Info
Caves (also known as tunnels or caverns) are commonly-found underground structures generated in the Overworld The Overworld, as seen in an extreme hills and a forest biome The Overworld is the dimension in which all players begin their Minecraft journey. Contents 1 Creation 1.1 Seeds 2 Environment 2.1 Biomes 2.2 
(and, to a lesser extent, the Nether A view of the Nether. The Nether is a hell-like dimension, filled with fire, lava, and dangerous mobs. Contents 1 Accessing 2 Environment 2.1 Mobs 3 Generation 3.1 Naturally generated 3.2 Naturally created 3.3 Structures 
).
Trivia
An Abandoned Mine Shaft cutting through a large cavern. Note the Minecart with Chest on bottom right corner.
- Caves are generated after Ore. As a result, the ore pockets found in Caves may not be as big as the ones found while strip-mining.
- On rare occasions, a Cavern may have two different entrances in two different types of biomes.
- Jungle Caverns have Vines growing in them.
- In the Minecraft Classic version, it`s almost impossible to dig straight down without finding a cavern.
- An exciting way to find caves in Minecraft Classic is to find a body of water, and look for holes in a cliff. Explore these, and it is almost positive that there are either an underwater cavern inside, or the player might swim through a tunnel and surface in some sort of cavern.
- Another tip for not getting lost in caves is to always place torches on the left (or right) wall, that way finding the way out is as simple as making sure the torches are on the opposite side that the player placed them on.
- It is possible, but extremely rare, for a large cave to appear at the surface of the map, leaving a giant crater in the ground.
- If a player is very desperate for food due to a low Hunger Bar and an absence of animals, a cave can be useful. Zombies spawn in caves, and they drop Rotten Flesh which can be used to fill the Hunger Bar. However, this is not advised because a low Hunger Bar means no Health regeneration, and a hungry player can be quickly overcome by a zombie horde. Also, Rotten Flesh has an 80% chance of causing the Food Poisoning status effect which can aggravate the problem of starvation instead of helping it.
Trivia
- Caves will often be overwritten by sand and sandstone, as well as other generated structures.
- Though ores are abundant in caves and often require little digging to get to, ore veins visible in the walls of the cave often contain little ore, as the cave cut through them when it was generated.
- Although caves generate in the Nether, they are generally not as of much interest as Overworld caves, since the Nether itself is essentially just a huge cave. Overworld caves give free tickets through the terrain exposing many ores, while the only ore of interest in the Nether can be found everywhere already. Be that as it may, a secondary lava "sea" is not generated in the Nether as with Overworld caves, and as such Nether caves can reach exposed bedrock.
Videos
Generation
Caves are randomly generated patches of air Air Type Non-Solid Block Transparency Yes Luminance No Data value dec: 0 hex: 0 bin: 0 Name air Air is the block present in otherwise empty space. Contents 1 Obtaining 1.1 Natural generation 2 Usage 3 History 4 
blocks ( lava Lava Transparency Yes Luminance Yes, 15 Blast resistance 500 Tool Renewable No Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Lava dec: 10 hex: A bin: 1010 Still Lava dec: 11 hex: B bin: 1011 Name Flowing Lava flowing_lava Still 
source blocks at layer 10 and below) underground, leaving exposed stone Stone Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 30 Tool Renewable Yes Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Drops Cobblestone (1) Data value dec: 01 hex: 1 bin: 1 Name stone See the block called stone. For 
and other blocks generated with the terrain (such as mineral veins). They consist of a series of irregular tunnels branching off and winding in other directions, which may connect to the surface of the map creating natural entrances to the cave. In jungle A river bisecting a jungle biome. At the top right is a forest. A river running through a mesa biome with mesa plateaus, with a savanna biome in the bottom right. “ In case you 
biomes, vines Vines Transparency Yes Luminance No Blast resistance 1 Tool Renewable Yes Stackable Yes (64) Flammable Yes Drops Itself Data value dec: 106 hex: 6A bin: 1101010 Name vine Vines are non-solid blocks, 1⁄16 of a block in thickness, 
generate in caves near the surface. Sand Sand Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 2.5 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Smelted: 0.1 Drops Itself Data values Sand dec: 120 hex: C0 bin: 11000 Red Sand dec: 121 hex: C1 bin: 11001 Name sand This 
often will fall into caves generated near the surface of a desert A river bisecting a jungle biome. At the top right is a forest. A river running through a mesa biome with mesa plateaus, with a savanna biome in the bottom right. “ In case you or beach A river bisecting a jungle biome. At the top right is a forest. A river running through a mesa biome with mesa plateaus, with a savanna biome in the bottom right. “ In case you ; craters in the sand will alert the player The Player Health points 20 () Armor points Varies Attack strength Fist: 1 () Items: Varies Size Height: 1.8 Blocks Width: 0.6 Blocks While sneaking: Height: 1.65 Blocks Width: 0.6 Blocks While gliding: Height: 0.6 
to caves below the surface.
