Best Y Level for Every Ore in Minecraft
Where every ore generates in Minecraft Java 26.3, calculated from the world generator itself: diamonds peak at Y -59, iron at Y 16 underground, gold at Y -16 and ancient debris at Y 16.
Ore levels at a glance
Calculated| Ore | Best Y | Generates at | In deepslate | Distribution (bottom → top of the world) | Dimension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Diamond Ore → Diamond | -59 | -63–16 | 97.1% | Overworld | |
 Redstone Ore → Redstone Dust | -59 | -63–15 | 89.7% | Overworld | |
 Gold Ore → Raw Gold | -16 | -63–32 | 80% | Overworld | |
 Lapis Lazuli Ore → Lapis Lazuli | 0 | -63–64 | 50% | Overworld | |
 Copper Ore → Raw Copper | 48 | -16–112 | 3.62% | Overworld | |
 Coal Ore → Coal | 136 | 0–319 | 0.0043% | Overworld | |
 Emerald Ore → Emerald | 232 | -16–319 | 0.31% | Overworld | |
 Iron Ore → Raw Iron | 16Y 232 in mountains | -63–319 | 4.1% | Overworld | |
 Nether Gold Ore → Gold Nugget | 10 | 10–117 | — | Nether | |
 Nether Quartz Ore → Nether Quartz | 10 | 10–117 | — | Nether | |
 Ancient Debris | 16 | 8–119 | — | Nether |
Best Y is the layer with the most ore once bedrock is removed (underground for iron, whose biggest band is inside mountains). The sparkline runs from the bottom of the world (left) to the top (right).
Data: Minecraft Java Edition 26.3 game files. How we source this
Your coordinates and biome beside the game
The in-game Companion is a small window beside Minecraft with your live coordinates and the biome you are in, plus every recipe, mob drop and enchantment a search away, so you never alt-tab to a wiki.
- Live coordinates and biome
- Every recipe a search away
- Mob drops and enchantments
How these levels are calculated
CalculatedStraight from the game's world generator, not from counting blocks in a few worlds.
- Each ore is placed by one or more 'veins' features: how many tries per chunk, how big each vein is and which Y range it uses.
- Ranges are either even (uniform) or triangular (trapezoid), which peaks in the middle — that's why diamonds and redstone peak near the bottom.
- Ore only replaces stone, so the five bedrock layers at the bottom (and the Nether roof) remove ore; the best layer sits just above them.
- Some biomes add extra veins: badlands get more gold, mountains get emeralds and extra iron, dripstone caves get large copper veins.
The best Y level for diamonds in Minecraft Java 26.3 is Y -59, just above the bedrock layers; redstone also peaks at Y -59. Iron has two bands: Y 16 underground and Y 232 inside mountains. Gold peaks at Y -16 (more in badlands), lapis at Y 0, copper at Y 48 and coal at Y 136. In the Nether, ancient debris peaks at Y 16.
Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.
Minecraft ore levels FAQ (Java 26.3)
What is the best Y level for diamonds?
Y -59. Diamonds generate from the bottom of the world up to Y 16 and are most common at the lowest layers that aren't bedrock.
What is the best Y level for iron?
Y 16 underground, or around Y 232 inside mountains, where a large extra band of iron generates.
What is the best Y level for gold?
Y -16. Badlands biomes add a lot more gold between Y 32 and Y 256.
What is the best Y level for ancient debris?
Y 16 in the Nether. A second, smaller vein type spreads it from Y 8 to Y 119.
What are the best Y levels for all ores?
Diamond Ore Y -59, Redstone Ore Y -59, Gold Ore Y -16, Lapis Lazuli Ore Y 0, Copper Ore Y 48, Coal Ore Y 136, Emerald Ore Y 232, Iron Ore Y 232.