the NE quarter of the map. This has been fixed in 1.6, so the only important aspect to mining now is mining in the correct layer.
Another thing to point out is that ore only spawns in stone. Coal spawns at the same percentage of stone at layer 80 as it does at layer 14, but there is much less stone at layer 80. Some information out there about ore spawn rates is wrong because it doesn't account for true percentage spawn rate.
Quadrants - Where You Mine Mattered(Up to version 1.6)
This glitch has been fixed, but if you still play 1.5 or earlier, or have a map generated in 1.5 or earlier, this information is still valid. I have posted a pre-1.5 map and a post-1.5 map, where you can easily see what the quadrant bug was, and how it no longer exists.
Coal
Overview: Coal is a very common ore that can spawn at any layer. Because of this, almost any type of exploration or mining system will find large amounts of coal by default.
Total layer range: 1-128
Sweet spot layers: 13-16
Equal on all layers. Easiest to find exposed on cliff faces or in caves. Best to find while mining for rarer ores.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 1.1%
Iron
Overview: Iron is an extremely useful ore, used in making tools, weapons, armor, buckets, compasses, doors, minecart tracks, and flint and steel.
Total layer range: 1-67
Sweet spot layers: 3-40
Equal on all layers. Might as well find it while also finding rarer ores.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.55%
Gold
Overview: Whoever has the gold, makes the rules. Well, this is minecraft, your rules no matter what.
Total layer range: 1-36
Sweet spot layers: 3-30
Gold is another consistently spawning ore across almost its entire range.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.11%
Redstone
Overview: Redstone. Creation. Automation. The ore of the engineers. Redstone allows you to create electric circuits.
Total layer range: 1-19
Sweet spot layers: 4-16
Redstone is consistent along these layers.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.78%
Lapis Lazuli
Overview:
Lapis Lazuli is a blue gemstone which has been valued for its color for over 6,000 years. It was used as decoration by the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, and can be considered a sign of great wealth. Later, in the Middle Ages, it was used as a pigment for paintings.
Percentages by Layer:
Lapis spawns in 0.075% of all stone at layer 18. Every layer above or below this layer, the rate drops off at an average of 0.00441%, reaching 0% at layers 0 and 35. By layers 10 and 26, Lapis is only half as common as layer 18.
Diamond
Overview:
A Diamond Is Forever. A Girl's Best Friend. Awesome Weapons. Diamonds are sought-after, and often elusive.
Percentages by Layer:
Diamond spawns in it's best layers at 0.09%. It drops off sharply at layers 1-3 and layers 18-19.
Conclusion
Unless you really, really need a little bit of extra lapis, there is no reason to mine above layer 16. I recommend layer 14 mining for several reasons. By layer 14 mining, I mean where you will be 2 blocks above the lava lakes, F3 will show 14.6, and you will be mining layers 13 and 14, and viewing 12-15.
1: Layer 14 is in the highest range of every ore except for lapis, but as close to it as you can get without sacrificing diamond.
2: Layer 14 is 2 layers above the lava lake level. Any lava lake that is part of a large cave will appear at your feet, so you still have all the benefits of layer 12 mining.
3: Mining any lower only decreases Lapis ore, there is no benefit.
Overview:Expandable, Consolidated System. Minimized travel time from end of mine to center of hub. Very space-efficient. Results in average amount of cobblestone.
Who It's For:Average player who is looking for a simple, efficient, thorough system.
Recommendations: Single-Level. Layer 14. 2-Gap. Diamond or Iron Pickaxe.
The X mine is a fairly simple pattern that automatically expands to completely fill the area around you. No matter how much you choose to mine, you will fully cover the layers you are mining in. The pattern looks like this from above:
You can see that every leg of a branch extends 6 meters past the previous leg, and a central short-cut path is carved through the middle to reduce travel time.
The secret to making this method easy is through the use of distance markers, referred to as 'windows'. At the end of each leg, you will mine a 3x1 hole at head-height, and place a torch in the window. These windows are marked in the next image with red blocks. Then, while mining a leg, you don't have to count. Just keep mining until you hit your previous window, and mine 6 more meters.
The shortcut path is shown marked in green. Every time you reach your shortcut path in a branch, you will immediately extend it 3 meters, so you will run into it again on the way back.
So to mine this pattern, do the following on every leg:
Mine until you hit your shortcut path extension.
Extend your shortcut path 3 meters.
Mine until you hit your window.
Mine 6 meters further.
Turn, mine 3 meters, and make a new window.
Repeat.
Note that on the first leg, the shortcut path counts as the window as well. The process is much simpler than it sounds. Just mine until you hit your window, then mine 6 more meters.
