
If that sounds tedious, there is another mining method for those who prefer the sea. The water bucket quickly clears away lava while the shovel deals with any random dirt or gravel. Additionally, include a water bucket, shovel, food, and torches alongside your pickaxe for a complete mining kit. In either case, make sure to equip armor and weapons to deal with the many mobs that call these massive caves home. After all, the new caves are very unforgiving to those not paying attention.

It still exists as a much safer and less involved method for those who enjoy watching other forms of media while mining. That is not to say strip mining isn’t an option. Now with the generation of 1.18, it is far more effective to simply explore large caves while keeping an eye out for ore and diamonds. As its name would suggest, this method leaves the area you selected stripped of its resources without the risk of missing anything. This entailed digging down to the bottom-most layers of the world and mining in repeating lines two to three blocks apart. Mining in the Overworldīefore Minecraft 1.18, the most effective form of mining was strip mining. Only with that and a set of diamond armor would we recommend venturing to the nether in search of ancient debris. Ideally, crafting a diamond pickaxe as soon as possible should be your goal. Unlike the pickaxes listed above, Netherite items are made by placing diamond tools in a smithing table alongside netherite bars-a late-game item from the nether that will be touched on later in the guide. Furthermore, the stronger the pickaxe, the more effective it is, with netherite being the strongest.

It is vital to note diamond ore requires at least an iron pickaxe to mine. Stick one is placed in the middle of the crafting table’s bottom row, stick two goes directly above in the middle of row two, and the three interchangeable materials are placed side by side along the top row.

In Minecraft, this is done with two sticks and three planks, cobblestone, iron ingots, gold ingots, or diamonds. Before we can begin spelunking, you must craft your very first pickaxe.
