How to Get Redstone in Minecraft
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How to Get Redstone in Minecraft
Redstone Mining TipsRedstone is Minecraft’s most versatile crafting material — it powers almost every automated build, from Dispensers and Pistons to complex Redstone contraptions. The good news is that it is extremely abundant at deep mining levels — a single strip mining session at Y=−58 typically produces several stacks of Redstone Dust alongside a strong Diamond haul. The key upgrade that transforms Redstone mining efficiency is Fortune III — the difference between 4 and 8 drops per ore block compounds into hundreds of extra Redstone Dust over a full mining trip. Get Fortune III early and you will rarely run low on Redstone for any project.FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Get Redstone DustMine Redstone Ore between Y=−64 and Y=16 with an Iron Pickaxe or better — each ore block drops 4–5 Redstone Dust, or up to 8 with Fortune III. The highest concentration is at Y=−58 to Y=−64, the same level as diamonds. You can also get Redstone from Witch drops, jungle temple chests, stronghold chests, and trading with Cleric villagers.
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Mine Redstone Ore at Y=−58 to Y=−64 — the fastest method. Redstone Ore spawns throughout the underground from Y=16 down to Y=−64, with the highest concentration at the deepest levels near bedrock. Strip mine at Y=−58 or Y=−59 — the same level you mine for diamonds — and you will find large veins consistently. Each ore block drops 4–5 Redstone Dust with a plain Iron Pickaxe. Redstone Ore glows faintly red when you walk near it, making veins easy to spot in tunnels.
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Use Fortune III to maximise drops per ore block. Fortune III increases Redstone Ore drops from 4–5 per block up to a maximum of 8 — roughly doubling your yield from the same vein. Always bring a Fortune III pickaxe on dedicated Redstone mining trips. A single large vein of 8–10 ore blocks yields 50–80 Redstone Dust with Fortune III active — enough for most mid-game Redstone projects in one trip. Never mine Redstone without Fortune if you have it available.
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Use Silk Touch to collect the ore block intact. A Silk Touch pickaxe collects the Redstone Ore block itself instead of dropping dust. This lets you smelt it later, use it as a decorative light source (it glows when walked near), or save it to break with Fortune III at a more convenient time. Silk Touch is mainly useful for decoration or deferring the Fortune bonus — for raw Redstone output, Fortune III on collection is always faster.
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Loot chests for Redstone in early game. Before you have an Iron Pickaxe or access to deep mining, several structures contain Redstone Dust in loot chests: Jungle Temples (1–5 Redstone in dispensers and chests), Stronghold storerooms (4–9 Redstone), and Village Blacksmith chests (1–4 Redstone). These amounts are small compared to mining, but useful for crafting your first Redstone components like a Piston or Dispenser before you reach deep mining levels.
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Kill Witches for Redstone drops. Witches drop 0–6 Redstone Dust on death, with Looting III increasing the maximum to 15 per kill. Witches spawn in Swamp Huts and during raids — find a swamp and locate the Witch Hut for a renewable passive source. A Witch farm built around a naturally spawning Witch Hut produces several hundred Redstone per hour alongside Glowstone Dust, Sugar, Sticks, and Potions — one of the most material-efficient farms in the game.
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Trade with a Cleric villager for bulk Redstone. A Journeyman-level Cleric (purple robe, Brewing Stand job block) sells 2 Redstone Dust for 1 Emerald. This is expensive compared to mining, but useful if you need Redstone immediately and already have a strong Emerald income. The trade restocks daily, and a cured Zombie Villager Cleric with maximum discount makes this trade essentially free — an efficient late-game option for players who prefer trading over mining.
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Mine at Y=−58 for both Redstone and Diamonds simultaneously: Redstone and Diamond Ore both peak in concentration between Y=−58 and Y=−64. A single strip mining session at this level collects both resources at maximum efficiency — you never need separate mining runs for each. Bring two pickaxes: Fortune III for ore blocks and Silk Touch for any blocks you want to collect intact.
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Redstone Ore needs an Iron Pickaxe or better: mining Redstone Ore with a Stone or Wooden Pickaxe destroys the block without dropping any Redstone Dust. Always carry at least an Iron Pickaxe when mining at deep levels. A Diamond or Netherite Pickaxe with Efficiency V mines Redstone Ore almost instantly, making large vein clearing very fast.
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Bring a Water Bucket to handle lava at deep levels: at Y=−58 lava lakes are common. Carry a Water Bucket and place water immediately when lava is exposed — lava flows destroy Redstone Dust drops on contact. A single lava pocket next to a Redstone vein can destroy 20–40 Redstone Dust before you react. Water also converts lava to Obsidian, making the area safe to continue mining through.
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Follow Redstone veins fully — they are large: Redstone Ore spawns in veins of up to 10 blocks, significantly larger than Diamond veins. When you find a vein, mine every visible block and check all 6 adjacent faces for hidden continuation blocks. A partially mined vein wastes Fortune III bonuses — fully clearing a vein consistently yields an extra 15–30 Redstone Dust compared to stopping early.
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Build a Witch farm for renewable Redstone without mining: once you find a Witch Hut in a swamp, enclose it in a dark room and route Witches into a collection chamber. Combined with Looting III, a Witch farm produces Redstone continuously alongside Glowstone Dust, Spider Eyes, and other potion ingredients. See our mob farm guide for the chamber design basics.
Where does Redstone spawn in Minecraft?
Redstone Ore spawns between Y=16 and Y=−64, with the highest concentration at Y=−58 to Y=−64 near the bedrock layer. Strip mine at Y=−58 for the best Redstone and Diamond yields simultaneously. Each ore block drops 4–5 Redstone Dust with a plain Iron Pickaxe, or up to 8 with Fortune III.
What pickaxe do you need to mine Redstone?
You need at least an Iron Pickaxe to mine Redstone Ore — Stone and Wooden Pickaxes destroy the block without dropping any Redstone Dust. For maximum efficiency use a Diamond or Netherite Pickaxe with Fortune III, which increases drops from 4–5 up to 8 Redstone Dust per ore block.
How much Redstone does one ore block drop?
One Redstone Ore block drops 4–5 Redstone Dust with a plain pickaxe. With Fortune I it drops up to 6, Fortune II up to 7, and Fortune III up to 8 per block. The average yield with Fortune III is approximately 6.1 Redstone Dust per ore block — about 40% more than mining without Fortune.
Can you get Redstone without mining in Minecraft?
Yes — Witches drop 0–6 Redstone Dust on death (up to 15 with Looting III), making a Witch farm the best non-mining source. You can also find Redstone in jungle temple and stronghold chests, or buy 2 Redstone Dust for 1 Emerald from a Journeyman-level Cleric villager. For large quantities, strip mining at Y=−58 with Fortune III remains the fastest method by far.