You can make one branch in each of the cardinal directions.
Q Mine: The Branch Miner's Mine
Branch mining variation designed to increase efficiency. Needs to be planned in size before starting.
S Mine: The Spelunker's Mine
Mine designed to find large caves. Finds the most ore in shortest time. Needs to be planned in size before starting. Uses more space.
SW Mine: The Exploiter's Mine
Mining in the SW quadrant. 50% more ore. Can also be made in Q and S versions.
This is an updated, simpler method of navigating, which works even better in large caves, but is less 'over-the-top' for small caves/tunnels. For those who read my previous method, you don't need to place the markers on the wall all the way down each branch, only at the start of new branches.
This system is based off of two main points. First, all torches for lighting go on the floor. Second, Navigational Markers go on the left-hand wall.
Navigational Markers
Navigational Markers are used to identify different paths, both horizontal and vertical. They also show if you have completely explored a branch(and all of its sub-branches) or not. They are made with a combination of cobblestone blocks and torches.
The following image shows a sample of navigational markers. The top row of markers is for marking vertical areas. A cobblestone block with a torch above it indicates an area above you need to explore. The same marker with a cobblestone block to the right of the torch indicates it has been fully explored. A cobblestone block with a torch underneath it indicates an area below to explore, and similarly, a cobblestone block to the right of the torch indicates that it has been fully explored.
The bottom row is for horizontal branches. The torch goes on the 'deeper into the cave' side of the cobblestone block. As with the other markers, when you finish with a branch, put a cobblestone block to the right of the torch. For multiple branches, you can mark each branch differently. 1 block with 1, 2, and 3 torches for your first three paths. 2 blocks with 1, 2, and 3 torches if you run into a more than three branches together.
Entrance Markers
When you break into a cave, you should first mark the entrance. When you stumble upon a branch, you should mark the entrance. Every time you come to a new area of a cave system, mark the entrance. The following images show different ways of marking the entrance.
The Process
This is the process I use when I come across a cave or branches.
Place Entrance Markers
Block Lava/Water Sources
Cover Lava Pools
Light The Floor
Mark All Branches From Left To Right
Then, starting with the first branch, fully explore each branch(and all of its sub-branches) one at a time. Don't forget to mark your branches explored after the fact.
Segmentation
Segmentation is the process of separating sprawling, inter-connected areas into manageable areas. When you are exploring a branch, and you run into view of another, previously marked branch, you can wall off the are you are currently in, as shown in these images.
I have included a save file with a small-medium cave system for you to look at. I have explored and marked the entire cave except for one branch. If you follow my system, you should be able to find the unexplored area by following the Navigational Markers that haven't been marked completed. It's possible something isn't right according to what I posted above, but I was experimenting with different things and might not have fixed everything. I also left all the ore untouched. You should start at the end of a branch, right before the cave system.
To-Do:Pickaxe Material, Dirt/Gravel, Cave Bonus, Minerals/hour/pick, Material conversion rates
This section is under construction. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change
Pickaxe Material
The question comes up often. Is it better to mine with Diamond, Iron, or Stone pickaxes. Here is your answer.
These mining times and returns were calculated by mining through a generated chunk of pure stone with each type of pickaxe for a period of 10 minutes. I then extrapolated figures for the hour, and averaged ore return by percentage. This time did include the time it takes to equip new pickaxes(in the case of stone), but didn't include other tasks like making tools, placing torches, etc... Given that, the information for stone pickaxes is slightly optimistic.
Also note that the ores listed would be the number of ores you could find in a given time period, not the number of ores you could mine in the same time period. For example, it would take over an hour to mine all the redstone you found with a diamond pickaxe.
Lastly, the figures for ore are based off of layer 14 mining. For those who prefer layer 12 mining, everything would be the same(slightly less, actually), with the exception of Lapis, which would be reduced by about 30%.
Mining Speed
Stone - 3840 stone blocks/hr
Iron - 4900 stone blocks/hr
Diamond - 5800 stone blocks/hr
Ore Returns
Stone Pickaxe
180 Coal per Hour
110 Iron per Hour
24 Gold per Hour
53 Lapis per Hour
18 Diamond per Hour
480 Redstone per Hour
Iron Pickaxe
230 Coal per Hour
85 Iron per Hour
31 Gold per Hour
70 Lapis per Hour
23 Diamond per Hour
620 Redstone per Hour
Diamond Pickaxe
280 Coal per Hour
170 Iron per Hour
37 Gold per Hour
82 Lapis per Hour
17 Diamond per Hour
740 Redstone per Hour
Summary
Now that the math is out of the way, the answer is clear. There is no reason to use stone pickaxes. The only advantage they have is a very slight increase in the number of diamonds found per hour compared to using diamond pickaxes, but if you factor in the extra time taken to make the stone pickaxes, that number would drop to even or below. The same goes for iron ore.
