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Ores
  • Copper Ore Tin Ore Iron Ore Lead Ore Silver Ore Tungsten Ore Gold Ore Platinum Ore Meteorite Demonite Ore Crimtane Ore Obsidian Hellstone Cobalt Ore Palladium Ore Mythril Ore Orichalcum Ore Adamantite Ore Titanium Ore Chlorophyte Ore Luminite
Stack digit 9Stack digit 9Stack digit 9Stack digit 9
Statistics
Type
Placeable✔️
Use time10 (Very fast)
  • Internal Tile ID: 6-9, 22, 37, 56, 58, 107-108, 111, 166-169, 204, 211, 221-223, 408

Ores are primary crafting materials necessary for game progress. They generally must be crafted into bars at a Furnace, after which they can craft several essential tools, weapons, armor, and other items. Some items require raw ores themselves, most commonly bricks and potions. Raw ores can also be used as plain blocks for construction.

Ores are generally found as veins of placed blocks in the Underground layer and below, and are mined with a pickaxe or drill. Lower-tier ores can be found among Dirt near the surface, or within Floating Islands. Some ores are also dropped by bosses, namely Eye of Cthulhu, Eater of Worlds, Brain of Cthulhu, Ocram, and Moon Lord.

An Extractinator and Wooden Crates (from fishing) also provide ores as random rewards.

A world will generally only contain one ore type from each tier, which is chosen at random, for instance; one world may have Copper and Iron Ores, while another may have Copper and Lead Ores (see tables below). The alternate ore types which do not generate naturally in a world, can still be obtained by other means, such as crates, bonus drops, or loot from an Extractinator. Hardmode ore types are chosen at random as soon as the player destroys an Altar.

There are 21 / 20 different types of ores.

Types[]

Ore Rarity Sell

Copper Ore Copper Ore
Internal Item ID: 12
Rarity level: 0 50
Tin Ore Tin Ore
Internal Item ID: 699
Rarity level: 0 75
Iron Ore Iron Ore
Internal Item ID: 11
Rarity level: 0 1
Lead Ore Lead Ore
Internal Item ID: 700
Rarity level: 0 150
Silver Ore Silver Ore
Internal Item ID: 14
Rarity level: 0 150
2
Tungsten Ore Tungsten Ore
Internal Item ID: 701
Rarity level: 0 225
Gold Ore Gold Ore
Internal Item ID: 13
Rarity level: 0 3
Platinum Ore Platinum Ore
Internal Item ID: 702
Rarity level: 0 450
Meteorite Meteorite
Internal Item ID: 116
Rarity level: 0 2
Demonite Ore Demonite Ore
Internal Item ID: 56
Rarity level: 1 10
Crimtane Ore Crimtane Ore
Internal Item ID: 880
Rarity level: 1 13
Obsidian Obsidian
Internal Item ID: 173
Rarity level: 0 -
Hellstone Hellstone
Internal Item ID: 174
Rarity level: 2 250
Cobalt Ore Cobalt Ore
Internal Item ID: 364
Rarity level: 3 7
Palladium Ore Palladium Ore
Internal Item ID: 1104
Rarity level: 3 9
Mythril Ore Mythril Ore
Internal Item ID: 365
Rarity level: 3 11
Orichalcum Ore Orichalcum Ore
Internal Item ID: 1105
Rarity level: 3 13
Adamantite Ore Adamantite Ore
Internal Item ID: 366
Rarity level: 3 15
Titanium Ore Titanium Ore
Internal Item ID: 1106
Rarity level: 3 17
Chlorophyte Ore Chlorophyte Ore
Internal Item ID: 947
Rarity level: 7 15 / 6 / 50
Luminite Luminite
Internal Item ID: 3460
Rarity level: 10 30

Pre-Hardmode[]