Caves generate at any altitude Chart lining up Y-coordinate values (left) to block layers (right). Altitude is a measurement of vertical distance, or distance along the Y-axis. Contents 1 Definition 2 Limits 3 Natural resources and altitude 3.1 The Nether 
up to Y-level 128. Caves can be quite deep, extending from the surface all the way to bedrock Bedrock Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 18,000,000 Tool None Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Drops None Data value dec: 07 hex: 7 bin: 111 Name bedrock Bedrock is a block, indestructible by survival means. Contents 
. They frequently intersect natural structures Every specific group of blocks purposefully formed in Minecraft based on coding is part of a natural structure. Contents 1 The Overworld 1.1 Terrain 1.1.1 Mountain 1.1.2 Floating "island" 1.1.3 Hollows 1.1.4 Hill 1.1.5 Beach 
such as other caves, dungeons Dungeon Biome Any Consists of Cobblestone Moss Stone Monster Spawner Chest Can generate post-generation No First appearances See history Dungeons are naturally generated structures that appear in the Overworld. Contents 1 Generation 2 Structure 2.1 
, ravines Every specific group of blocks purposefully formed in Minecraft based on coding is part of a natural structure. Contents 1 The Overworld 1.1 Terrain 1.1.1 Mountain 1.1.2 Floating "island" 1.1.3 Hollows 1.1.4 Hill 1.1.5 Beach , and mineshafts Abandoned mineshaft Biome Any Consists of Wooden Planks Fence Rail Torch Cobweb Dirt Monster Spawner Minecart with Chest Can generate post-generation No First appearances See history "Mine" redirects here. For information about mining, see Mining. 
. Because of low light levels Light (or lighting) in Minecraft affects visibility, mob spawning, and plant growth. Contents 1 Brightness 1.1 Spread 2 Sources of light 2.1 Blocks 2.2 Other 3 Light-filtering blocks 4 Effects of light 4.1 Mobs 4.2 
, hostile mobs "Monster" redirects here. For the mob called "monster" in the code, see Human. Mobs are living, moving game entities. The term "mob" is short for "mobile". 1] Contents 1 Spawning 2 Behavior 3 List of 
and bats Bat Health points 6 () Size Height: 0.9 Blocks Width: 0.5 Blocks Spawn Below layer 63 Light level of 3 or less in neighboring blocks Oct. 20 – Nov. 3: light level of 6 or 
often spawn in caves deep underground.
Structure
A cave can be classified into the following kinds of cave systems.
Hollow
Hollows are highly cave-like structures that generate in biomes such as Extreme Hills. They are not really cave systems in a broad sense, although they may sometimes intersect with one. They are essentially overhangs that have been completely closed off and can be seen as the inverse of floating islands. These are extremely rare on default worlds without customized world option and usually have floors corresponding to the biome (most commonly grass).
Small cave
Small caves are primarily located close to sea level and are unlikely to be linked to other caves. Because of their relative shallowness, they seldom contain anything rarer than small deposits of basic ores such as coal Coal Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Mined: 0–2 Smelted: 0.1 Drops Coal (1) Data value dec: 16 hex: 10 bin: 10000 Name coal_ore This article is 
and iron Iron Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Smelted: 0.7 Drops Itself Data value dec: 15 hex: F bin: 1111 Name iron_ore See the ore. 
. Such caves may have multiple entrances which are naturally lit by sunlight The sun. The sun is a celestial body that provides light and life for the Minecraft world. Contents 1 Daytime 2 Sunlight 2.1 Effects on mobs 3 History 4 Issues 5 Trivia 6 Gallery 7 
or moonlight A full moon. The moon is a celestial body that appears during the Minecraft night. Contents 1 Nighttime 1.1 Stars 2 Phases 2.1 Effects on mobs 3 History 4 Issues 5 Trivia 6 Gallery 7 
. These type of caves almost always featureSpecial attraction pools of water/lava within, likely caused by the generation of the water itself.
