What is iron level in minecraft

Iron is a very resourceful ore no matter if you are a beginner or a pro at the game. You can use iron to craft various weapons and tools and also use it in other ways. And with the new update 1.18 out, the game changes how it generates the world. Luckily it is has made finding iron a bit easier. So in this guide let us take a look at where to find iron in Minecraft 1.18 and Best Iron Levels for Bedrock & Java Editions.

  • The best level to mine Iron in Minecraft 1.18 is Y-Level 16. Although since the world is randomly generated you might sometimes not find iron or iron in abundance in Y-Level 16, so you should mine between the levels Y-Level 18 to Y-Level 14. Other than the recommended levels you can find iron anywhere in the overworld between Y-Level 80 to Y-Level -64.
  • The best location to farm or mine iron is finding an iron vein. While this isn’t the most reliable location, it is definitely a way that will give you the most iron. The next best place to mine iron is in mountains. Try mining in mountains between Y-Level 256 and Y-Level 232.
  • The last way to get some iron is by slaying Iron Golems. While this doesn’t grant you a ton of iron, it is a sure way to get a few iron ingots.

You can check the Y-Level by pressing the F3-Key on your Keyboard. Here you will see the XYZ position of your character. So the middle number is the value of Y-Level. This number shows where the bottom half of your character is.

That sums up this guide on where to find iron in Minecraft 1.18 and Best Iron Levels for Bedrock & Java Editions. If you like playing this game then check our other guides on best Diamond Levels, how to make a private server and how to enable vanilla experiments in Minecraft 1.18.

Karan Pahuja: Karan is a nerd. Gaming? Check. Reading novels and manga? Check. Watching anime? Check. He speedruns Sekiro and also loves to play Zelda along with a long list of other games.


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In the Minecraft 1.19 update, mining for diamonds will change slightly because of the new cave biome. The update will be released in a few days as loads of players gear up to jump into the vast sandbox world and explore all the new features. Whenever these kinds of big updates are dropped, the overall gameplay is bound to change.

One of the biggest features in the Minecraft 1.19 update is the Deep Dark biome. This will be one of the scariest biomes to explore simply because of the new Warden mob who will reside there. The biome will generate in the deepest depths of the world, usually where these precious diamonds are found. Hence, players must be extra careful while mining for them.

Top 5 tips for Minecraft players for mining diamonds in the 1.19 update

5) Mine at Y level -58

What is iron level in minecraft
Mining at Y level -58 (Image via Mojang)

After the Caves and Cliffs update, the game received changes that affected the world and ore generation. The bedrock layer shifted down 64 blocks, generating new areas where diamonds could be found. In the 1.18 version, players were able to find more diamonds as they got closer and closer to the bedrock layer.

The same trick can be applied in the Minecraft 1.19 update. If players want the largest amount of these precious items, they will need to go down to Y level -58 and start mining. It is a few blocks above the bedrock layer, so players will find ores more easily without hitting the bedrock layer.

4) Use Fortune 3-enchanted pickaxe

What is iron level in minecraft
Fortune 3 pickaxe (Image via Mojang)

Enchantments are special powerups that players can apply to their gear to make them stronger. One of these enchantments is Fortune, which can increase the number of items or the chance of getting more items from a single block. For example, if players are mining one ore block with an enchanted pickaxe, they will get more than one item from it. Hence, players must always use the Fortune-enchanted pickaxe when mining diamond ores.

3) Beware of sculk sensors getting activated

What is iron level in minecraft
Sculk blocks can activate through walls (Image via Mojang)

In the new Minecraft 1.19 update, the scary Deep Dark biome will be released, which will contain sculk sensors. These blocks are quite dangerous as they can detect any sound vibration. Therefore, players must be extra cautious not to activate them while mining. The scary part is that they can catch sound vibrations through walls, so even if the player doesn't see the blocks, the sculk can activate itself and summon the Warden.

2) Cover sculk blocks with wool before mining

What is iron level in minecraft
Fully covered sculk sensor (Image via Mojang)

If players are around the new Deep Dark biome but still want to mine for precious diamonds, they must cover sculk sensors or shriekers with wool blocks.

