Staircase Mining in Minecraft - For Dummies

In the staircase method of mining in Minecraft, you dig deeply and quickly to search for caves, find a suitable spot for a branch mine, search for minerals en route to destinations, or simply build an attractive staircase.

Descend only 1 block at a time, or else you can’t get back up. The figure shows a staircase, which requires a minimal amount of work.

Craft stair blocks to make the staircase’s ascension less taxing. (Remember, your character becomes hungry when jumping.) Raise the ceiling of the staircase to make your descent faster and less cramped.

If you build a shelter on your first night, you can simply begin a staircase mine descending below your house. If you build this way, mobs cannot get in easily. However, they can still spawn unless you use torches, so make sure to create enough sticks and charcoal before your first night begins.

Many players build a staircase mine to Level 5 or Level 12 because those are the most diamond-rich levels. At that point, you would build a branch mine. However, you might encounter a cave before you reach those levels. You need to immediately light up the caves and kill the mobs within. Caves are usually the most ore rich, so do not miss the opportunity.