Medium cave
.Medium-sized cave systems are commonly found within reach of other, often smaller caves, which are accessible via mining "Punch" redirects here. For the enchantment, see Enchanting#Punch. The Player punches trees and gets wood (click to view animation). Breaking, digging, punching, or mining is one of the most fundamental activities in Minecraft, performed (by 
. These caves frequently contain large deposits of basic ores alongside small repositories of rarer materials - including lapis lazuli Lapis Lazuli Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Mined: 2–5 Smelted: 0.2 Drops Lapis Lazuli (4–8) Data value dec: 21 hex: 15 bin: 10101 Name lapis_ore This 
and gold Gold Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Smelted: 1 Drops Itself Data value dec: 14 hex: E bin: 1110 Name gold_ore See the unprocessed 
. Such caves also regularly contain, at the very least, minor water Water Transparency Partial (-2 to light) Luminance No Blast resistance 500 (Flowing) 500 (Still) Tool Renewable Yes Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Water dec: 08 hex: 8 bin: 1000 Still Water dec: 09 hex: 9 bin: 1001 
or lava Lava Transparency Yes Luminance Yes, 15 Blast resistance 500 Tool Renewable No Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Lava dec: 10 hex: A bin: 1010 Still Lava dec: 11 hex: B bin: 1011 Name Flowing Lava flowing_lava Still flows as well as the presence of dungeons Dungeon Biome Any Consists of Cobblestone Moss Stone Monster Spawner Chest Can generate post-generation No First appearances See history Dungeons are naturally generated structures that appear in the Overworld. Contents 1 Generation 2 Structure 2.1 .
Large cave
These are large subterranean systems, found deep within the earth, often close to bedrock Bedrock Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 18,000,000 Tool None Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Drops None Data value dec: 07 hex: 7 bin: 111 Name bedrock Bedrock is a block, indestructible by survival means. Contents . They hold large deposits of essentially every known type of ore - with rarer materials, such as diamonds Diamond Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Mined: 3–7 Smelted: 1 Drops Diamond (1) Data value dec: 56 hex: 38 bin: 111000 Name diamond_ore This article is 
and emeralds Emerald Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Mined: 3–7 Smelted: 1 Drops Emerald (1) Data value dec: 129 hex: 81 bin: 10000001 Name emerald_ore Emerald ore is 
. Note that emerald ore is exclusively generated in Extreme Hills A river bisecting a jungle biome. At the top right is a forest. A river running through a mesa biome with mesa plateaus, with a savanna biome in the bottom right. “ In case you biomes. Such systems contain a number of lakes of all types, as well as the presence of major lava and water flows.
Circular cave
During the terrain generation process, large symmetrical and cylindrical caves of various sizes can infrequently be created underground which often merge with other cave systems. These unusual type of caves vary from roughly 5 to 22 blocks in height, and from roughly 11 to over 30 blocks in width and/or length, though larger examples are quite rare. Although not particularly of interest, from a mining perspective, they may appear unnatural and irregular in comparison to the surrounding terrain. While the smallest rarely contain many ores, the largest can be quite useful for mining as their sheer surface area rivals that of a large ravine.
Very rarely, dungeons Dungeon Biome Any Consists of Cobblestone Moss Stone Monster Spawner Chest Can generate post-generation No First appearances See history Dungeons are naturally generated structures that appear in the Overworld. Contents 1 Generation 2 Structure 2.1 and even strongholds Stronghold Portal Room Biome Any Consists of See Structure First appearances See History Strongholds are structures that occur naturally underground, and are primarily important because they house end portals. Strongholds can be located using eyes 
can be found in these rooms.
Ravine
Ravines are tall, long cracks of air, usually measuring around 30 to 50 blocks in height, 84 to 112 blocks long and no more than 7 blocks wide. Ravines can have small ledges along the top. They can be found at levels 20 to 68, sometimes appearing on the world surface or underwater, forming canyons. They can go very deep underground, sometimes spawning slimes or exposing diamond ore. If they reach deep enough, they may also be floored by the lava lakes at level 11. In the Amplified world type, ravines can cut from surface level all the way down to bedrock. Ravines can also be found in oceans or rivers having a waterfall from the river/ocean falling into them.
Ravines can connect to caves, dungeons, abandoned mineshafts, and any other generated structures. Due to the large surface area of their walls, ravines often have water and/or lava flowing down them (from springs in the walls, underground lakes, or even openings to the sea).
