How to Strip Mine in Minecraft

Strip mining is the most efficient way to mine for valuables!
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

While mining in Minecraft, I always seek the most efficient way to find valuable resources. Forming a strip mine is, by far, the most popular option due to its efficiency, and I will show you how to do it in this guide.

Recommended Videos

Strip Mining in Minecraft, explained

Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

When starting a strip mining operation in Minecraft, you first need to set up the underground base for your mine. This is where you will return to drop your materials and the entrances to each mining strip. When you start off, dig down until you're standing on a block at y 5 (where Bedrock starts to form) and dig a hole 3 blocks wide by 9 blocks long by four blocks high.

Screenshot by Pro Game Guides
  • After you've built the primary base, place all the equipment and tools you'll need in this area.
  • Make a doorway that is 1 block wide by 2 blocks high. This is the start of your mine strip.
  • Create this doorway every fourth block on the long wall. If you're confused, use the image above for reference.

Related: How to Make a Minecraft Water Elevator - Pro Game Guides

Repeat this process for the next layer up the wall. However, instead of making the doorways on the next layer directly above the previous layer, make sure they fall directly between the doorways underneath them.

Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

This hive-like structure will serve as the bottom layer of your mine. Dig as far as you'd like through these doorways. Because of the way these doorways are aligned, you will not miss a single Ore Block in this section of your mine. At least one mine strip will touch every block between them. As you can see in the image above, it didn't take us long at all to find a Diamond vein.

From this point, you can expand your mine by expanding the ceiling of your mine's base or by branching the walls outward. Diamond Ore generates up to y 16, so I recommend expanding your mine upward to ensure you find all Diamond Ores near your mining base.

Related: Minecraft Console Commands & Cheats List (1.16) - Pro Game Guides

Tips and Additional Info for Strip Mining in Minecraft

Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Tips

  • Expanding upward creates the problem of getting inside each mine strip. There are a few options to do this, but I found the cleanest way is to place a half slab outside each doorway and a ladder going up to the highest level. You can also try covering the wall in scaffolding if you feel that works better.
  • Place a light source every 7 to 10 blocks down each strip to make sure mobs don't spawn behind you.
  • Strip Mining is most effective if you don't dig too far from your base above ground. I recommend mining strips in 50-block increments. It's completely up to you to dig past this, but it's important to consider the time spent traveling if you're looking to make the most optimal mining operation.

Information

  • Strip Mining is considered the most effective way to mine due to the balance between effort and productivity. It offers the benefit of being certain you've found all valuable resources in the area with the least amount of mining possible.
  • I recommend keeping the strips between the height of y 5 and y 16. Bedrock begins to form at y 5, so mining below that point will just interfere with your movement. Diamonds don't spawn above y 16.
  • Emeralds generate between the levels of y 4 to y 31, but only underneath mountains. For this reason, it's best to form a strip mine underneath a mountain.

Those are the basics for getting started with strip mining in Minecraft! Don't forget to comment below if this technique improves your mining productivity!

Do you want to play with friends that are using other consoles? Check out our guide on How to Add Friends in Minecraft on All Platforms!


Pro Game Guides is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article When will the next Halo come out in Royale High? (Spring 2024) – Roblox
Read Article Primitive Phasmophobia Challenge of the Week Guide March 2024
Primitive challenge in 10 Ridgeview Court in Phasmophobia
Read Article Marvel Contest of Champions (MCoC) Tier List
Read Article Roblox A Dusty Trip Song ID Codes
Read Article How to get past the barred doors in Seafloor Shrine in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Locked door in Seafloor Shrine
Related Content
Read Article When will the next Halo come out in Royale High? (Spring 2024) – Roblox
Read Article Primitive Phasmophobia Challenge of the Week Guide March 2024
Primitive challenge in 10 Ridgeview Court in Phasmophobia
Read Article Marvel Contest of Champions (MCoC) Tier List
Read Article Roblox A Dusty Trip Song ID Codes
Read Article How to get past the barred doors in Seafloor Shrine in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Locked door in Seafloor Shrine
Author
Luka Rakočević
Luka Rakocevic works as a full-time staff writer at Pro Game Guides and is a new-generation gamer. Backed with old-school gaming knowledge, his oldest gaming memories are on SNES, trying to beat Super Mario. Games are his big inspiration, and he frequently draws from that well to create new art. He prefers narrative-driven games like God of War, Killzone, Half-life, Uncharted and similar. Luka mainly writes science fiction in his free time. When he's not home banging away at his computer keyboard, you will most likely find him at a local pub or a metal concert in the middle of a mosh pit.
Author
Nicholas Fries
Freelance writer and jack-of-all-hobbyist-tech-development-trades (website, game, and program). My passion is to create content that entertains and makes people think critically.

1 Comment

How to Strip Mine in Minecraft

Comments are on moderation and will be approved in a timely manner. Please read the following rules before commenting:

  • All comments must be on topic and add something of substance to the post
  • No swearing or inappropriate words
  • No asking or begging for anything free
  • Do not attempt to start a poll in the comments
  • Comments in all CAPS will be removed
  • We reserve the right to remove a comment for any reason
  • Do not impersonate a staff member or influencer

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.