Minecraft introduces players to a variety of ores, all of which can be mined for unique uses such as building or creating armor and weapons. However, not every material is as useful as players might hope, and some ores are more pointless than others.
The topic regarding the most useless ore in Minecraft has been extensively debated by fans, with many citing gold as the least helpful material. Others argue that lapis lazuli has no real function outside of enchanting, making it easy to stockpile with little actual usage. While some ores such as iron and diamond are necessary staples of the Minecraft gameplay experience - serving as powerful upgrades for the player's tools and armor - others aren't so clear-cut in their usage. Frequent updates to Minecraft also makes the topic of ores an ever-changing discussion.
Minecraft's upcoming Caves & Cliffs update adds several new materials into the game, including new ore in the form of copper. Caves & Cliffs, which releases in two parts throughout 2021, will also introduce new ore textures to the game. Improved cave generation will also provide fans with exciting new mining experiences. The first half of the Caves & Cliffs update will reportedly be released in the summer with the latter half coming out near the holiday season.
Why Minecraft's Most Useless Ore Is Emerald
Mining isn't the only way for players to obtain ore. Some ores can be found in chests located in villages or shipwrecks, as well as several other structures throughout Minecraft. But mining is the most reliable method of obtaining materials - for the most part. Natural generation of emerald ore in Minecraft is rare, even compared to materials such as diamonds. If players are looking to acquire a significant amount, they'd be best off trading with villagers, making mining for emeralds a relative waste of time. Blocks of emerald ore also only drop one emerald unless they are mined with a Fortune-enchanted pickaxe. These factors can make emerald unreliable to stumble upon unless players are located conveniently near a village.
Outside of serving as currency for villager trades, emerald also doesn't serve very much purpose in Minecraft. Players cannot craft weapons, tools, or armor out of it. Blocks of emerald can be used to power a beacon, but outside of this players will need to turn to Minecraft mods if they're looking for ways to utilize excessive amounts of emerald. Ultimately the scarcity of emerald ore and its limited number of uses make it not worth searching for while mining. Though many players will utilize the trading mechanic at some point in the game, this alone isn't enough to redeem emerald from its position as the most useless ore in Minecraft.