Giant entrance
These caves have a large hole for an entrance and then spiral down, often cutting into coal Coal Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Mined: 0–2 Smelted: 0.1 Drops Coal (1) Data value dec: 16 hex: 10 bin: 10000 Name coal_ore This article is and iron Iron Ore Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 15 Tool Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Experience Smelted: 0.7 Drops Itself Data value dec: 15 hex: F bin: 1111 Name iron_ore See the ore. deposits. Rarely, these entrances can go nearly straight down, exposing rarer minerals.
Sea-access cave
These caves are often connected with the sea, and can be accessed from the sea. These act like underwater entrances to caves, often large ravines. When lit by lava, they allow the Player The Player Health points 20 () Armor points Varies Attack strength Fist: 1 () Items: Varies Size Height: 1.8 Blocks Width: 0.6 Blocks While sneaking: Height: 1.65 Blocks Width: 0.6 Blocks While gliding: Height: 0.6 to see them from the surface of the ocean.
Since caves usually generate specifically to avoid water, true sea-access caves are rare and most are formed by gravity blocks collapsing inside.
Water lakes
Found in every part of the world, underground water Water Transparency Partial (-2 to light) Luminance No Blast resistance 500 (Flowing) 500 (Still) Tool Renewable Yes Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Water dec: 08 hex: 8 bin: 1000 Still Water dec: 09 hex: 9 bin: 1001 lakes are the most common type of lake. Water lakes may occur anywhere from a mere 1-20 blocks below the surface, all the way to bedrock Bedrock Transparency No Luminance No Blast resistance 18,000,000 Tool None Renewable No Stackable Yes (64) Flammable No Drops None Data value dec: 07 hex: 7 bin: 111 Name bedrock Bedrock is a block, indestructible by survival means. Contents .
Lava lakes
These type of lakes are most often found in large caves deep underground, although they may rarely appear on the surface. Though lava lakes can be extremely dangerous, if you have a bucket of water on hand, dousing lava lakes can be a quick and easy method of obtaining obsidian.
Video
History
| Classic | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.24_06 | Caves are longer and more narrow. | ||||
| The deeper underground you go, the bigger the caves are. | |||||
| Indev | |||||
| Jan. 22, 2010 | Caves are no longer filled with water Water Transparency Partial (-2 to light) Luminance No Blast resistance 500 (Flowing) 500 (Still) Tool Renewable Yes Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Water dec: 08 hex: 8 bin: 1000 Still Water dec: 09 hex: 9 bin: 1001 as often. | ||||
| Infdev | |||||
| Jun. 16, 2010 | Caves are now clustered instead of random. | ||||
| Jun. 17, 2010 | Caves have 1⃢₀ₓ5 exits, enabling multiple escapes. Caves are now so clustered that a cave could be described as "Swiss cheese". More water and lava Lava Transparency Yes Luminance Yes, 15 Blast resistance 500 Tool Renewable No Stackable N/A Flammable No Drops None Data values Flowing Lava dec: 10 hex: A bin: 1010 Still Lava dec: 11 hex: B bin: 1011 Name Flowing Lava flowing_lava Still springs in caves. Tunnels have a wider variety of thickness. Gravel and dirt can now be found in caves. | ||||
| Alpha | |||||
| 1.0.3 | Caves now have ambient noises such as moans and train whistles. | ||||
| 1.2.6 | Pools of water and lava can now be found in caves. | ||||
| Beta | |||||
| 1.2 | Ores can now be found more often on the walls of caves. | ||||
| Official release | |||||
| 1.4.2 | 12w38a | Bats added, and are the only passive mob to spawn in dark caves. | |||
| 12w38b | New cave sounds added. | ||||
| 1.7.2 | 13w36a | Cave generation tweaked, making caves less dense and interconnected. | |||
| 1.8 | 14w02a | Caves now generate with granite, diorite, and andesite below Y:80, in a similar abundance to gravel or dirt. | |||
| 14w20a | Caves now generate on the surface of desert, mesa, mega taiga and mushroom biomes. | ||||
| 14w32a | Caves surfacing in mesa biomes now generate with red sandstone rather than sandstone. | ||||
| 1.10 | 16w20a | Caves now no longer generate with sandstone in the ceiling, when they surface through sand of any type. The sand will instead show unstable sand particles, until it is disturbed. | |||
| Pocket Edition Alpha | |||||
| 0.9.0 | build 1 | Added caves. | |||
| Console Edition | |||||
| TU1 | CU1 | 1.0 | Patch 1 | Added caves. | |
Issues
Issues relating to ⃢₀ₜCave⃢₀ are maintained on the issue tracker. Report issues there.