Tier Ore types Minimum tools
required
Crafting Source
1 Copper Ore (placed) Copper OreCopper OreTin Ore (placed) Tin OreTin Ore Copper Pickaxe Tin Pickaxe Cactus Pickaxe 3 Copper Ore = Copper Bar
3 Tin Ore = Tin Bar
Surface, Underground, Cavern
2 Iron Ore (placed) Iron OreIron OreLead Ore (placed) Lead OreLead Ore Copper Pickaxe Tin Pickaxe Cactus Pickaxe 3 Iron Ore = Iron Bar
3 Lead Ore = Lead Bar
Surface, Underground, Cavern
3 Silver Ore (placed) Silver OreSilver OreTungsten Ore (placed) Tungsten OreTungsten Ore Copper Pickaxe Tin Pickaxe Cactus Pickaxe 4 Silver Ore = Silver Bar
4 Tungsten Ore = Tungsten Bar
Underground, Cavern, Floating Islands, Surface (rarely)
4 Gold Ore (placed) Gold OreGold OrePlatinum Ore (placed) Platinum OrePlatinum Ore Copper Pickaxe Tin Pickaxe Cactus Pickaxe 4 Gold Ore = Gold Bar
4 Platinum Ore = Platinum Bar
Underground, Cavern, Floating Islands, Surface (very rarely)
5 Meteorite (placed) MeteoriteMeteorite Tungsten Pickaxe Gold Pickaxe Platinum Pickaxe 3 Meteorite = Meteorite Bar Meteorite biome
6 Demonite Ore (placed) Demonite OreDemonite OreCrimtane Ore (placed) Crimtane OreCrimtane Ore Gold Pickaxe Platinum Pickaxe

Reaver Shark ()

Old-gen console versionWindows Phone versionNintendo 3DS version: 4 Demonite Ore = Demonite Bar
PC versionConsole versionMobile versiontModLoader versiontModLoader 1: 3 Demonite Ore = Demonite Bar

Old-gen console versionWindows Phone versionNintendo 3DS version: 4 Crimtane Ore = Crimtane Bar
PC versionConsole versionMobile versiontModLoader versiontModLoader 1: 3 Crimtane Ore = Crimtane Bar
Eye of Cthulhu, Underground, Cavern, Eater of Worlds (Demonite), Brain of Cthulhu (Crimtane)
7 Obsidian (placed) ObsidianObsidian Gold Pickaxe Platinum PickaxeReaver Shark() n/a Contact between water & lava
8 Hellstone (placed) HellstoneHellstone Nightmare Pickaxe Deathbringer Pickaxe

Reaver Shark ()

3 Hellstone + Obsidian = Hellstone Bar Underworld

Hardmode[]

Tier Ore types Minimum tools
required
Crafting Source
9 Cobalt Ore (placed) Cobalt OreCobalt OrePalladium Ore (placed) Palladium OrePalladium Ore Molten Pickaxe

Reaver Shark ()

3 Cobalt Ore = Cobalt Bar
3 Palladium Ore = Palladium Bar
Underground, Cavern
10 Mythril Ore (placed) Mythril OreMythril OreOrichalcum Ore (placed) Orichalcum OreOrichalcum Ore Cobalt Pickaxe Cobalt Drill Palladium Pickaxe Palladium Drill 4 Mythril Ore = Mythril Bar
4 Orichalcum Ore = Orichalcum Bar
Cavern
11 Adamantite Ore (placed) Adamantite OreAdamantite OreTitanium Ore (placed) Titanium OreTitanium Ore Mythril Pickaxe Mythril Drill Orichalcum Pickaxe Orichalcum Drill

Palladium Pickaxe Palladium Drill (Nintendo 3DS version)

Old-gen console versionWindows Phone versionNintendo 3DS versiontModLoader 1: 5 Adamantite Ore = Adamantite Bar
PC versionConsole versionMobile versiontModLoader version: 4 Adamantite Ore = Adamantite Bar

