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How to Find and Mine Netherite in Minecraft

Close-up view of Ancient Debris ore blocks embedded in Netherrack, showing where to find the rare Netherite resource in the Nether dimension.

Netherite is one of the most valuable materials in Minecraft, used to craft the most durable tools and armor in the game. However, finding it can be quite a challenge.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn where to find Netherite, how to mine it, and how to turn it into powerful equipment.

Craft the Necessary Equipment

Before venturing into the Nether, you need to be well-prepared. Mining Netherite is dangerous and requires specific tools to survive the heat and the hostile mobs of the underworld.

Essential items:

  • Diamond Pickaxe (or higher): the only tool capable of mining Ancient Debris.

  • Plenty of Food: to regenerate health while exploring.

  • Diamond Armor: provides good defense against mobs and explosions.

  • Fire Resistance Potions: crucial to survive lava and fire in the Nether.

  • Building Blocks: useful for creating safe paths or blocking lava flows.

  • Furnace or Blast Furnace: used later to smelt Ancient Debris.

  • Gold Ingots: needed later to craft Netherite Ingots.

  • Beds or TNT (optional): can be used for the explosion method to find Ancient Debris faster.

Tip: Bring a Compass or a Respawn Anchor to make it easier to return to your base if you die in the Nether.

Enter the Nether

First things first — you’ll need to enter the Nether, Minecraft’s fiery underworld.

To do this, build a Nether Portal using Obsidian blocks (a minimum frame of 4x5) and light it with Flint and Steel.

An activated Nether Portal, constructed from Obsidian blocks, standing in the Overworld, ready for the player to travel to the Nether dimension.

Once inside, stay alert. The Nether is filled with lava lakes, fire, and dangerous mobs like Ghasts and Piglins — always keep your Fire Resistance Potions active.

Find the Ancient Debris Ore

The ore you’re looking for is Ancient Debris — the first step toward obtaining Netherite. It can be found between Y-levels 8 and 22 in the Nether, with level 15 being the most recommended for mining.

How to find it:

  • Traditional Method: mine in a straight line at Y=15 and carefully explore tunnels.

    A player using a Diamond Pickaxe to break Ancient Debris blocks in a tunnel dug through the deep red Netherrack of the Nether dimension.

  • TNT Method: place TNT to create controlled explosions and expose hidden ores (Ancient Debris doesn’t explode).

    Comparing a TNT block placed in a Nether tunnel (left) and the resulting explosion that reveals blocks of Ancient Debris (right).

  • Bed Method: try to sleep in the Nether — it causes an explosion, which can help reveal ore quickly (but be careful).

    Screenshot showing a method for mining Ancient Debris by detonating a Bed in the Nether, which causes a large explosion to clear blocks.

Tip: Ancient Debris usually generates in small veins, typically 1 to 3 blocks per cluster. Additionally, for both explosion methods, it is recommended to use a shield.

Smelt the Ancient Debris

Once you’ve collected the blocks, return to the Overworld (or use a blast furnace in the Nether) and smelt the Ancient Debris. The result will be Netherite Scrap.

The Blast Furnace interface showing Ancient Debris as the input and the resulting Netherite Scrap, which is a required component for Netherite Ingots.

Each block of Ancient Debris produces 1 Netherite Scrap.

Craft the Netherite Ingot

To turn your scraps into ingots, you’ll need:

  • 4 Netherite Scraps

  • 4 Gold Ingots

Combine them in a Crafting Table to create 1 Netherite Ingot.

The Crafting Table recipe interface showing how to combine four Gold Ingots and four Netherite Scraps to successfully create one Netherite Ingot.

This step marks your first real progress toward full Netherite gear!

Upgrade Your Equipment

Finally, use a Smithing Table to combine a Diamond item with a Netherite Ingot. This upgrades your tool or armor into a stronger and more durable version.

The Smithing Table interface displaying the process of combining a Diamond Sword and a Netherite Ingot to upgrade the weapon into a stronger Netherite Sword.

If you don’t know how to craft a Smithing Table or how to obtain the Netherite Upgrade Template, check out my guide on How to Get Smithing Templates in Minecraft.

Once the upgrade is done, your equipment will gain increased durability, power, and a sleek dark look — the ultimate sign of mastery in Minecraft.

Caio Vinicius

About Caio Vinicius

Founder and writer of the Games Catalogue blog. I have a particular interest in horror and action games, as well as a touch of science fiction.