What level to find iron in minecraft
James Craig
Updated on March 26, 2026

Yes, iron can be found at Levels 1-63. It can therefore be found near lava with diamonds.
There are other answers below:
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 level to mine iron in Minecraft 1.18 update is y = 232. As shown in Mojang’s ore distribution chart, iron will abundantly generate in the mountains from now on.
As of right now, you can find iron ore between Y-coordinate 80 and 256. You will also find it in the ground, but it will be much less frequent. You should start to see it at Y-coordinate 72 all the way down to the bottom at Y-coordinate -64.
OverviewObtainingUsageIron 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. · Text under CC-BY-SA license
The best level to find iron ores is y = 232 and also y = 16. Of course, iron is one of the most common ores and can be found at any y level. Iron …
Do this at level 12 and you will find iron, coal, redstone, diamond, and a cave or fortress or abandoned mineshaft! Show activity on this post. From the Minecraft wiki, a graph showing ore distribution by height: According to it, Iron should be …
They can be found anywhere from bedrock to just above sea level across all biomes – except the ice biome. The best way to find iron is by either digging a mine yourself, finding a cave or a ravine.
Gold can appear from Y level 256 to Y level -64, but there are a few important details to note. Specifically, gold can only appear between Y levels 256 and 32 in the Minecraft Badlands biome and only if there is a landmass that can support it. If you’re looking for gold in a biome other than the badlands, you’ll need to stick to Y levels 32 to -64, with -16 being the best option. …
Iron is a material found in the overworld. It spawns naturally in iron ore, which drops raw iron, then the raw iron can be smelted into iron ingots. The iron ingots can be crafted into blocks, items, tools, and armor. Iron Ore − An ore found underground. Drops raw iron. Deepslate Iron Ore − A variant found in the deepslate layer of the world. Raw Iron − An item that drops from iron ore …
Related Questions
Where to find iron in Minecraft?
From the Minecraft wiki, a graph showing ore distribution by height: According to it, Iron should be most commonly found from Y=6 to Y=50.
What is the best level to mine iron?
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.
What is the best way to find iron ore?
Digging a shaft horizontally, then branching off every 3rd block with a run… Do this at level 12 and you will find iron, coal, redstone, diamond, and a cave or fortress or abandoned mineshaft! Show activity on this post. From the Minecraft wiki, a graph showing ore distribution by height:
How many times can you generate iron ore in Minecraft?
In Java Edition 1.18 [upcoming], iron ore can generate as an ore vein . In Bedrock Edition 1.18 [upcoming], iron ore also attempts to generate 40 times per chunk in blobs of size 0-10, from levels 128 to 256 within any type of mountains biome.