And for the golden(diamond?) question, Iron vs Diamond, the answer is still pretty clear.
Diamond
+50 Coal per Hour
+85 Iron per Hour
+6 Gold per Hour
+12 Lapis per Hour
+120 Redstone per Hour
-6 Diamond per Hour
I think it's fair to say that it's a fair trade to give up those 6 diamond per hour for everything else. Plus, using Diamond Pickaxes will get you to caves more quickly, meaning you actually get better results than what is listed here(see Cave Bonus section below).
Material Conversion Rates
Another way of looking at these figures is as a conversion rate. The number of ore you put into crafting pickaxes vs. the gain in ore.
Iron -> Iron: 1.46 Iron Ore per Iron Ingot
Iron -> Diamond: 0.46 Diamond Gems per Iron Ingot
Diamond -> Iron: 15.3 Iron Ore per Diamond Gem
Diamond -> Diamond: 1.52 Diamond Ore per Diamond Gem
Cave Bonus
I finally thought of a way to get a general idea of how 'valuable' caves are. What I did was mine through solid stone for an hour and count how many total blocks I exposed. Then, I explored differently sized caves and tunnels, timing my time to explore, light, and mine them, then counted the total number of exposed blocks for comparison.
Mining With Diamond Pickaxe
This is the part where I mined through straight stone for an hour. I mined everything I came across in that time.
With a diamond pickaxe you can mine 2900 blocks/hour, exposing 11640 blocks/hour. With layer 14 mining, ignoring quadrants, you would average the following:
Redstone: 360
Coal: 128
Iron: 64
Lapis: 42
Gold: 12
Diamond: 10
Exploring Tunnels
I only spent 10 minutes doing this, because I realized the amount of block counting I would have to do would be ridiculous for an hour. I explored a typical-sized tunnel, that ranges from 2-5 blocks in height. After 10 minutes I stopped mining, walled off the tunnel at that point, and counted every exposed block I had seen up to that point. It took a while(a long while, and several breaks), and I hope my efforts are appreciated, lol.
I had seen 3294 exposed blocks. That number could have been quite a bit higher if I hadn't been mining redstone, as I ran into 11 blocks of redstone ore(total mining time for 11 blocks of redstone ore is about a minute, 1/10th of my time in the tunnel).
This figure extrapolates to 19764 blocks exposed per hour, which is a 70% improvement over straight mining, and that's the smallest tunnel I could find to use for this test.
Seeing this information, I would have to guess that exploring medium sized caves is between 10 and 20 times more effective than mining through stone... I don't look forward to the counting I'm going to have to do, but I'll do it.
Dirt and Gravel: To Mine, or Not To Mine?
I have a new topic to cover, even though this will be a short entry. Should you mine out dirt and gravel that you find in large caves?
To get straight to the point, the answer is this: Dirt, no. Gravel, yes.
Here is why you don't want to mine dirt. Dirt generates in large chunks. Often an argument is made that you can dig through dirt more quickly than you can mine stone. While this is true, most of the digging you do in dirt, only reveals more dirt. There is 0% chance of you finding ore inside dirt, it only spawns inside stone. So you might come across a large pocket of dirt, and have to dig out 5-10 blocks to uncover 1 stone block. Digging out dirt is very inefficient.
Gravel is different, however. Gravel can block off another portion of a cave. This happens when gravel is generated, and in falling, blocks off a tunnel/opening. Also, because gravel falls when you mine it, you expose more stone blocks than you do with dirt.
To-Do:2-Gap vs 3-Gap, Multi-Layer Mines?, Descending Methods, Lighting
2-Gap vs 3-Gap
Another very common debate. Should you leave 2 spaces between your branches, allowing you to view every block, or 3 spaces, assuming that most ore veins are more than 1 block wide.
The only way to approach this subject is by looking at your purpose and goal in mining. If you are using a space-saving mining method, consolidating on space and travel time, it makes sense to use a 2-gap. Changing to a 3-gap will increase the size of your mine by 33%. If, however, you want to get as much ore as possible in a given amount of time, then a larger gap is better.
However, I can't bring myself to recommend a 3-gap system, except in one situation. If you are stacking branch mines vertically on top of each other, and want to be thorough in finding ore in an area, and keep the size of your mine down, I can recommend 3-gap because it allows you to view every block in an area. In this type of mining, however, 3-gap is the equivalent of a 2-gap in single-layer mines. It is the consolidated, thorough version. For a multi-layer mine, a 5-gap system would be the same as a 3-gap in single-layer mines.
