To find diamonds while mining, you have two main options: digging tunnels or exploring caves. I recommend exploring all the deep underground caves you find while mining, as they will often have diamonds in them. Once you run out of caves to explore, or if you dug and haven’t found a cave yet, you should dig tunnels at a y coordinate of 11 or 12 as shown in the photo below.
PHOTO: Efficient mining tunnels in Minecraft include a long 2×1 tunnel with torches evenly placed every 4 blocks. You can mine above the torches in both directions as much as you can for minerals.
Contents
Activate coordinates in Minecraft
- Java version: Press the F3 key on Windows or FN + F3 on Mac. Your exact coordinates are listed in the “XYZ” line. You can also query the “Block” line, but it doesn’t show your exact coordinates as the numbers are rounded.
- Base Version:
- When you first create your world, turn on the Show Coordinates option in the World Options menu.
- If you forgot or didn’t turn on Show Coordinates the first time, don’t worry. Go back to the main menu, then click the pen icon or the Edit button next to your world and turn on Show Coordinates.
- Pocket Edition: Pause the game, select Settings under Game Settings, scroll down to World Options, then toggle the Show Coordinates button.
Understanding Minecraft Coordinates
Like any three-dimensional space, Minecraft has three coordinates, X, Y, and Z. With these three, you can pinpoint the exact location of any space in particular. block or item in the world of minecraft. This is what determines each of these three coordinates.
- The X coordinate determines your East/West position on the map. If the value is positive, it means that the position in question is to the East of the central part of the map. The negative value determines a position in the West.
- The Y coordinate determines your vertical position on the map. The more you move up, the more the positive value will increase. Alternatively, the further you go down into bedrock, the value decreases. Sea is always Y=64.
- The Z coordinate determines your position on the South/North map. As you change your position to the South, the positive value will increase. Go north and the numbers will turn negative.
X coordinates:
The x coordinate indicates the east or west position as:
- If the value of the x coordinate is positive, it represents the east side, but if it moves to the west side, the value of x starts to decrease (+X).
- If the x value is negative, it represents the west side, but as you move to the east side, the x value starts to increase (-X).
Step 3: Locate the coordinates on the debug screen
The coordinates that are labeled Block are simple and the detailed coordinates are labeled XYZ. But you’ll also see the Orientation entry that tells you which direction you’re currently facing.
The actual location is determined by the starting block of your Minecraft world. Therefore, the “Block” input shows three coordinate numbers (XYZ) without labels. Where “X” is your location east or west, “Y” your location above or below, and “Z” is your location north or south of your starting block.