In the Minecraft 1.19 update, the only blocks that will have no sound vibration and will be able to block sculk signals are wool and carpet. If players block sculk sensors or shriekers with wool, they will not be activated or summon the Warden. This way, payers can simply mine without hesitation.

1) Avoid the Deep Dark biome

What is iron level in minecraft
Players must avoid the Deep Dark biomes as much as possible (Image via Mojang)

In the Minecraft 1.19 update, the new Deep Dark biome will generate around the Y level, where diamonds are most common. Players can easily bump into the biome while mining deep underground. The best way to stay safe is to simply avoid the areas where the spooky biome is located. While mining, if players find the biome, they must simply turn back and travel some distance away from it and start mining again. This can make mining slightly more difficult, but players will be much safer.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinion of the writer.

Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh

This article is missing information about the deepslate iron ore. 

Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.

Iron ore is a mineral block found underground. It is a source of raw iron, which can be smelted into iron ingots.

Deepslate iron ore is a variant of iron ore that can generate in deepslate and tuff blobs.

Obtaining[]

Breaking[]

Iron ore itself can be obtained by mining it with a stone pickaxe or higher enchanted with Silk Touch. When mined without Silk Touch, iron ore drops raw iron. It is affected by the Fortune enchantment, dropping 1–2, 1–3, or 1–4 raw iron respectively with Fortune I, II, and III.

Block Iron Ore Deepslate Iron Ore
Hardness 3 4.5
Tool
Breaking time[A]
Default 15 22.5
Wooden 7.5 11.25
Stone 1.15 1.7
Iron 0.75 1.15
Diamond 0.6 0.85
Netherite 0.5 0.75
Golden 1.25 1.9

  1. Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Natural generation[]

For iron ore distribution, see Ore § Overworld.

In Java Edition, iron ore generates in three batches. The first batch attempts to generate 40 times per chunk in blobs of 0-13, from levels 128 to 320, being most common around level 255 and becoming less common towards either end of the range. The second batch attempts to generate 6 times per chunk in blobs of 0-13, from levels -24 to 54, being most common around level 15 and becoming less common towards either end of the range. The third batch attempts to generate 3 times per chunk in blobs of 0-5, evenly from levels -63 to 64.

Iron ore can generate as a large ore vein found at deepslate layer. These veins consist of iron ore, blocks of raw iron, and tuff.

In Bedrock Edition, iron ore generates in three batches. The first batch attempts to generate 90 times per chunk in blobs of 0-13, from levels 80 to 319, being most common around level 232 and becoming less common towards either end of the range. The second batch attempts to generate 10 times per chunk in blobs of 0-13, from levels -24 to 56, being most common around level 16 and becoming less common towards either end of the range. The third batch attempts to generate 10 times per chunk in blobs of 0-5, evenly from levels -63 to 72.

Usage[]

The primary usage of iron ore is to obtain iron ingots.

Smelting ingredient[]

Ingredients Smelting recipe
Iron Ore or
Deepslate Iron Ore +
Any fuel

Note blocks[]

Iron ore can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass drum" sounds.

Sounds[]

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierFormBlock tagsItem tagsTranslation key
Iron Oreiron_oreBlock & Itemiron_ores
mineable/pickaxe
needs_stone_tool
iron_oresblock.minecraft.iron_ore
Deepslate Iron Oredeepslate_iron_oreBlock & Itemiron_ores
mineable/pickaxe
needs_stone_tool
iron_oresblock.minecraft.deepslate_iron_ore

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID FormItem ID[i 1]Translation key
Iron Oreiron_ore15Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]tile.iron_ore.name
Deepslate Iron Oredeepslate_iron_ore656Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]tile.deepslate_iron_ore.name

  1. ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.
  2. ↑ a b Available with /give command.
  3. ↑ a b The block's direct item form has the same id with the block.

