How to Mine Redstone in Minecraft

Last Updated: February 1, 2023

The most common way of getting redstone dust is by mining redstone ore. Redstone Ore can be found 10 blocks (or layers) above bedrock or in between bedrock. This means it can be found commonly from blocks 5-12, and rarely up to layer 16 or down to layer 2. You will need an iron pickaxe to mine any redstone ore.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Mining

1
If you prefer to mine, dig down in a staircase pattern to bedrock.
- Dig two blocks in front of you, and one block below them. Jump down and repeat.
2
Once you reach bedrock, look around you for any redstone ores. If there isn't any, dig out a bigger room and place torches on the walls to prevent hostile mobs from spawning.
- 5 blocks wide, 5 blocks long, and 3 blocks tall is usually a good start for a mine.
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3
Pick the middle block of each blank wall, and dig a 2 block high tunnel back until you can't see.
4
Place a torch at the furthest end of this tunnel.
5
Walk back through your new tunnel to see if you have exposed any ore (redstone or otherwise!) on the walls, ceiling, or floor. Be careful, redstone ore can only be mined with Iron, Diamond and (if you have it,) netherite. Netherite can be made by using a netherite ingot with diamond tools in a smithing table.
6
From your large room, walk 3 blocks into your smaller tunnel and choose a wall
- You should have skipped 2 blocks of wall, and are now facing the third in.
7
Press up against this wall, and mine all the way back in a 1 x 1 tunnel at head height.
8
Check the walls, ceiling, and floor of this tunnel for ore. If you see it, dig back and collect it.
9
Turn around to the opposite wall, and repeat.
10
Keep making these smaller tunnels, skipping 2 blocks each time, until you come to your torch.
11
Place a torch on the floor, knock the torch of the wall, and dig back until you can't see.
12
Repeat steps 7-13 until you find redstone ore.
13
Keep in mind, this is only one way to mine. Find a style that works for you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Caving

1
Find a cave, preferably near sea-level, that goes down.
- If it goes straight down, you can mine out a staircase around the edges of the pit to get down.
2
Follow the cave as far down as you can
3
If your cave ends not much further down than it began, try another cave.
4
When you find either standing lava or bedrock, you've reached the right level for redstone ore.
5
You can either start mining straight back into the cave wall, or explore more cave branches that go out or further down, to find redstone in the walls, ceiling, or floor.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Finding Redstone Dust in Other Places

1
Sometimes redstone dust can be found outside of caves and mines. It can be traded for, dropped by dead witches, or used as wiring for traps in jungle temples.

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Jungle Temples

Jungle Temples only spawn in the Jungle biome, when you have 'Generate Structures' turned on.

1
Find a jungle
- A jungle is characterized by tall trees, vines, and bright green grass
2
Find a jungle temple
- They are large, cobblestone and mossy cobblestone buildings.
3
Walk into the door of the temple, then follow the stairs down.
4
Walk down the hallway away from the levers.
5
Walk down the hallway, sticking closely to the side to avoid being shot by the dispenser.
- Sometimes the dispenser can be hidden by vines, so be careful!
6
After you round the first corner, you can dig up the redstone that leads from the tripwire to the dispenser.
7
Continue down the hallway, towards the chest, again sticking to the wall.
8
To the side of the chest is another trail of redstone that leads to the dispenser above the chest.
9
Go back the way you came, but walk towards the levers instead of heading up the stairs.
10
There is a correct sequence of levers to pull to open up a hole on the left side of the stairs on the upper level, which you can then drop through.
- Alternatively, you can knock the middle lever off the wall and dig through the wall behind it.
11
In this room you can find another few pieces of redstone, as well as a chest, redstone repeaters, and sticky pistons.
12
There are 15 pieces of redstone dust total in a jungle temple.

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

By Trading

Occasionally, a village priest will offer to trade 2-4 pieces of redstone for an emerald. Emeralds can be found while mining only in the Extreme Hills biome.

1
Find a village.
2
A large tower may be present, and this is the best location to find a priest.
- Priests wear purple robes.
3
Right-click on the priest, and see what he is offering to trade.
4
If he has redstone, place an emerald in the trade box, and drag your redstone to your inventory.

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

From Witches

Witches are ranged enemies that only spawn in swamp huts, found in the swamp biome, that can drop redstone dust.

1
Find a swamp biome
- These are characterized by lily pads, vines on the trees, and dark water and grass.
2
Locate a swamp hut, and the witch inside.
- The witch.
3
Kill the witch.
4
There is a chance of a witch dropping up to 6 pieces of redstone dust when killed.

Community Q&A

Question

Is there any chance that I fall into a cave when mining?

Community Answer

Yes, there is a chance.
Question

Can I mine redstone ore with a wooden pickaxe?

Community Answer

No, you need an iron pickaxe or diamond pickaxe to mine redstone ore.
Question

Is dive mining in the new aquatic update effective?

Community Answer

Not really, your movements get fatigued under the water. So maybe if there is a potion that reduces fatigue, then definitely consider getting some of those.