So, a brief overview of the above(I'm thinking out loud here). 2-gap in a single-level mine, or 3-gap in a multi-level mine, is considered a consolidated, thorough approach. For finding the most ore in the shortest amount of time, 3-gap and 5-gap patterns work better.
That being said, I can't think of any reason to use a 3-gap or 5-gap pattern. If you do, you are admitting that you want more efficiency, and don't care about consolidating your mining area. If that is the case, it is much better to use larger gaps, such as 20 meters between branches. This will cut down on mining into the same cave systems multiple times. It will ensure that you never mine into the same ore vein twice.
I realize that didn't come out very clearly, and I apologize. I will post recommendations with each type of mine pattern to help clarify this. As always, feel free to ask any questions, and I'll clarify after I get some sleep.
Multi-Level vs Single-Level Mines
Choosing whether or not you want multiple levels in your mine or not depends on the purpose of your mine. For the average player, I recommend only mining at layer 14.6, because at this layer you can find all ores in their highest percentages, except for Lapis Lazuli. Also at this layer, you will often run into the underground lava lakes. However, mining at layer 14 compared to layer 12 means the lava will be beneath you. This makes it safer for you to mine, and also makes flooding the lava easier, as water won't backwash over you when you place it.
One argument for using Multi-Level mines is that it consolidates space, and allows you to completely clear out an area. While this is true, much of your time mining will be wasted as far as diamond, lapis, redstone, and even gold are concerned.
On the other hand, Single-Level mines allow you to spend all your mining time in the sweet spot layers for all ores, although you will inevitably have to travel further to get new ores than you would with a Multi-Level mine.
So, really, the question is: How much mining do you plan on doing? If you were to completely mine out a Single-Level mine in a 500x500 meter area, you would dig a total 166,000 blocks of stone, taking 30 hours of gameplay. You would end up with 150 diamond, 600 Lapis Lazuli, 190 gold, 900 iron, 5800 redstone dust, and 1800 coal(assuming you mine through stone only, no caves).
I don't think most players really need those kinds of resources. There are some among us who undertake massive projects, and might need more iron than they could get in one Single-Level mine. For them, it's fine to stack mines, or have multiple mines. Clans can require large amount of resources for playing online. For them, a large group effort excavation could be just the thing. But for the average player that makes a few houses, a small town, etc... it seems best to make the most of your mining time.
If you do want to have a Multi-Level mine, keep in mind that you can only fit 2 levels between layers 10 and 17. Anything above and you won't find diamond. Anything below and you'll run into a lot of lava lakes.
Hooray! Another phoenix guide! Man, this'll be good.
EDIT: I might say, I wasn't disappointed. You're ore distribution analysis is very good. I will definitely be mining in layer 14 from now on. However, you're method of cave path finding seems a bit too complex, so I'll just stick with my old method. You're idea of markers and the walls and lighters on the floor is a good idea, despite this.
I also wanted to ask anyone who has questions about mining to post them, so I can include the answers in my guide. I plan to have the basic ore information finished by tonight.
I was doing some work on updating/cleaning up/aesthetic-izing(new word!) other threads, but I did get the Ore, Layer, Quadrant section finished. Let me know if you have any questions or notice any mistakes.
i don't understand your ne\nw\se\sw increase numbers. could you explain your math? and i think the conclusion thing for the lapis should be right under the lapis section. but i know you are working on this. this should definitively be stickied.
i don't understand your ne\nw\se\sw increase numbers. could you explain your math? and i think the conclusion thing for the lapis should be right under the lapis section. but i know you are working on this. this should definitively be stickied.
My actual math comes from a spreadsheet I made manually using Cartographer to get ore counts in specific areas. I didn't know if you were questioning the actual math, or if you needed it explained differently.
Let's take Diamond as an example. Over the entire 1000x1000 map, it spawns in 0.09% of all stone at optimum layers. This is also the same percentage it spawns in the top-left(NW), and bottom-right(SE) quadrants of the map. In the NE quadrant, the spawn rate is reduced to 0.07%. In the SW quadrant, it is increased to 0.13%.
So in this image, you have this many diamond ore per 10000 stone blocks:
Thread has Phoenix in the title.
Open immediately.
Win.
Though I don't believe redstone has a range of about 30 times the height limit...
Lol, let me fix that... I had a problem where I would make one edit, then another, and the first edit would disappear... must have had something to do with that. Rep for spell-check :smile.gif:
[iron] Percentages by quadrant:
Iron is greatly affected by the quadrant bug. A 62% increase from NE to SW.
