Redstone Ore
minecraft:redstone_oreRedstone Ore generates throughout the Overworld from bedrock up to around Y=15, with denser veins deeper underground, and also appears as Deepslate Redstone Ore in stone-variant layers. Mining it with an iron pickaxe or better drops 4-5 redstone dust, boosted by Fortune, while Silk Touch recovers the ore block itself. When walked on or struck, the ore glows and sparks with red particles for a short time even though it isn't actually emitting a redstone signal, a quirk that catches many new players off guard.
FAQ
What tool do I need to mine Redstone Ore?
You need at least an iron pickaxe to break Redstone Ore and collect its drops; lower-tier pickaxes will not drop anything.
Why does Redstone Ore glow when I touch it?
Touching or mining Redstone Ore triggers a temporary lit state with red particles and a light level of 9 for roughly 68 seconds, even though the block itself is not powering anything.
Does Fortune increase Redstone Ore drops?
Yes. A normal break yields 4-5 redstone dust, while Fortune III can increase that to as many as 8 dust per ore block.
Can I get the ore block itself instead of dust?
Mining Redstone Ore with a Silk Touch enchanted tool drops the ore block itself rather than redstone dust.