Mining Diamond by the Stack on a Hardcore Server without Dying.
Mining Diamond by the Stack on a Hardcore Server without Dying. *translated by jaycow
Here I will explain what I think to be the best method for mining diamond. There are slightly more efficient methods based on block removal to diamond output, however, this method is faster due to fewer stops and keeps the player out of many life threatening situations.
Step 1: What You Need
The first thing you will need when you step into your mines is a bucket of water; this will keep you alive and moving fast but we will get into that later. Second is armor, armor armor. By now you should have the basics for iron armor. Use it, it will save your life. If you have an enchantment table place lvl 1 enchants on all of it. This will give you at least lvl 1 protect enchant. These greatly reduce the damage taken when falling in lava; you will still take burn damage but the lava will not hurt you. Last is a pickaxe. Make this diamond as fast as you can and don't worry, you will get plenty more!
Step 2: Into the Depths
I prefer to enter the underworld with a simple 2x2 spiral stair but any stair will work. Don't mine straight down. Dig your stair down to the Y level of 12 in your F3 window. Once this is done, start moving forward digging yourself a shaft about 100 blocks long.
Step 3: The Riches
You are now at level 12 with a diamond pick and bucket of water. Walk along the side of your 100 block long tunnel and mark out one block then skip 3 blocks and then mark the 4th. Keep this up all the way down the entire run of your 100-block hallway. Now mine straight through every tunnel you marked and keep it straight. Go straight
through ravines and caves. When you come to lava, most times it will be the same height as floor. Simply place your water on the wall next to you and you will have a nice obsidian floor to cross over. Mine this first shaft about 50 blocks deep then turn around in the same direction as your first 100 block path and make a second path about 100 blocks long. Mark it the same as your first. Now simply mine out all of the marked places. You can play around with skipping some rows if the one next to it had a mother load of diamond, however, for best results mine all of them out. When your pick breaks, return home or whip out a bench. In half an hour, you may go through 1-2 diamond picks.
Step 4: Better Yet
There's always ways to improve on a setup. One thing I have found is that enchanting a pickaxe to level 5 will nearly always give you a pick of efficiency which makes block breaking faster so more diamond per hour. The real reason for level 5 is that you have a chance of getting the enchant that will double your pick's life.
Step 5: Experimenting
Once you have done your first block, you should have a basic idea of the power of this method of mining. It allows me to get full diamond armor and tools in under half an hour on most trips to the mine along with enough extra that I can play with enchanting and throw away diamond armor that gets enchants I don't like. However, everyone has their own ways of doing things and different methods may work for you.
Conclusion: Why it Works
Every block you dig with this shows 3 blocks under it. This is why we use the 2x1 shaft. As for the spacing of 3? Diamond veins in a straight row are very rare and this shaft method means that only a single row of rock is left unexposed and you will have diamonds in that zone; on average, however, about 6 per 100x50 mine you dig so hardly worth
the time. The further you space your mines, the higher chance of diamond and the higher chance of a dry spot, however, in the end they will average about the same when done on a large scale. Whether a single shaft 10,000 blocks long or my 50 long shafts, I use the smaller shafts so I can get to my home fast. The drawback is you have to move your home a lot as these mines are easy for someone to happen upon as you will dominate a good 400 square blocks with a full mine. Move your home or better yet, don't set up a camp in your mines! I hope this helps you mine better and bring better gear to the fights! I will see you all in the game ready to fight or die. -theohn
Posted Dec 9, 2011, 11:57 AM UTC