NE: 0.45%
NW: 0.55%
SE: 0.55%
SW: 0.73%
[gold] Percentages by quadrant:
Gold is affected dramatically by the quadrant glitch. The increase from NE to SW is 65%.and for iron it is 62%? you did the same to the other ores but i decide not to show.
NE: 0.097%
NW: 0.11%
SE: 0.11%
SW: 0.16%
you say the increase from ne to sw is 65% for the gold. how do you get that number?
you say the increase from ne to sw is 65% for the gold. how do you get that number?
I compared the amount of ore in 1000 chunks in each quadrant using Cartograph and got a percentage difference. I plan on spot checking these percentages on other map seeds, and probably making a bigger map to get better numbers on the quadrant percentages as well, but I wanted to get some decent numbers in the thread first.
This will be a consolidated guide to mining covering everything from ore spawn rates to mining patterns, mathematics, spelunking strategies, and recommended materials.
Anchor tags aren't working, so ToC will have to wait. You'll have to scroll for now.
Version History:
0.1 - Navigation Method, Segmentation
0.2 - Ore Spawn Rates by Layer and Quadrant
- Initial Cave Bonus Data
0.3 - Improved Navigation Method w/ Save File Example
- Added Pickaxe Material Section
- Added Dirt/Gravel Section
0.4 - Updated Quadrant Information for 1.6
- Added 2-Gap vs. 3-Gap Section
0.5 - Added Multi-Level vs Single Level Section
- Added X Mine
Another thing to point out is that ore only spawns in stone. Coal spawns at the same percentage of stone at layer 80 as it does at layer 14, but there is much less stone at layer 80. Some information out there about ore spawn rates is wrong because it doesn't account for true percentage spawn rate.
This glitch has been fixed, but if you still play 1.5 or earlier, or have a map generated in 1.5 or earlier, this information is still valid. I have posted a pre-1.5 map and a post-1.5 map, where you can easily see what the quadrant bug was, and how it no longer exists.
Overview: Coal is a very common ore that can spawn at any layer. Because of this, almost any type of exploration or mining system will find large amounts of coal by default.
Total layer range: 1-128
Sweet spot layers: 13-16
Equal on all layers. Easiest to find exposed on cliff faces or in caves. Best to find while mining for rarer ores.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 1.1%
Overview: Iron is an extremely useful ore, used in making tools, weapons, armor, buckets, compasses, doors, minecart tracks, and flint and steel.
Total layer range: 1-67
Sweet spot layers: 3-40
Equal on all layers. Might as well find it while also finding rarer ores.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.55%
Overview: Whoever has the gold, makes the rules. Well, this is minecraft, your rules no matter what.
Total layer range: 1-36
Sweet spot layers: 3-30
Gold is another consistently spawning ore across almost its entire range.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.11%
Overview: Redstone. Creation. Automation. The ore of the engineers. Redstone allows you to create electric circuits.
Total layer range: 1-19
Sweet spot layers: 4-16
Redstone is consistent along these layers.
Percentages by layer: Equal, 0.78%
Overview:
Lapis Lazuli is a blue gemstone which has been valued for its color for over 6,000 years. It was used as decoration by the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, and can be considered a sign of great wealth. Later, in the Middle Ages, it was used as a pigment for paintings.
Layer Range: 1-34
Sweet Spot Layers: 14-22(Good), 17-19(Great), 13-16(Recommended)
Percentages by Layer:
Lapis spawns in 0.075% of all stone at layer 18. Every layer above or below this layer, the rate drops off at an average of 0.00441%, reaching 0% at layers 0 and 35. By layers 10 and 26, Lapis is only half as common as layer 18.
Overview:
A Diamond Is Forever. A Girl's Best Friend. Awesome Weapons. Diamonds are sought-after, and often elusive.
Layer Range: 1-19
Sweet Spot Layers: 5-17(Technically) 13-16(Recommended)
Percentages by Layer:
Diamond spawns in it's best layers at 0.09%. It drops off sharply at layers 1-3 and layers 18-19.
Unless you really, really need a little bit of extra lapis, there is no reason to mine above layer 16. I recommend layer 14 mining for several reasons. By layer 14 mining, I mean where you will be 2 blocks above the lava lakes, F3 will show 14.6, and you will be mining layers 13 and 14, and viewing 12-15.
1: Layer 14 is in the highest range of every ore except for lapis, but as close to it as you can get without sacrificing diamond.
2: Layer 14 is 2 layers above the lava lake level. Any lava lake that is part of a large cave will appear at your feet, so you still have all the benefits of layer 12 mining.
3: Mining any lower only decreases Lapis ore, there is no benefit.
To-Do:
X Mine, Q Mine, SW-X/SW-Q MineOverview:Expandable, Consolidated System. Minimized travel time from end of mine to center of hub. Very space-efficient. Results in average amount of cobblestone.