Old-gen console versionWindows Phone versionNintendo 3DS versiontModLoader 1: 5 Titanium Ore = Titanium Bar
PC versionConsole versionMobile versiontModLoader version: 4 Titanium Ore = Titanium Bar
Cavern (roughly at lava depth), Ocram (Adamantite only)
12 Chlorophyte Ore (placed) Chlorophyte OreChlorophyte Ore Pickaxe Axe Drax Old-gen console versionWindows Phone versionNintendo 3DS versiontModLoader 1: 6 Chlorophyte Ore = Chlorophyte Bar
PC versionConsole versionMobile versiontModLoader version: 5 Chlorophyte Ore = Chlorophyte Bar
Underground Jungle
13 Luminite (placed) LuminiteLuminite Copper Pickaxe Tin Pickaxe 4 Luminite = Luminite Bar Moon Lord

The first three tiers of Hardmode ores are spawned by destroying Demon/Crimson Altars, which requires a hammer with 80% hammer power or higher, e.g. the Pwnhammer. Chlorophyte Ore spawns on its own once Hardmode is triggered, though it cannot be mined before defeating all of the mechanical bosses, and Luminite does not occur naturally. Neither ores are affected by destroyed altars. This content is transcluded from Altars.

  1. First altar: Cobalt OreCobalt Ore or Palladium OrePalladium Ore, chosen randomly.
  2. Second altar: Mythril OreMythril Ore or Orichalcum OreOrichalcum Ore, chosen randomly.
  3. Third altar: Adamantite OreAdamantite Ore or Titanium OreTitanium Ore, chosen randomly.

Players will be able to find these new ores scattered across the Underground layer to near-Underworld levels, with them replacing most blocks created during world generation. They will spawn at random locations in varying quantity, in places explored and unexplored alike.

  • Destroying more altars will never spawn Hardmode ore types beyond the three that were randomly assigned to the world during the initial round of destroyed altars. A world with Palladium Ore deposits will never spawn Cobalt Ore deposits, or vice versa (with the exception of drunk worlds).
  • Which ores are generated is not determined until the first, second, or third altar is smashed. For example, it is not determined if the world has Cobalt or Palladium until the first altar has been smashed. The same goes for Mythril/Orichalcum with the second altar, and Adamantite/Titanium for the third.
  • Each time an altar is destroyed, there is a 66.67*2/3 (66.67%) chance that a single random Stone Block in the Cavern layer will be converted to Ebonstone/Crimstone or Pearlstone, facilitating the spread of Underground Hallow or Corruption/Crimson. No block other than the selected one will be converted initially.
  • Subsequent altars destroyed will begin the cycle again, though the fourth to sixth altars will spawn half as much ore as the first ones, the seventh to ninth will spawn only one third of the ore of the first ones, and so forth. So, the nth cycle will only generate one-nth as much ore as the first one. For example, destroying the 19th altar would yield one-seventh of Cobalt/Palladium Ore compared to the first altar. Destroying 12 altars will roughly double the ore provided by the first three; tripling that original allotment would require destroying 33 altars. Notice that although each subsequent destroyed altar will yield less ore, the total amount is unbounded (except by the number of altars in a world).
  • No matter how many altars are destroyed, ore rarity remains set with Cobalt/Palladium being the most common, followed by Mythril/Orichalcum, then Adamantite/Titanium as the rarest.

Ore generation[]

The number of ore veins generated upon destroying an altar is determined by the following formula:[1]

\frac{ \left(\mathit{world\ size} \times 310 - \mathit{ore\ tier} \times 85 \right) \times 0

  • x is the floor function.
  • world size is the width of the world divided by 4200: 1 for small, 1.524 for medium worlds and 2 for large worlds.
  • ore tier represents the respective tier of ore:
Ore type Value
Cobalt OreCobalt Ore Palladium OrePalladium Ore 0
Mythril OreMythril Ore Orichalcum OreOrichalcum Ore 1
Adamantite OreAdamantite Ore Titanium OreTitanium Ore 2
  • factor depends on the ore type, slightly increasing/decreasing the rarity of different types:
Ore type Value
Cobalt OreCobalt Ore 1.05
Mythril OreMythril Ore Adamantite OreAdamantite Ore 1
Palladium OrePalladium Ore 0.945
Orichalcum OreOrichalcum Ore Titanium OreTitanium Ore 0.9
This reveals that worlds with Palladium instead of Cobalt, Orichalcum instead of Mythril, or Titanium instead of Adamantite will, on average, have 10% less of the respective ore.

