Collecting Minecraft diamonds is one of the most important things you can do in the game, since these precious gems are used to make powerful tools and armor, both of which are amongst the best equipment you can make. Diamonds are considered a game-changer in Minecraft, which may explain why they are so hard to come by on your travels, and why reaching them is the first big goal of so many players. It’s easy to find diamonds once you know where and how to look for them, but that’s only half of the battle.
For more mine-themed stuff, check out our take on the best Minecraft skins, how to join Minecraft servers, and some inspiring Minecraft builds to get those creative juices flowing!
Let’s head into the mines and find some Minecraft diamonds!
Where can I get Minecraft diamonds?
Although Minecraft diamonds are rare, there are many ways you can get your hands on the precious gemstones. You can attempt some of these methods as soon as you start a new world, while others require a bit of preparation.
Mine them
This may sound like the most obvious way to find Minecraft diamonds, but it is the most reliable. Diamond ore spawns in all biomes, but you’ll need to dig deep underground to find them. The ore itself can spawn in veins of up to ten blocks if you are really lucky.
Nether Fortress
A Nether Fortress is a giant, dark, red-bricked structure made up of two parts. The exterior either doesn’t have a ceiling, or the ceiling is made of Netherrack. To find diamonds in this area, you will need to find a single block of lava that marks the inside of the fortress. When you enter, explore and look for chests that may contain diamonds.
Shipwrecks
You need a little luck to find Minecraft diamonds in a shipwreck, but they are there. Start by building a boat and locating the ocean. Then you will need to sail around and dive into the murky depths to find underwater chests inside of shipwrecks. It’s also possible to find shipwrecks on icebergs that can contain maps to buried treasure.
Mineshafts
When mining, you may stumble across an abandoned mineshaft. These chests have a chance of containing diamonds, so they’re always worth checking.
Temples
Certain randomly-generated structures can spawn with diamonds inside. The desert temple and jungle temples both have a chance of generating between one to three diamonds inside of chests. The Woodland Mansion, which is in the dark forest biome, may contain a certain room that holds a solid block of diamond. This block can either spawn in the obsidian or lava secret rooms. For more details on the mansion, visit the official wiki.
End City
If you make it to the End City, you need to slay the Ender Dragon. It is in this biome where you will find arguably the best loot in the game, and with no surprise considering how much of a battle the Ender Dragon gives you. The chests in this area drop diamonds and enchanted diamond loot, like chest plates, swords, and pickaxes, so despite it being particularly grueling it’s definitely worth it.
Villages
Villages are an effortless way to pick up one-three diamonds without having to explore. If you locate either the weaponsmith’s chest or the toolsmith’s chest you can find some diamonds. If you aren’t sure what the relevant buildings look like, just look for the weaponsmith’s grindstone or the toolsmith’s smithing table.
Bastion Remnant
Bastions are structures that only spawn in the Nether. The treasure room inside this structure may contain diamonds, enchanted diamond items, and normal diamond items like pickaxes.
Minecraft diamonds level – where do they spawn?
Minecraft diamonds can spawn between levels one and 15. However, the most densely-populated levels for Minecraft diamonds are between levels five and 12. These are from the lowest point in the bedrock upwards. To calculate the level to dig to, you will need to dig down as far as you can go, and then count 12 blocks upwards from this point. From here, you are likely to find diamonds in any direction, so go nuts!
How to make a Minecraft diamond pickaxe
Here’s how to construct a Minecraft diamond pickaxe in steps. All you need is sticks and diamonds.
- Head into your crafting table menu.
- Place two sticks in the crafting area, one in the middle, and one directly below it
- Place three diamonds in the top row of the crafting area
- Remove your diamond pickaxe and go mining for ore!
How to check Minecraft diamond coordinates
You can only view your in-game coordinates if the world you created has cheats activated. Do so and, in the game settings, you can see your current coordinates. This can help ensure that you’re at the right level to mine for diamonds. You can also follow these steps to turn on coordinates while you’re inside of a world.
Minecraft diamond mining tips and tricks
If you want to know the most efficient mining techniques to find Minecraft diamonds, then you’ve come to the right place:
- Strip mining: to strip mine, you will want to dig down to around the twelfth level from the bottom, and then dig in a straight line. Then, count two blocks and dig sideways in both the right and left directions from your middle channel. The reason for counting two blocks for each tunnel is that each strip will reveal the blocks on the right and left sides of the tunnel. Only leaving a one-block gap is far less efficient
- Tunnels: once you have dug down to the desired level of choice, the quickest way to make up ground is to dig a two-block-high tunnel for your character to walk down. You can keep doing this until you find diamonds. You can dig straight, left, or right. Just don’t move off the desired level (3/10)
- Clearing: when you are at your desired height, it is tempting to just start smashing every single stone around you. While this method is expensive in terms of pickaxe usage, it can lead to surprising results (5/10)
- Cave exploring: if you want to find diamonds in a cave, it needs to be the right cave. This means that the cave needs to go on for miles and drop to near bedrock. If you find a giant underground chasm, this is also a great place to explore. You will need to bring supplies like food and blocks to escape, and it’s best to mark your way out with torches. This method is time-consuming but is the most fun(7/10)
- Fortune 3: if you are mining for diamonds, you want to enchant your pickaxe to fortune three. This is because a pickaxe with fortune three gives you a chance to mine four diamonds from one diamond ore
If you also want some advice on crafting your dream Minecraft home, we have a great Minecraft houses guide just for you!