Who It's For:Average player who is looking for a simple, efficient, thorough system.
Recommendations: Single-Level. Layer 14. 2-Gap. Diamond or Iron Pickaxe.
The X mine is a fairly simple pattern that automatically expands to completely fill the area around you. No matter how much you choose to mine, you will fully cover the layers you are mining in. The pattern looks like this from above:
You can see that every leg of a branch extends 6 meters past the previous leg, and a central short-cut path is carved through the middle to reduce travel time.
The secret to making this method easy is through the use of distance markers, referred to as 'windows'. At the end of each leg, you will mine a 3x1 hole at head-height, and place a torch in the window. These windows are marked in the next image with red blocks. Then, while mining a leg, you don't have to count. Just keep mining until you hit your previous window, and mine 6 more meters.
The shortcut path is shown marked in green. Every time you reach your shortcut path in a branch, you will immediately extend it 3 meters, so you will run into it again on the way back.
So to mine this pattern, do the following on every leg:
Note that on the first leg, the shortcut path counts as the window as well. The process is much simpler than it sounds. Just mine until you hit your window, then mine 6 more meters.
You can make one branch in each of the cardinal directions.
Q Mine: The Branch Miner's Mine
Branch mining variation designed to increase efficiency. Needs to be planned in size before starting.
S Mine: The Spelunker's Mine
Mine designed to find large caves. Finds the most ore in shortest time. Needs to be planned in size before starting. Uses more space.
SW Mine: The Exploiter's Mine
Mining in the SW quadrant. 50% more ore. Can also be made in Q and S versions.
To-Do:
Navigation,Segmentation, Continuation, Fighting, Alternate Navigation Systems?This is an updated, simpler method of navigating, which works even better in large caves, but is less 'over-the-top' for small caves/tunnels. For those who read my previous method, you don't need to place the markers on the wall all the way down each branch, only at the start of new branches.
This system is based off of two main points. First, all torches for lighting go on the floor. Second, Navigational Markers go on the left-hand wall.
Navigational Markers
Navigational Markers are used to identify different paths, both horizontal and vertical. They also show if you have completely explored a branch(and all of its sub-branches) or not. They are made with a combination of cobblestone blocks and torches.
The following image shows a sample of navigational markers. The top row of markers is for marking vertical areas. A cobblestone block with a torch above it indicates an area above you need to explore. The same marker with a cobblestone block to the right of the torch indicates it has been fully explored. A cobblestone block with a torch underneath it indicates an area below to explore, and similarly, a cobblestone block to the right of the torch indicates that it has been fully explored.
The bottom row is for horizontal branches. The torch goes on the 'deeper into the cave' side of the cobblestone block. As with the other markers, when you finish with a branch, put a cobblestone block to the right of the torch. For multiple branches, you can mark each branch differently. 1 block with 1, 2, and 3 torches for your first three paths. 2 blocks with 1, 2, and 3 torches if you run into a more than three branches together.
Entrance Markers
When you break into a cave, you should first mark the entrance. When you stumble upon a branch, you should mark the entrance. Every time you come to a new area of a cave system, mark the entrance. The following images show different ways of marking the entrance.
The Process
This is the process I use when I come across a cave or branches.
Then, starting with the first branch, fully explore each branch(and all of its sub-branches) one at a time. Don't forget to mark your branches explored after the fact.
Segmentation is the process of separating sprawling, inter-connected areas into manageable areas. When you are exploring a branch, and you run into view of another, previously marked branch, you can wall off the are you are currently in, as shown in these images.
I have included a save file with a small-medium cave system for you to look at. I have explored and marked the entire cave except for one branch. If you follow my system, you should be able to find the unexplored area by following the Navigational Markers that haven't been marked completed. It's possible something isn't right according to what I posted above, but I was experimenting with different things and might not have fixed everything. I also left all the ore untouched. You should start at the end of a branch, right before the cave system.
http://www.mediafire.com/?r4bp22g6y2hyxan
To-Do:
Pickaxe Material,Dirt/Gravel, Cave Bonus,Minerals/hour/pick,Material conversion ratesThese mining times and returns were calculated by mining through a generated chunk of pure stone with each type of pickaxe for a period of 10 minutes. I then extrapolated figures for the hour, and averaged ore return by percentage. This time did include the time it takes to equip new pickaxes(in the case of stone), but didn't include other tasks like making tools, placing torches, etc... Given that, the information for stone pickaxes is slightly optimistic.
Also note that the ores listed would be the number of ores you could find in a given time period, not the number of ores you could mine in the same time period. For example, it would take over an hour to mine all the redstone you found with a diamond pickaxe.
