How do you get iron ingots in Minecraft?
Mine the ore
Iron ore appears in the stone layers underground, and it is one of the most common ores in the game. You need at least a stone pickaxe to mine it. Iron ore is not visible as a bright shiny block in every case, so look for orange-dotted stone and check your coordinates with the F3 screen if you want to track it.
Mine the ore at a safe distance from lava, since caves often contain it. Many players dig a vertical shaft to scan multiple levels quickly.
- Use a stone pickaxe or better
- Look in stone layers underground
- Check lava before digging near caves
- Bring food and torches for the trip
Smelt it
Place the iron ore and some fuel, such as coal or charcoal, into a furnace. The furnace produces iron ingots over time. One piece of fuel can smelt several items, so a small stack of coal is enough for a batch.
Iron ingots are used for tools, armor, buckets and many other crafting recipes, so collect more than you think you need before moving on.
Common mistakes
- Trying to mine iron ore with a wooden or no pickaxe.
- Forgetting fuel, which stops the furnace from smelting.
- Digging straight down near lava and getting trapped.