History[]

Java Edition Classic
May 21, 2009Notch shows interest in adding iron ore.
May 23, 2009Notch says he accomplished adding iron blobs in stone.
0.0.14a
What is iron level in minecraft
Added iron ore.
Iron ore spawns in huge blobs, sometimes big enough to protrude into 3 caverns, and could be as big as 167 blocks.
0.26 SURVIVAL TESTBreaking iron ore now gives the player 1–3 blocks of iron when mined.
Java Edition Indev
0.31?Iron ore no longer drops blocks of iron when mined.
20100129Before the furnace was added, players had to smelt ore by dropping ore blocks onto fire.
Iron ore now drops itself when mined.
20100201-2Iron ore now requires a stone, iron, or diamond pickaxe to be successfully obtained.
Java Edition Infdev
20100227-1Iron ore no longer generates.
20100320Iron ore blobs now generate, but differently.
20100325Ore blobs now appear more like they do today.
20100327Iron ore now regenerates after the world is reloaded, assuming that the positions of the ore blocks were replaced by stone.
20100330Iron ore no longer regenerates.
Java Edition
1.3.112w22aSmelting iron ore, along with other ores, blocks and items, gives the player experience orbs when taking the item out of the furnace. One stack of iron ore gives the player approximately 2 levels of experience.
Texture Update?
What is iron level in minecraft
A new texture for iron ore has been proposed.
1.1418w43a
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed.
1.14.1Pre-Release 1
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed again.
1.1721w07a
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed, once again.
February 17, 2021
What is iron level in minecraft
Henrik Kniberg shows grimstone variant of iron ore.
February 18, 2021
What is iron level in minecraft
What is iron level in minecraft
JAPPA Shows updated iron ore texture and grimstone variant of iron ore.
February 22, 2021
What is iron level in minecraft
What is iron level in minecraft
JAPPA shows updated iron ore textures and grimstone variant of iron ore.
21w08a
What is iron level in minecraft
Added deepslate iron ore.
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed again.
Iron ore now generates less frequently. However, a bug exists in this version where regular iron ore are generated way more infrequent.
Iron ore can now generate in negative y-levels in smaller blobs.
21w08bRegular iron ore now generates more frequently than in 21w08a.[1]
March 2, 2021
What is iron level in minecraft
JAPPA shows updated iron ore texture.
March 4, 2021
What is iron level in minecraft
JAPPA shows updated deepslate variant of iron ore texture.
21w10a
What is iron level in minecraft
What is iron level in minecraft
The textures of iron ore and deepslate iron ore was updated.
21w14aIt now drops raw iron when broken without Silk Touch, instead of itself.
21w15aAll changes to iron ore generation in the previous 1.17 snapshots have been reverted, but they can be re-enabled with the Caves & Cliffs Prototype Data Pack.
1.18Experimental Snapshot 1Iron ore once again generates the way it did in the 1.17 snapshots without the use of a data pack.
experimental snapshot 4Iron ore now generates more frequently.
21w40aIron ore now generates above Y=80 instead of Y=128.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.1.0
What is iron level in minecraft
Added iron ore.
v0.3.0Iron ore is now obtainable in Survival mode.
v0.3.2Iron ore is now available in the creative inventory.
With the addition of furnaces, iron ore is able to be smelted into iron ingots.
v0.12.1?Iron ore now gives experience when smelted.
Bedrock Edition
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed.
1.16.220beta 1.16.220.50
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed.
1.17.0beta 1.16.230.52
What is iron level in minecraft
Added deepslate iron ore.
beta 1.16.230.54
What is iron level in minecraft
Iron ore texture was updated.
beta 1.17.0.50It now drops raw iron when broken without silk touch, instead of itself.
Legacy Console Edition
TU1CU1 1.0 Patch 11.0.1
What is iron level in minecraft
Added iron ore.
?Smelting iron ore now gives experience.
1.90
What is iron level in minecraft
The texture of iron ore has been changed.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0
What is iron level in minecraft
Added iron ore.

Data history[]

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Iron Ore" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Gallery[]

References[]