The table below visualizes this and shows how many ore veins will be spawned for each altar destroyed. If 264 altars were to be destroyed in one world, all following altars would only spawn one ore vein.

Ore type 1 altar 2 altars 3 altars 4 altars 5 altars 6 altars 7 altars 8 altars 9 altars
Cobalt Ore Cobalt 276 veins - - 138 veins - - 92 veins - -
Palladium Ore Palladium 249 veins - - 124 veins - - 83 veins - -
Mythril Ore Mythril - 191 veins - - 95 veins - - 63 veins -
Orichalcum Ore Orichalcum - 172 veins - - 86 veins - - 57 veins -
Adamantite Ore Adamantite - - 119 veins - - 59 veins - - 39 veins
Titanium Ore Titanium - - 107 veins - - 53 veins - - 35 veins

  • These values are for a small world.

All Hardmode ores will avoid spawning in the outer 100 tiles of the world. The highest location for Cobalt and Palladium to spawn is just below the surface, Mythril and Orichalcum start to spawn from the top of the Cavern layer, and Adamantite and Titanium start to spawn in the Cavern layer, lower than Mythril/Orichalcum.[2] All ores stop spawning at 150 tiles above the world's bottom border, i.e. about one fourth into the Underworld.

The amount of altars smashed does not affect the size of ore veins, only the amount. As the generation of each vein is heavily randomized, it is difficult to give exact high and low values from "optimal" veins. Instead, a table of "good luck" vein amounts and "bad luck" vein amounts is shown below. Average yield is likely between 30–40% due to occasional lost ore.

Ore type Good luck Bad luck
Cobalt Ore Cobalt 103 Cobalt Ore (34 Cobalt Bar + 1 Cobalt Ore) 11 Cobalt Ore (3 Cobalt Bar + 2 Cobalt Ore)
Palladium Ore Palladium 103 Palladium Ore (34 Palladium Bar + 1 Palladium Ore) 11 Palladium Ore (3 Palladium Bar + 2 Palladium Ore)
Mythril Ore Mythril 89 Mythril Ore (22 Mythril Bar + 1 Mythril Ore) 11 Mythril Ore (2 Mythril Bar + 3 Mythril Ore)
Orichalcum Ore Orichalcum 89 Orichalcum Ore (22 Orichalcum Bar + 1 Orichalcum Ore) 11 Orichalcum Ore (2 Orichalcum Bar + 3 Orichalcum Ore)
Adamantite Ore Adamantite 58 Adamantite Ore (11 Adamantite Bar + 3 Adamantite Ore) 11 Adamantite Ore (2 Adamantite Bar + 1 Adamantite Ore)
Titanium Ore Titanium 58 Titanium Ore (11 Titanium Bar + 3 Titanium Ore) 11 Titanium Ore (2 Titanium Bar + 1 Titanium Ore)

  • Note that this is not related to the Luck mechanic.

Note however, that the above table assumes that all the ore actually replaces blocks. Ore will only spawn if it attempts to replace one of the blocks listed in the table below.

In addition to this, Hardmode ores will not generate over Granite Blocks, Marble Blocks, or any hardened sands, and as such cannot be found in the Granite Cave, Marble Cave, and Underground Desert biomes without replaceable blocks already existing there.

Notes[]

  • Meteorite, Obsidian and Luminite are not considered ores by the game. They do not have "ore" in their names and mining them does not unlock the Ooo! Shiny! and Extra Shiny! achievements.
  • Chlorophyte Ore is not counted as a Hardmode ore for the Extra Shiny! achievement.