Lastly, the figures for ore are based off of layer 14 mining. For those who prefer layer 12 mining, everything would be the same(slightly less, actually), with the exception of Lapis, which would be reduced by about 30%.
Mining Speed
Stone - 3840 stone blocks/hr
Iron - 4900 stone blocks/hr
Diamond - 5800 stone blocks/hr
Ore Returns
Stone Pickaxe
Iron Pickaxe
Diamond Pickaxe
Summary
Now that the math is out of the way, the answer is clear. There is no reason to use stone pickaxes. The only advantage they have is a very slight increase in the number of diamonds found per hour compared to using diamond pickaxes, but if you factor in the extra time taken to make the stone pickaxes, that number would drop to even or below. The same goes for iron ore.
And for the golden(diamond?) question, Iron vs Diamond, the answer is still pretty clear.
Diamond
I think it's fair to say that it's a fair trade to give up those 6 diamond per hour for everything else. Plus, using Diamond Pickaxes will get you to caves more quickly, meaning you actually get better results than what is listed here(see Cave Bonus section below).
Another way of looking at these figures is as a conversion rate. The number of ore you put into crafting pickaxes vs. the gain in ore.
Iron -> Iron: 1.46 Iron Ore per Iron Ingot
Iron -> Diamond: 0.46 Diamond Gems per Iron Ingot
Diamond -> Iron: 15.3 Iron Ore per Diamond Gem
Diamond -> Diamond: 1.52 Diamond Ore per Diamond Gem
Mining With Diamond Pickaxe
This is the part where I mined through straight stone for an hour. I mined everything I came across in that time.
With a diamond pickaxe you can mine 2900 blocks/hour, exposing 11640 blocks/hour. With layer 14 mining, ignoring quadrants, you would average the following:
Redstone: 360
Coal: 128
Iron: 64
Lapis: 42
Gold: 12
Diamond: 10
Exploring Tunnels
I only spent 10 minutes doing this, because I realized the amount of block counting I would have to do would be ridiculous for an hour. I explored a typical-sized tunnel, that ranges from 2-5 blocks in height. After 10 minutes I stopped mining, walled off the tunnel at that point, and counted every exposed block I had seen up to that point. It took a while(a long while, and several breaks), and I hope my efforts are appreciated, lol.
I had seen 3294 exposed blocks. That number could have been quite a bit higher if I hadn't been mining redstone, as I ran into 11 blocks of redstone ore(total mining time for 11 blocks of redstone ore is about a minute, 1/10th of my time in the tunnel).
This figure extrapolates to 19764 blocks exposed per hour, which is a 70% improvement over straight mining, and that's the smallest tunnel I could find to use for this test.
Seeing this information, I would have to guess that exploring medium sized caves is between 10 and 20 times more effective than mining through stone... I don't look forward to the counting I'm going to have to do, but I'll do it.
I have a new topic to cover, even though this will be a short entry. Should you mine out dirt and gravel that you find in large caves?
To get straight to the point, the answer is this: Dirt, no. Gravel, yes.
Here is why you don't want to mine dirt. Dirt generates in large chunks. Often an argument is made that you can dig through dirt more quickly than you can mine stone. While this is true, most of the digging you do in dirt, only reveals more dirt. There is 0% chance of you finding ore inside dirt, it only spawns inside stone. So you might come across a large pocket of dirt, and have to dig out 5-10 blocks to uncover 1 stone block. Digging out dirt is very inefficient.
Gravel is different, however. Gravel can block off another portion of a cave. This happens when gravel is generated, and in falling, blocks off a tunnel/opening. Also, because gravel falls when you mine it, you expose more stone blocks than you do with dirt.
To-Do:
2-Gap vs 3-Gap,Multi-Layer Mines?, Descending Methods, LightingAnother very common debate. Should you leave 2 spaces between your branches, allowing you to view every block, or 3 spaces, assuming that most ore veins are more than 1 block wide.
The only way to approach this subject is by looking at your purpose and goal in mining. If you are using a space-saving mining method, consolidating on space and travel time, it makes sense to use a 2-gap. Changing to a 3-gap will increase the size of your mine by 33%. If, however, you want to get as much ore as possible in a given amount of time, then a larger gap is better.
However, I can't bring myself to recommend a 3-gap system, except in one situation. If you are stacking branch mines vertically on top of each other, and want to be thorough in finding ore in an area, and keep the size of your mine down, I can recommend 3-gap because it allows you to view every block in an area. In this type of mining, however, 3-gap is the equivalent of a 2-gap in single-layer mines. It is the consolidated, thorough version. For a multi-layer mine, a 5-gap system would be the same as a 3-gap in single-layer mines.
