Primary mines consist of levels with staircases to traverse them. When I get to diamond height I then branch mine at each level.
Secondary mines consist of drop-shafts mined straight down. I'll then branch mine at lower levels only, since these mines are meant purely to find diamonds as fast as possible.
Resource-gathering mines meant mostly for cobblestone generation consist of quarries or strip-mines. I'll strip-mine at levels where I'll hopfully stumble upon other things.
When I'm looking for coal I almost exclusively go spelunking. I spend coal so much I'm usually OUT, so when I need it the easiest way to find it is exposed in caves. It also has the benefit of me hopefully finding other things and exploring.
My current world contains 2 strip-mine, several explored mega-caves, 3 primary mines, 1 quarry, and no drop-shafts. Despite mining as much as I have,I've found a whopping TWO diamonds this whole time.
Usually if I find a cave, I just wander around until I find exposed ores. Since I usually build with stone brick, I need to smelt a lot of cobble. So I will go to lava level and start mining like crazy. Usually in strips, or even clearing out huge areas. Find tons of diamonds that way and while I am mining I'll have 8+ furnaces powered by lava smelting all my cobble.
In no time I'll have enough diamond to last a good while, tons of iron, coal and redstone, and of course chests filled with stacks of stone brick.
Usually I do a quarry (I guess this would also be called strip mining) and once I hit bedrock I make a railing at ceratain points and do a branch mine. Or I just spelunk :3
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I usually jump into the nether, run 100-200 blocks from my last 'dig site' portal and make a new portal to the overworld. Then make a little shack around the portal. Once I have had a peek around the area, getting wood (ALWAYS short on wood, my home is an ice planes/mountains). Then I would dig a 2x2 or 3x3 shaft down to bedrock,
Once at bedrock I would make a 12x12 room and throw up a load of chests/furnaces and a bed. Then I go back up to just above the lava level and dig out a 300 block long 2x2 tunnel. Then I do typical branch mining leaving 3 blocks between each branch, doing it like a fishbone design. Then I do it on the opposite side then up a level and just keep on going.
Once I have the initial level fully cleared out (takes a LONG while) I will start doing the rail system to make it efficient if I want to be there for a while to make it faster to get to the more remote sections.
The biggest branch mine I have got done so far is a 300x300 grid from just above lava level to around y=50. Been working on it for months. Got massive amounts of everything, but still no plans to use it for anything. I just find mining relaxing along with the occasional cave exploration that happens every now and then whilst doing such big projects.
- Primary mines consist of levels with staircases to traverse them. When I get to diamond height I then branch mine at each level.
- Secondary mines consist of drop-shafts mined straight down. I'll then branch mine at lower levels only, since these mines are meant purely to find diamonds as fast as possible.
- Resource-gathering mines meant mostly for cobblestone generation consist of quarries or strip-mines. I'll strip-mine at levels where I'll hopfully stumble upon other things.
- When I'm looking for coal I almost exclusively go spelunking. I spend coal so much I'm usually OUT, so when I need it the easiest way to find it is exposed in caves. It also has the benefit of me hopefully finding other things and exploring.
My current world contains 2 strip-mine, several explored mega-caves, 3 primary mines, 1 quarry, and no drop-shafts. Despite mining as much as I have,I've found a whopping TWO diamonds this whole time.In no time I'll have enough diamond to last a good while, tons of iron, coal and redstone, and of course chests filled with stacks of stone brick.
Once at bedrock I would make a 12x12 room and throw up a load of chests/furnaces and a bed. Then I go back up to just above the lava level and dig out a 300 block long 2x2 tunnel. Then I do typical branch mining leaving 3 blocks between each branch, doing it like a fishbone design. Then I do it on the opposite side then up a level and just keep on going.
Once I have the initial level fully cleared out (takes a LONG while) I will start doing the rail system to make it efficient if I want to be there for a while to make it faster to get to the more remote sections.
The biggest branch mine I have got done so far is a 300x300 grid from just above lava level to around y=50. Been working on it for months. Got massive amounts of everything, but still no plans to use it for anything. I just find mining relaxing along with the occasional cave exploration that happens every now and then whilst doing such big projects.