Minecraft copper – here’s what you can do with the new block

What is copper in Minecraft? Yes, we have a brand new resource to play with, which you can smelt, wield, and craft until your heart desires. The new material arrives in the upcoming Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update and as part of Mojang’s promise to the community to spruce up the cave and mountain system.

As well as copper, the upcoming update will also add new Minecraft mobs such as adorable mountain goats, sweet little Axolotls, and The Warden – a blind monster mob found lurking in your newly excavated caves. For everything we know about the update, check out our guide to the Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs release date, how the new cave system works, and of course the biomes themselves.

It also has a fun quirk that veteran players will adore, in that copper turns green overtime as it’s naturally exposed to the elements, so long term players can celebrate their turquoise trophies. Or passing players can marvel at your greening Minecraft house – or whatever you decide to build with copper in Minecraft.

How does copper in Minecraft work?

Copper ore can be mined underground from ore veins and work similarly to other metal ores when dropped and broken. Mining copper requires at least a stone pickaxe or harder to harvest the ore.

You can also find copper in Deepslate copper ore, which is more difficult to break. You can smelt down your ores using a Minecraft blast furnace, to create ingots for crafting.

What can I do with copper in Minecraft?

You can use copper to make an industrial-style material for creative new Minecraft builds like factories or for getting an oxidised copper look over time. Copper can also be used to craft lightning rods. These are semi-defensive objects that can be placed on top of buildings or high areas, and will attract lightning to hit them.

This ensures that lightning from thunderstorms will not damage your wooden buildings, as without the lightning rod, any wayward bolt of lightning will burn wooden buildings to the ground. You may need to place the lightning rod on top of a stone block to earth the electricity. When lightning strikes the rod, it can trigger a redstone signal.

Related: Take a look at the best free games like Minecraft

The other key item you can create using copper in Minecraft is a spyglass. Crafting a spyglass requires two copper ingots and one Minecraft amethyst shard – amethyst is another item that will be introduced in the Caves and Cliffs updates. The spyglass can be used to zoom in and focus on a specific point in your field of view. Your walking speed slows down while looking down the lens.

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