Ore Uses

This page lists various ores and possible uses for it. Generally the ore is listed in the earliest to reach location.

Processing Tips (provided by some dumbass on Discord)

• If you want the 1st byproduct the most, do pulverizer -> pulverizer again -> centrifuge
• If you want the 2nd byproduct, do pulverizer -> washer -> pulverizer -> centrifuge
• If you want the 3rd byproduct, do pulverizer -> washer -> thermal centrifuge -> pulverizer
• If you want to chemical bath it, do pulverizer -> chemical bath -> pulverizer -> centrifuge
• If the ore is a plain element, to obtain the most of it, do pulverizer -> washer -> thermal centrifuge -> smelt
• If a processed metal ore has an EBF recipe, that is the most efficient way to get the metal. Single element ores don't have EBF recipes.
• If it is a compound and you want most of the main material do pulverizer -> washer -> thermal centrifuge -> pulverizer -> smelt/EBF

Dimensions

bold signifies the main ore of a vein.

"BF" signifies an ore can be smelted in either a bricked blast furnace or electric blast furnace, EBF signifies that an ore can only be processed in an electric blast furnace.

Note that these are merely the first dimension that a vein can spawn in, most veins spawn in several dimensions.

This is not a complete list. This list includes all the important veins, but some may be left out, feel free to add them if you know them.

Overworld

Aluminum Gravel

Not a true vein. Main early game (pre MV) source of aluminium. Only byproduct is bauxite, which provides H2, O2, more aluminium, and tiny amounts of rutile (TiO2). Found scattered around the world (on the surface) in small deposits of 1-8 gravel ores. Mined with a shovel. Requires an EBF to turn into aluminium ingots. Can be turned into Raw Aluminum in the Tinker's Smeltery.

Coal Vein & Lignite Coal Vein

It is necessary to find and dig this vein first, for it is the only way to make torches before you can produce charcoal. Coal vein has a lower height so it is more common.

Coal- The only source of coal. Provides double the standard yields. Provides lignite and thorium as byproducts. Can be smelted or forge hammered directly into coal, or macerated and processed into coal dust. Also found in graphite veins.

• (Steam) Change coal to coke in the coke oven. This is a main material to make steel.
• (LV) You also need some coal dusts to make resisters for your circuits.
• (MV) Provide carbon dusts by electrolysis. Coal dust is also required by many alloys, especially in Ender IO.
• (HV) Rocket needs some coal blocks.

Lignite Coal

Provides coal dust as byproduct. Lignite can only be used in furnaces, boilers, or a coal jetpack. Not very useful.

Chalcopyrite Vein

The second vein you need to dig, for it provides copper and iron mainly.

Chalcopyrite- Main source of copper. Provides gold in a chemical bath, pyrite(iron), cobalt, and cadmium as processing byproducts. BF recipe requires SiO2, sand, or glass dust and grants ferrosilite (source of iron, silicon, and O2) as well as copper.

Copper- Found in chalcopyrite veins. Source of copper. Provides gold in a chemical bath, cobalt and gold as processing byproducts. No BF recipe, smelts directly into copper ingots.

Pyrite- Found in chalcopyrite and sulfur veins. Provides sulfur and phosphorus as byproducts. BF recipe makes iron ingots.

Iron- Found in chalcopyrite veins. Provides nickel in a chemical bath, tin and nickel as byproducts. No BF recipe, smelts into iron ingots.

Brown Limonite Vein

Another choice for your second vein. It also provides copper and iron. Also, it is a good source to get oxygen and hydrogen in the early stage.

Brown Limonite Ore & Yellow Limonite Ore- Source of iron.

• (LV) Brown limonite dust and yellow limonite dust can be centrifuged into iron dust, hydrogen and oxygen.

Banded Iron Ore- Source of iron.

• (MV) Provide oxygen by electrolysis.

Malachite Ore- Source of copper.

Cassiterite Vein

Your third one. Provide tin.

Cassiterite Sand- One of the main sources of tin. More common than tin veins. Provides double yields. Provides tin as byproduct. Electrolyzes into tin and O2, or makes tin ingots in a BF. Very efficient source of O2, providing 2 cells of O2 and one tin dust per unit.

Garnet Sand- Spawns in cassiterite sand veins. Provides red and yellow garnet as byproducts. Centrifuges into red and yellow garnet, but cannot be made into gemstones, only dust.

Asbestos- Spawns in cassiterite sand veins. Provides itself, silicon, and magnesium as byproducts. Centrifuges into magnesium, silicon, O2, and H2.

• (Optional in LV, essential in HV) Used in heating coils for the EBF.

