A pickaxe is a tool used to mine stone-type blocks and ores in any Minecraft world. They are required to gather stone resources for crafting and building, as well as gathering mineral resources such as iron ore and coal. Pickaxes can be used to gather any other blocks, but they aren't as effective as the preferred tool type (e.g. using a pickaxe to break dirt). As with all types of tools, there are various types of enchantments available for the pickaxe. The pickaxe is the tool that deals the third-highest amount of damage when compared to other tools.
Types[]
Listed from lowest mining strength to highest, the materials are:
Crafting[]
Wooden Pickaxe | Gold Pickaxe | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wood Planks | Wood Planks | Wood Planks | Gold Ingot | Gold Ingot | Gold Ingot | |
None | Stick | None | None | Stick | None | |
None | Stick | None | None | Stick | None |
Stone Pickaxe | Iron Pickaxe | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cobblestone | Cobblestone | Cobblestone | Iron Ingot | Iron Ingot | Iron Ingot | |
None | Stick | None | None | Stick | None | |
None | Stick | None | None | Stick | None |
Diamond Pickaxe | ||
---|---|---|
Diamond | Diamond | Diamond |
None | Stick | None |
None | Stick | None |
Speed[]
If a pickaxe is the recommended tool for the current block being broken, the mining speed is increased as shown below:
Wood | Stone | Iron | Diamond | Netherite | Gold |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2× | 4× | 6× | 8× | 9× | 12× |
If the wrong tier pickaxe is used to mine a block, the mining speed is decreased by 70%.
The following table shows the time it takes to break each block.
- A red background indicates that the block cannot be harvested with that type of pickaxe.
- A yellow background indicates that the block cannot be harvested normally, but the breaking speed is still faster.
- A green background indicates that the block can be harvested with that type of pickaxe.
Block | Hardness | Tool | Breaking time (seconds) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Default | Wood | Stone | Iron | Diamond | Netherite | Gold | |||
Ender Chest | 22.5 | 112.5 | 16.9 | 8.45 | 5.65 | 4.25 | 3.75 | 2.85 | |
Anvil | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Block of Coal | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Block of Diamond | 5 | 25 | 12.5 | 6.25 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 2.1 | |
Block of Emerald | 5 | 25 | 12.5 | 6.25 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 2.1 | |
Block of Iron | 5 | 25 | 12.5 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 2.1 | |
Block of Redstone | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Enchantment Table | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Iron Bars | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Iron Door | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Iron Trapdoor | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Spawner | 5 | 25 | 3.75 | 1.9 | 1.25 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.65 | |
Dispenser | 3.5 | 17.5 | 2.65 | 1.35 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.45 | |
Dropper | 3.5 | 17.5 | 2.65 | 1.35 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.45 | |
Furnace | 3.5 | 17.5 | 2.65 | 1.35 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.45 | |
Block of Gold | 3 | 15 | 7.5 | 3.75 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.25 | |
Coal Ore | 3 | 15 | 2.25 | 1.15 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | |
End Stone | 3 | 15 | 2.25 | 1.15 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | |
Hopper | 3 | 15 | 2.25 | 1.15 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | |
Lapis Lazuli Block | 3 | 15 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.25 | |
Nether Quartz Ore | 3 | 15 | 2.25 | 1.15 | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | |
Blue Ice | 2.8 | 4.2 | 2.1 | 1.05 | 0.7 | 0.55 | 0.5 | 0.35 | |
Brick | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Brick Stairs | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Cauldron | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Cobblestone | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Cobblestone Stairs | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Cobblestone Wall | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Mossy Cobblestone | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Nether Brick | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Nether Brick Fence | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Nether Brick Stairs | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Shulker Box | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Slabs(non-wooden) | 2 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
Concrete | 1.8 | 9 | 1.35 | 0.7 | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.25 | |
Andesite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Dark Prismarine | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Diorite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Granite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Polished Andesite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Polished Diorite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Polished Granite | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Prismarine | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Prismarine Brick | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Smooth Stone | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Stone | 1.5 | 7.5 | 1.15 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Glazed Terracotta | 1.4 | 7 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Terracotta | 1.25 | 6.25 | 0.95 | 0.5 | 0.35 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.2 | |
Block of Quartz | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Quartz Stairs | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Red Sandstone | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Red Sandstone Stairs | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Sandstone | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Sandstone Stairs | 0.8 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Activator Rail | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Detector Rail | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Powered Rail | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Rail | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.1 | |
Brewing Stand | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
Frosted Ice | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
Ice | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
Packed Ice | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
Weighted Pressure Plates | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
Netherrack | 0.4 | 2 | 0.3 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.05 |
Obtaining via Commands[]
Players can obtain pickaxes via commands, as long as they have cheats enabled on their game/server.
- Wooden Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] wooden_pickaxe [qty of item]
- Stone Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] stone_pickaxe [qty of item]
- Iron Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] iron_pickaxe [qty of item]
- Gold Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] gold_pickaxe [qty of item]
- Diamond Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] diamond_pickaxe [qty of item]
- Netherite Pickaxe =
/give [PlayerName] netherite_pickaxe [qty of item]
Trivia[]
- In abandoned mineshafts, villages, and strongholds, iron pickaxes can be found inside chests. Bonus chests often have wooden pickaxes and sometimes stone pickaxes, while End Cities may contain enchanted iron and diamond pickaxes. The newly added bastion remnant structure may contain enchanted diamond and golden pickaxes.
- All blocks can be mined with a pickaxe, except for air, bedrock, barriers, and end portal frames, which cannot be mined. The speed and efficiency of any type of block or ore to be mined depend on the type of pickaxe being used.
- There is a rare glitch where, when a pickaxe breaks, it will instantly re-appear in one's inventory. This can be fixed by simply quitting the map, and then re-opening it.
- A pickaxe is one of the most familiar weapons/tools for a player. Another common tool for a player is the sword.
- Pickaxes are renewable because wood, gold, and iron are all renewable, and one can obtain multiple pickaxes through trading with villagers.
- A gold pickaxe has the fastest mining speed, but its durability is low makes other materials preferred.