Best Y Level for Every Ore

The best height to mine each ore in Minecraft 1.21.8, with its full generation range and the pickaxe it needs. Diamond peaks at Y = -59, iron at Y = 16, gold at Y = -16. Pick an ore for a full mining guide.

Ore	Best level	Range	Dimension	Pickaxe
Diamonds	Y = -59	Y -64 to 16	Overworld	Iron Pickaxe or better
Iron	Y = 16 underground, or Y = 232 in mountains	Y -64 to 320	Overworld	Stone Pickaxe or better
Coal	Y = 96 (plus exposed on mountain surfaces)	Y 0 to 320	Overworld	Wooden Pickaxe or better
Copper	Y = 48 (Y = 48 in Dripstone Caves is best)	Y -16 to 112	Overworld	Stone Pickaxe or better
Gold	Y = -16 (or anywhere in a Badlands biome)	Y -64 to 256	Overworld	Iron Pickaxe or better
Redstone	Y = -59	Y -64 to 15	Overworld	Iron Pickaxe or better
Lapis Lazuli	Y = 0	Y -64 to 64	Overworld	Stone Pickaxe or better
Emeralds	Y = 232 (mountain biomes only)	Y -16 to 320	Overworld	Iron Pickaxe or better
Netherite	Y = 15 (in the Nether)	Y 8 to 119	Nether	Diamond or Netherite Pickaxe
Nether Quartz	Anywhere in the Nether (Y 10–117)	Y 10 to 117	Nether	Wooden Pickaxe or better
Gold Nuggets	Anywhere in the Nether (Y 10–117)	Y 10 to 117	Nether	Wooden Pickaxe or better

How ore height works in Minecraft 1.21.8

Since the 1.18 Caves & Cliffs update, the world runs from Y=-64 to Y=320 and most ores use a triangle distribution: they get steadily more common as you approach one ideal height, then taper off. That's why there's a single "best" Y level for each ore rather than a flat band. Diamond, redstone, and lapis reward digging deep; copper, coal, and emerald reward staying high.

Mine smarter, not just deeper

Two ores break the "go deep" rule entirely: emerald only spawns high up in mountain biomes, and gold floods the surface of Badlands biomes. For raw quantity, a Fortune III pickaxe multiplies every ore except ancient debris, and Efficiency plus a Haste beacon lets you clear blocks fast enough to find more in the same trip.