Diatomite- Spawns in cassiterite sand veins. Provides banded iron and sapphire as byproducts. Centrifuges into flint, banded iron, and sapphire dusts.

Tin Vein

Also provide tin.

Tin- One of the main sources of tin. Only spawns above Y=60, so quite rare. Provides iron as byproduct. No BF recipe, smelts directly into tin.

Cassiterite- Spawns in tin veins. Good source of O2 and tin. Not to be confused with cassiterite sand, which is a separate vein. Provides double yield. Electrolyzes into tin and O2, or smelts to tin in a BF. Very efficient source of O2, providing 2 cells of O2 and one tin dust per unit. Also spawns in mica veins.

Magnetite Vein

Notice There are two kinds of magnetite vein. One has gold ore and the other has iron ore. Be careful.

Magnetite- One of the main sources of iron. Provides gold in a chemical bath, iron and gold as byproducts. BF recipe makes iron ingots.

Gold- Found in magnetite veins. Main source of gold. Provides more gold or copper in a chemical bath. Copper and nickel as byproducts. No BF recipe, smelts directly into gold ingots.

Vanadium Magnetite- Found in magnetite veins. Main source of vanadium. Vanadium and magnetite as byproducts. Processed vanadium magnetite dust centrifuges into vanadium and magnetite.

• (MV) Vanadium steel (made of vanadium, steel and chrome) is a good material for your tools.

Redstone Vein

Redstone- Only source of redstone. Provides 5x yields. Provides cinnabar and rare earth as byproducts. Can be processed directly to redstone dust in a SAG mill. Can be centrifuged into silicon, pyrite, ruby, and mercury.

Ruby- Found in redstone veins. Only source of chrome until the Moon. Provides chrome and red garnet as byproducts. Can be smelted, forge hammered, or SAG milled to obtain gems, otherwise it will give dust. Dust electrolytes to chrome, O2, and aluminium.

• (HV) If you need to maximize the output of chrome, do pulverizer(HV) -> washer -> pulverizer(HV) -> centrifuge. Do not use sifter.

Cinnabar- Found in redstone veins. Good source of mercury. Provides redstone and sulfur as byproducts. Can be centrifuged into mercury and sulfur or smelted into quicksilver.

Lazurite Vein

Lapis- Provides 6x yields. Provides sodalite, lazurite, and pyrite as byproducts. Works as blue dye. Centrifuges into lazurite, sodalite, pyrite, and calcite.

Lazurite- Spawns in lapis veins. Provides 6x yields. Provides sodalite and lapis as byproducts. Works as blue dye. Electrolyzes into alumina, silicon dioxide, calcium, and sodium.

• (MV) A good choice for aluminium, if you get tired of digging hardened clay.

Sodalite- Spawns in lapis veins. Provides 6x yields. Provides lapis and lazurite as byproducts. Works as blue dye. Electrolyzes into aluminium, raw silicon, sodium, and chlorine.

Calcite- Spawns in lapis veins. Provides andradite and malachite as byproducts. Used in concrete. Electrolyzes into calcium, carbon, and O2.

• (Steam) Required to create a BBF (bricked blast furnace).
• (HV) Used in concrete and wet concrete. wet concrete is required by Cleanroom, Implosion compressor and NASA Workbench.

Basaltic Mineral Vein

Basaltic Mineral Sand- Source of iron. Provides basalt and magnetite as byproducts. Centrifuges into magnetite and basalt, or BF to iron ingots.

Granitic Mineral Sand- Spawns in mineral sand veins. Provides granite and magnetite as byproducts. Centrifuges into magnetite and granite, or BF to iron ingots.

Fullers Earth- Spawns in mineral sand veins. Provides aluminium, silicon, and magnesium as byproducts. Electrolyzes into magnesium, silicon, water, oxygen, and hydrogen.

Gypsum- Spawns in mineral sand veins. Provides itself as its byproduct. Required for a BBF. Electrolyzes into calcium, sulfur, O2, and water.

• (Steam) Required to create a BBF (bricked blast furnace).

Graphite Vein

Graphite- Provides carbon as byproduct. Electrolyzes into carbon, or turned into graphene.

• (LV) Required by arc furnace, very tiny amount, one dust per machine.

Diamond- Spawns in graphite veins. Provides graphite as byproduct. Can be smelted or SAG milled into diamonds, sifted to get more gemstones, processed into dust, or electrolyzed for lots of carbon.

Kyanite Vein

Mica- Very rare. Provides itself as byproduct. Can be electrolyzed for potassium, aluminium, silicon, O2, and fluorine.

• (Optional in LV, essential in HV) Used in heating coils for the EBF.

Kyanite- Spawns in mica veins. Provides itself as byproduct. Can be electrolyzed for aluminium, silicon, and O2.