Achievements[]

Achievement Ooo! Shiny!
Ooo! Shiny! • Mine your first nugget of ore with a pickaxe.
Mine your first ore.
Category: Explorer Explorer
Achievement Extra Shiny!
Extra Shiny! • Mine a powerful ore that has been newly blessed upon your world.
Mine your first Hardmode ore.
Category: Explorer Explorer
Achievement Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis • Mine chlorophyte, an organic ore found deep among the thickest of flora.
Mine your first Chlorophyte Ore.
Category: Explorer Explorer

Tips[]

  • Each Hardmode ore is chosen at the moment the first three altars in the world are broken. Ores can be "chosen" by quitting the world without saving (by ending the task or killing the process) after smashing the first altars. It is more easily done with a server, using the exit-nosave command.
  • All ores except Hellstone and Obsidian are highlighted by the Spelunker buff, making it easy to find veins of ore. Hellstone is not lit up by the buff, but it is by a Dangersense Potion. Obsidian is easily found and made around lava.
  • Using a Crate Potion will improve the chances of obtaining crates and as such the ore-bearing Wooden Crates.
  • Filling in caves with spare natural blocks such as dirt before destroying altars can cause Hardmode ores to spawn in them. They can then also be seen on the minimap, presenting an easy way to convert extra blocks into ores with knowing their exact location.
  • In the Windows Phone version Windows Phone version and Nintendo 3DSNintendo 3DS version version, the Palladium Pickaxe and Drill can mine Adamantite and Titanium.
  • Most ores sell for the same as or more than the bars made from them, exceptions being the late pre-Hardmode ores (Meteorite, Hellstone, and Demonite/Crimtane) and Chlorophyte, all of which are far more profitable as bars. (Hellstone and Obsidian are unsaleable as ores, and there is no Obsidian Bar).
  • Two ways to quickly find Hardmode ores is to use previously discovered Abandoned Mine Tracks or search along the ceiling of The Underworld. Both of these methods feature large cave systems along a significant horizontal distance, the Minecart Tracks allow the player to outrun dangerous enemies, and pre-mechanical boss Hardmode enemies in the Underworld spawn rarely and are easy to avoid.

Trivia[]

  • Hellstone's item sprite is a recolor of that of Silver Ore.
  • Hellstone is the only ore that cannot be infinitely generated within a single world. Others can be obtained from sources such as crates, an Extractinator, bosses, duplicable liquids, Meteorite crashes, and mud.
    • Chlorophyte is limited by the amount of mud (and dirt) in the world, due to the absence of Dirt Bombs.
  • Iron and Lead are the only ore types without a respective brick type.
  • Luminite sells for the most of any ore, 30 per piece.
  • Palladium, Cobalt, and Titanium are the only Hardmode ores named after real metals.
  • Luminite is the only ore that does not use either a Furnace or Hardmode Forge to craft bars, instead requiring the Ancient Manipulator.
Tier 1 ores side-by-side

Ore alternatives are not mutually exclusive in drunk worlds, as displayed here (Copper Ore on the left, Tin Ore on the right).

  • In a drunk world, both alternative ore types in each tier are available.

Non-equivalencies[]

While most objects made of or implied to be made of ores and their derivatives have equivalents in the same tier, there exist several exceptions:

Copper / Tin
  • The Tin Can, obtained via fishing, has no "Copper Can" equivalent.
  • The Merchant will always sell copper tools even in worlds generated with tin.
  • Newly-spawned characters and respawning Mediumcore characters will always respawn with copper tools even in tin worlds.
Iron / Lead
  • While implied to be linked to ore progression due to the Hardmode Mythril Crate, the Iron Crate does not have a "Lead Crate" version.
  • The Ironskin Potion, despite its name, can be crafted using either Iron Ore or Lead Ore; there is no "Leadskin Potion" equivalent.
  • The Merchant will always sell an iron anvil even in worlds generated with lead.
  • Underground cabins will always spawn with an iron anvil even in lead-containing worlds.
  • Newly-spawned Journey characters will always have iron tools even in lead worlds.
Gold / Platinum
  • Gold Chests found underground have no "Platinum Chest" counterpart.
  • Golden furniture, dropped by the Pirate Invasion enemies, does not have a corresponding "Platinum furniture" set.
  • The Gold Ring, also dropped, has no platinum counterpart.
  • Gold Dust, alongside its derivatives and related buffs and debuffs, does not have a platinum counterpart.
  • Gold versions of critters do not have platinum counterparts.
  • The Golden Carp does not have a "Platinum Carp" equivalent.
  • While implied to be linked to ore progression due to the Hardmode Titanium Crate, the Gold Crate does not have a "Platinum Crate" version.
  • Despite gold and platinum being of the same tier for ores, Platinum Coins are in the tier directly above Gold Coins.
Cobalt / Palladium
Mythril / Orichalcum
  • While implied to be linked to ore progression due to the pre-Hardmode Iron Crate, the Mythril Crate does not have an "Orichalcum Crate" version.
Adamantite / Titanium
  • While implied to be linked to ore progression due to the pre-Hardmode Gold Crate, the Titanium Crate does not have an "Adamantite Crate" version.

History[]

  • Desktop 1.4.0.1: Increased the sell values of Demonite, Crimtane, and Chlorophyte.
  • Desktop 1.2.3:
    • Ore now stacks to 999.
    • Chlorophyte is slightly rarer and grows slower.
    • Hardmode ores generate slightly less.
  • Desktop 1.2:
    • Added 8 new ores as possible alternatives to the original 8: Tin, Lead, Tungsten, Platinum, Crimtane, Palladium, Orichalcum, and Titanium Ore, ordered by tier.
    • Added Chlorophyte Ore.
  • Desktop 1.0.2: Mining stone and other hard makes a 'tink' sound now.
  • Desktop-Release: Introduced Copper, Iron, Silver, and Gold Ores, Hellstone, Obsidian, and Meteorite.
  • Console 1.06:
    • Ore now stacks to 999.
    • Chlorophyte is slightly rarer and grows slower.
    • Hardmode ores generate slightly less.
  • Console-Release: Introduced with mining noises.
    • Pre-Hardmode Ores: Copper, Iron, Silver, and Gold Ores, Hellstone, Obsidian, and Meteorite.
    • Hardmode Ores: Cobalt, Mythril, and Adamantite Ores.
  • Mobile 1.2.11212:
    • Ore now stacks to 999.
    • Chlorophyte is slightly rarer and grows slower.
    • Hardmode ores generate slightly less.
  • Mobile 1.1.5536: Introduced Hardmode ores: Cobalt, Mythril and Adamantite Ore.
  • Mobile-Release: Introduced Copper, Iron, Silver, and Gold Ores, Hellstone, Obsidian, and Meteorite. These make noises when mined.
  • 3DS-Release: Introduced with mining noises and generation mechanics from Desktop 1.2.3.
    • Pre-Hardmode ores: Copper, Tin, Iron, Lead, Silver, Tungsten, Gold, and Platinum Ores, Hellstone, Obsidian, and Meteorite.
    • Hardmode ores: Cobalt, Palladium, Mythril, Orichalcum, Adamantite, Titanium, and Chlorophyte Ores.

References[]

  1. Information taken from the PC version PC 1.4.0.5 source code, functions SmashAltar() and OreRunner() in Terraria.WorldGen.cs There may be inaccuracies, as the current PC version PC version is 1.4.4.9.
  2. The exact maximum height for Adamantite/Titanium can be calculated with the following formula: ( (|height of the top of the world| + |depth of the Underground/Cavern border|)*2 + total world height ) / 3. Information taken from the PC version PC 1.4.0.5 source code, Main.rockLayer + Main.rockLayer + (double)Main.maxTilesY) / 3.0 in function SmashAltar() in Terraria.WorldGen.cs There may be inaccuracies, as the current PC version PC version is 1.4.4.9.
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