So, a brief overview of the above(I'm thinking out loud here). 2-gap in a single-level mine, or 3-gap in a multi-level mine, is considered a consolidated, thorough approach. For finding the most ore in the shortest amount of time, 3-gap and 5-gap patterns work better.
That being said, I can't think of any reason to use a 3-gap or 5-gap pattern. If you do, you are admitting that you want more efficiency, and don't care about consolidating your mining area. If that is the case, it is much better to use larger gaps, such as 20 meters between branches. This will cut down on mining into the same cave systems multiple times. It will ensure that you never mine into the same ore vein twice.
I realize that didn't come out very clearly, and I apologize. I will post recommendations with each type of mine pattern to help clarify this. As always, feel free to ask any questions, and I'll clarify after I get some sleep.
Choosing whether or not you want multiple levels in your mine or not depends on the purpose of your mine. For the average player, I recommend only mining at layer 14.6, because at this layer you can find all ores in their highest percentages, except for Lapis Lazuli. Also at this layer, you will often run into the underground lava lakes. However, mining at layer 14 compared to layer 12 means the lava will be beneath you. This makes it safer for you to mine, and also makes flooding the lava easier, as water won't backwash over you when you place it.
One argument for using Multi-Level mines is that it consolidates space, and allows you to completely clear out an area. While this is true, much of your time mining will be wasted as far as diamond, lapis, redstone, and even gold are concerned.
On the other hand, Single-Level mines allow you to spend all your mining time in the sweet spot layers for all ores, although you will inevitably have to travel further to get new ores than you would with a Multi-Level mine.
So, really, the question is: How much mining do you plan on doing? If you were to completely mine out a Single-Level mine in a 500x500 meter area, you would dig a total 166,000 blocks of stone, taking 30 hours of gameplay. You would end up with 150 diamond, 600 Lapis Lazuli, 190 gold, 900 iron, 5800 redstone dust, and 1800 coal(assuming you mine through stone only, no caves).
I don't think most players really need those kinds of resources. There are some among us who undertake massive projects, and might need more iron than they could get in one Single-Level mine. For them, it's fine to stack mines, or have multiple mines. Clans can require large amount of resources for playing online. For them, a large group effort excavation could be just the thing. But for the average player that makes a few houses, a small town, etc... it seems best to make the most of your mining time.
If you do want to have a Multi-Level mine, keep in mind that you can only fit 2 levels between layers 10 and 17. Anything above and you won't find diamond. Anything below and you'll run into a lot of lava lakes.
EDIT: I might say, I wasn't disappointed. You're ore distribution analysis is very good. I will definitely be mining in layer 14 from now on. However, you're method of cave path finding seems a bit too complex, so I'll just stick with my old method. You're idea of markers and the walls and lighters on the floor is a good idea, despite this.
Kudos to you, good sir.
Also, +1 rep in advance, this is going to be good.
Wow, wasn't expecting any kind of response before I wrote anything... thanks guys, and thanks for the rep too :smile.gif:
The Navigation portion of Spelunking is done. I put in some information on quadrants, and an analysis of Lapis Lazuli.
My actual math comes from a spreadsheet I made manually using Cartographer to get ore counts in specific areas. I didn't know if you were questioning the actual math, or if you needed it explained differently.
Let's take Diamond as an example. Over the entire 1000x1000 map, it spawns in 0.09% of all stone at optimum layers. This is also the same percentage it spawns in the top-left(NW), and bottom-right(SE) quadrants of the map. In the NE quadrant, the spawn rate is reduced to 0.07%. In the SW quadrant, it is increased to 0.13%.
So in this image, you have this many diamond ore per 10000 stone blocks:
Top-Right: 7
Top-Left: 9
Bottom-Right: 9
Bottom-Left: 13
It can also be look at this way. In each quadrant, you will find 1 diamond ore per every X blocks:
Top-Right: 1428
Top-Left: 1111
Bottom-Right: 1111
Bottom-Left: 769
As for the conclusion, it's not meant to be a lapis conclusion, more of a best-layer conclusion. I'll clarify that. Thanks!
Open immediately.
Win.
Though I don't believe redstone has a range of about 30 times the height limit...
Lol, let me fix that... I had a problem where I would make one edit, then another, and the first edit would disappear... must have had something to do with that. Rep for spell-check :smile.gif:
you say the increase from ne to sw is 65% for the gold. how do you get that number?
I compared the amount of ore in 1000 chunks in each quadrant using Cartograph and got a percentage difference. I plan on spot checking these percentages on other map seeds, and probably making a bigger map to get better numbers on the quadrant percentages as well, but I wanted to get some decent numbers in the thread first.