Pollucite- Spawns in mica veins. Provides cesium, aluminium, and rubidium as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed for cesium, aluminium, silicon, O2, and water.

Rock Salt Vein

Salt- Provides 2x yields. Provides rock salt and borax as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed for sodium and chlorine.

• (Stone) Used for cooking.
• (MV) Borax is required by volume, but volume is optional. Salt is used to produce sodium persulfate, which is required by high-tier circuit.
• There is no need to use salt to get sodium by electrolysis in HV, for you can get tons of it from clay and sodium is not consumed too much.

Rock salt- Spawns in salt veins. Provides 2x yields. Provides salt and borax as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed for potassium and chlorine.

• (HV) Sodium and potassium are required by HV energy hatch if you do not have enough helium. Electrolyzing rock salt is a good choice to get potassium and chlorine. Chlorine is required by PTFE (required by Large chemical reactor and Ender fluid conductor) and PVE.

Lepidolite- Spawns in salt veins. Provides lithium and cesium as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into potassium, lithium, aluminium, O2, and fluorine.

• (LV) The only way to get lithium before MV.
• (HV) Fluorine is required by PTFE (required by Large chemical reactor).

Spodumene- Provides lithium, aluminium and oxygen.

Apatite Vein

Apatite

• (HV) Used to produce phosphoric acid.(Notice This recipe do not have a LCR version.) Phosphoric acid is on the way to cetane-boosted diesel.

Grossular Vein

Tantalite- Source of tantalum. Provides manganese, niobium, and tantalum as byproducts. Electrolyzes into O2, manganese, and tantalum.

• (MV) Tantalum and manganese are required by Ender IO's capacitor.
• (HV) Tantaum can be used for SMD capacitor. Manganese is used for stainless steel.

Grossular- Spawns in tantalite veins. Provides yellow garnet and calcium as byproducts.Electrolyzes into calcium, aluminium, silicon, and O2.

Spessartine- Spawns in tantalite veins. Provides red garnet and manganese as byproducts. Electrolyzes into aluminium, manganese, silicon, and O2.

Pyrolusite- Spawns in tantalite veins. Provides manganese, tantalite, and niobium. Electrolyzes into manganese and O2.

Oilsands Vein

Full of oilsands. Can be centrifuged to get heavy oil, which provides much more heavy fuel.

Nether

Notice Many veins spawning in Overworld spawn in Nether as well. The output of the ore in Nether version is twice than normal version. As a result, it is recommended to collect them in Nether rather than Overworld, especially after you have some miners.

Sulfur Vein

Sulfur- Needed for rubber production. Provides itself as byproduct.

Sphalerite- Spawns in sulfur veins. Only source of gallium until moon. Provides sulfur, cadmium, and gallium as byproducts. Yields zinc in a chemical bath. Can be electrolyzed to get zinc, sulfur, and a small amount of gallium, or BF into zinc.

• (LV) Source of gallium
• The only source to get indium in early stage.

Tetrahedrite Vein

TBD

Quartzite Vein

TBD

Beryllium Vein

Beryllium- Provides emerald dust as byproduct. No BF recipe, smelts directly to beryllium.

Emerald- Spawns in beryllium veins. Can be smelted, SAG milled, or forge hammered to get emeralds. Can be sifted for more gemstones. Provides beryllium and aluminium as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into beryllium, aluminium, silicon, and O2.

Thorium- Spawns in beryllium veins. Provides uranium 238 and lead as byproducts. No BF recipe, smelts directly into thorium. Can be used in nuclear reactors.

Saltpeter Vein

TBD

Nether Quartz Vein

Nether Quartz- Spawns in a vein all by itself. Provides netherrack as byproduct. Provides 2x yields. Can be smelted or forge hammered to get nether quartz, processing will yield dust.

Twilight Forest

Galena Vein

Tips Getting silver in these ores in a chemical bath is efficient for its high possibility (99%).

Galena- Main source of lead. Provides sulfur, silver, and lead as byproducts. Yields silver in a chemical bath. Can be smelted directly into lead or BF to get more lead.

• The only source to get indium.

Lead- Spawns in galena veins. Provides silver and sulfur as byproducts. Yields silver in a chemical bath. Smelts directly to lead.

Silver- Spawns in galena veins. Provides lead and sulfur as byproducts. Yields silver in a chemical bath. Smelts directly to silver.

Perditio Infused Stone & Terra Infused Stone & Aqua Infused Stone Vein

Infused Stone- There are six types of infused stone. Each type corresponds to one type of Thaumcraft shard. All infused stones have 2x yield, and can be smelted or forge hammered to get shards, or pulverized to get crystal dust. Each type yields its own crystal dust as a byproduct. There are three separate infused stone veins, each of which has 2 of the 6 types of shards as well as amber and cinnabar.