Gallery
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A cave in early Classic.
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A cave in Classic 0.30.
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A wormhole entrance in Beta 1.3.
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A pit between a desert and a plains biome.
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A cave with all seven types of ore.
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A giant entrance generated on a mesa biome.
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A cave generated near the surface of a jungle biome, causing vines to grow on its wall.
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A ravine that runs beneath a village.
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Various ores.
Caverns
First Appearance Classic citationℂ₂₠needed
Found in Surface to bedrock
Blocks found here Stone, Ores, Lava, and Water
Rarity Very common
Depending on their elevation, Caverns can contain any type of Ore Vein. However, Ore is mostly found in the larger caverns. Hostile mobs often spawn in Caverns which can make caverns dangerous places to explore if one is unprepared.
Contents
showSmall Caverns
Small Caverns, or Caves, are usually found close to the surface. Due to their proximity to the surface, only Coal Ore and sometimes, Iron Ore can be commonly found in them, while other Ore is rarely found.
Medium Caverns
Medium Caverns are usually twice the size of small caverns. They form deeper underground, and they usually contain more types of Ore than their smaller counterparts. Most Medium Caverns are guaranteed of containing both Coal Ore and Iron Ore.
Large Caverns
Large Caverns are rarer than the other types of caverns, and they can be found deep underground. They can contain all types of ore. They usually contain large, circular rooms, or long, wide, tunnel-like ravines. They may also intersect Abandoned Mine Shafts or other Caves. They can be spread in-between multiple Biomes, and they can (and often) contain multiple entrances.
Open-top Cavern
Here is an Open Cavern under a Jungle Biome, with many vines hanging downward into it.
Open-top Caverns, or Ravines, are tall, thin caves with the distinguishing feature of having an opening to the surface at the top which basically makes them Ravines with caves underneath them.
Tunnels
Tunnels are Caverns that connect two or more entrances. They seldom contain Ore, and they are shorter and smaller than the Small Caverns. Usually, on the x and z-axis in the game, Tunnels are diagonally positioned.
Hillside Depressions
Hillside Depressions are common caverns that feature a small, naturally generated hole on the side of a steep slope or cliff-face, usually found in the Extreme Hills Biome. They are much smaller than either Small Caverns or Tunnels, and as a result they rarely contain Ore, and can only contain up to only Coal Ore.
Exploration Tips
- Larger caverns usually have an abundance of ore. Remember to bring the materials to build multiple pickaxes or bring more than two.
- If the player mines out all the ore in a catacomb, try to "cut" it off using a transparent block (such as Fences). If ambience is still heard or Mobs are still spawning, there may be a section that wasn`t explored yet.
- Alternately, if one decides to make use of the naturally-generated Cavern as a base, torches can be used to illuminate the cave and prevent hostile mobs from spawning.
- Carry extra torches, greater than one stack. One never knows how big a Cavern is.
- Wear at least Iron armor, even on peaceful, due to the dangers of Lava. Feather-falling enchantments will also help.
- Bring at least one bucket of water. This can make retrieving Ore (such as Diamond ) over Lava much easier, and it will make cavern exploration safer, in general.
- The player can get lost rather easily in Caverns. Leaving markers, such as torches, is a good way to prevent this.
- As cavern catacombs can often branch off in many different directions, it is a good tactic to place torches on only the left (or right) side of the cavern wall.
- "Refining" the shape of the caves encountered can help prevent the player from getting lost since they will look less random.
- Keep the inventory as empty as possible since it will allow the player to mine more resources with fewer drop-off trips.
- Hostile Mobs are numerous in Caverns, so always have a Sword ready - preferably a Stone Sword or better.
- To an extent, one can use Creepers in caves to help find more Ore as their explosion may reveal a hidden pocket. However, it is dangerous and armor may be necessary.
- Wood is hard to come by in Caverns (unless one finds an Abandoned Mineshaft). Make sure to pack plenty of it before exploring.
- Bring milk in case an Abandoned Mineshaft is encountered. There are almost always Cave Spiders lurking inside these structures.
- Bring a lot of food! Starving to death in a Cavern and losing all of the collected minerals isn`t the best way to go.
- If the player is mining Obsidian, make sure there isn`t Lava under it to prevent either losing the block or falling into the Lava.
- Bring or use cheap blocks (such as Dirt) to make bridges across lava pools, gaps, or ravines.
- Always exercise caution when exploring a Cavern, especially Ravines, as the player is prone to falling to their death through a gap in the floor.
