How to Find Diamonds in Minecraft
Mine at Y -58 or Y -59 with an iron pickaxe or better, and each diamond ore block drops one diamond without enchantments. Fortune can increase the drop, and diamonds are used for tools, armor, and enchanting tables.
Mine at Y -58 or Y -59 with an iron pickaxe or better. Each diamond ore block drops one diamond without enchantments, plus 3 to 7 experience. A Fortune enchanted pickaxe can increase that, and diamonds are needed for diamond tools, armor, and enchanting tables. You can also upgrade diamond gear to netherite and build a level 30 enchanting table.
The best Y level to find diamonds
Diamond ore generates at Y level 15 and below. It appears more frequently as the Y level decreases. The table below shows the key depths.
| Depth | What you find |
|---|---|
| Y 15 and below | Diamond ore can generate |
| Y -50 to -64 | Diamonds are most common |
| Y -58 and Y -59 | Deepslate diamond ore is most common |
| Y -59 and below | Bedrock can block generation |
Deeper levels are better, and diamond ore appears more commonly on aquifer walls because exposure to water or lava does not reduce its chance to generate.
The right pickaxe
Mining diamond ore without enchantments drops one diamond and 3 to 7 experience. The pickaxe choice decides whether you get that drop.
- Use an iron, diamond, or netherite pickaxe to mine diamond ore and get the diamond.
- Any other tool drops nothing.
- Fortune gives a chance to drop an extra diamond per level, up to 4 diamonds at Fortune III.
- Silk Touch drops the diamond ore block itself instead of a diamond.
How to mine diamonds step by step
At Y -58 or Y -59, deepslate diamond ore is most common. Dig a tunnel through deepslate so you expose many blocks.
- Descend to Y -58 or Y -59 in the Overworld.
- Dig a tunnel through deepslate.
- Mine any diamond ore you see with an iron pickaxe or better.
Where it goes wrong
- Using a stone, wood, or gold pickaxe. It drops nothing.
- Mining above Y 15. Diamond ore does not generate above that level.
- Digging at Y -59 and below. Bedrock can block diamond ore generation.
- Relying on exposed ore in ordinary caves. Diamond ore has a chance to not generate if exposed to air.
FAQ
Why is deepslate diamond ore more common?
Deepslate diamond ore is a variant that generates in deepslate and tuff, and it is more common than the regular diamond ore variant. It is most commonly found at Y -58 and Y -59.
Does water or lava reduce diamond ore generation?
No. Diamond ore blocks do not have a reduced chance if exposed to water or lava, so they appear more commonly on the walls of aquifers.