Amber- Spawns in all types of infused stone veins. Can be forge hammered or smelted directly to amber, processing will yield amber dust. Provides amber as byproduct.

Almandine Vein

Sapphire- Can be smelted, SAG milled, or forge hammered to get sapphires. Can be sifted to get more gemstones. Provides aluminium and green sapphire as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into aluminium and O2.

Green Sapphire- Spawns in sapphire veins. Can be smelted, SAG milled, or forge hammered to get green sapphires. Can be sifted to get more gemstones. Provides aluminium and sapphire as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into aluminium and O2.

Pyrope- Spawns in sapphire veins. Provides red garnet and magnesium as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into aluminium, magnesium, silicon, and O2.

Almandine- Spawns in sapphire veins. Provides red garnet and aluminium as byproducts. Can be electrolyzed into aluminium, iron, silicon, and O2.

Garnierite Vein

Nickel- Provides cobalt, platinum and iron as byproducts. Yields platinum or nickel in a chemical bath. Can be smelted directly into nickel.

Pentlandite- Spawns in nickel veins. Provides iron, sulfur, and cobalt as byproducts.Yields cobalt in a chemical bath. Can be smelted directly into nickel, electrolyzed into nickel and sulfur, or made into nickel in a BF.

Garnierite- Spawns in nickel veins. Provides nickel as its byproduct. Yields nickel in a chemical bath. Can be smelted directly into nickel, electrolyzed into nickel and O2, or made into nickel in a BF.

Cobaltite- Spawns in nickel veins. Great source of arsenic and cobalt. Provides cobalt as its byproduct. Yields cobaltite in a chemical bath. Can be electrolyzed into cobalt, arsenic, and sulfur, or put in an EBF to get arsenic and cobalt ingots.

The Moon

Bauxite Vein

Bauxite- Good source of aluminium. Source of titanium, though titanium ore is better. Provides grossular, rutile, and gallium as its byproducts. Can be electrolyzed to get rutile, aluminium, O2, and hydrogen.

Aluminium- Spawns in bauxite veins. Good source of aluminium. Provides bauxite as its byproduct. Can be smelted in an EBF to get aluminium ingots.

Ilmenite- Spawns in bauxite veins. Source of titanium, though titanium ore is better. Provides iron and rutile as byproducts. Can be smelted to 4 nuggets of wrought iron and 4 tiny piles of rutile in an EBF.

Ilmenite Vein

Ilmenite-

Chromite- Spawns in ilmenite veins. Best source of chrome for its tier. Provides iron and magnesium as its byproducts. Electrolyzes into iron, chrome, and O2.

Uvarovite- Spawns in ilmenite veins. Provides yellow garnet and chrome as its byproducts. Electrolyzes into calcium, chrome, silicon, and O2.

Perlite- Spawns in ilmenite veins. Provides perlite as its byproduct. Centrifuges into obsidian dust and water.

Useful Non-Ores

This is a list of materials that, though not ores, have useful byproducts.

• Hardened Clay- Found in mesas and on mountaintops, and under the ground in canyon biomes. Can be pulverized into clay dust, which can be electrolyzed into water, aluminium, lithium, sodium, and silicon.
• Stone Dust- From cobblestone. Centrifuges into quartzite, potassium feldspar, marble, biotite, metal mixture, and sodalite.
• Metal Mixture- From stone dust. Can be centrifuged into banded iron, bauxite, pyrolusite, barite, chromite, and ilmenite.
• Rare Earth- From redstone ore, among others. Can be centrifuged into neodymium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, cadmium, and caesium.
• Marble- In deposits underground. Centrifuges into magnesium and calcite.
• Black Granite- In deposits underground. Provides processing byproducts of thorium and biotite. Centrifuges into SiO2 and biotite.
• Red Granite- In deposits underground. Provides processing byproducts of uranium and potassium feldspar. Centrifuges into aluminium, potassium feldspar, and O2.
• Basalt- In deposits underground. Provides 9x dust per block. Centrifuges into olivine, calcite, flint, and dark ashes.
• Netherrack- In the nether. Provides processing byproducts of gold and sulfur. Centrifuges into redstone, sulfur, coal, and gold.
• End Stone- In the end. Provides processing byproducts of tungstate and helium-3. Centrifuges into tungstate, platinum, sand, and helium.
• Moon Stone- On the moon. Provides processing byproduct of SiO2. Centrifuges into SiO2, manganese, olivine, rare earth, platinum, and tungstate.