Amethyst Geode

Amethyst Geode

Biomes	Any Overworld biome
Consists of	Amethyst Cluster Large Amethyst Bud Medium Amethyst Bud Small Amethyst Bud Block of Amethyst Budding Amethyst Calcite Smooth Basalt

An amethyst geode is a structure-like feature found in the underground of the Overworld. Amethyst geodes contain smooth basalt and calcite and are the main sources of amethyst shards and blocks of amethyst.

Generation

Amethyst geodes generate between Y=-58 and Y=30. Each chunk has a ¹⁄₂₄ chance to attempt to generate a geode.

Structure

For the technical details behind amethyst geode structures, see Amethyst Geode/Structure.

Amethyst geodes consist of three layers: an outer layer of smooth basalt, a middle layer of calcite, and a hollow layer of primarily amethyst blocks, with 8.3% replaced by budding amethyst blocks instead. Amethyst crystals generate within the structure on budding amethyst. Amethyst geodes have a 95% chance of generating with a crack, exposing their inside. Caves, aquifers, and canyons may be overridden by amethyst geodes,^[1] and as such are often obstructed by them.

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Feature type	Identifier
[No displayed name]	geode

Configured feature	Identifier
[No displayed name]	amethyst_geode

Bedrock Edition:

Feature	Identifier
[No displayed name]	amethyst_geode_feature

Config

Java Edition:

Unlike ore features, geode features are always centered on their bottom northwest corner. For this reason, any placement predicates should be offset by the geode's average radius in order to perform checks on the proper location.

The 'min_gen_offset' and 'max_gen_offset' values determines the geode's cutoff size. Values greater than the default of ±16 slightly increase the effective cutoff size for very large geodes, though the size is ultimately limited to within the adjacent chunks.

{
  "type": "minecraft:geode",
  "config": {
    "blocks": {
      "alternate_inner_layer_provider": {
        "type": "minecraft:simple_state_provider",
        "state": {
          "Name": "minecraft:budding_amethyst"
        }
      },
      "cannot_replace": "#minecraft:features_cannot_replace",
      "filling_provider": {
        "type": "minecraft:simple_state_provider",
        "state": {
          "Name": "minecraft:air"
        }
      },
      "inner_layer_provider": {
        "type": "minecraft:simple_state_provider",
        "state": {
          "Name": "minecraft:amethyst_block"
        }
      },
      "inner_placements": [
        {
          "Name": "minecraft:small_amethyst_bud",
          "Properties": {
            "facing": "up",
            "waterlogged": "false"
          }
        },
        {
          "Name": "minecraft:medium_amethyst_bud",
          "Properties": {
            "facing": "up",
            "waterlogged": "false"
          }
        },
        {
          "Name": "minecraft:large_amethyst_bud",
          "Properties": {
            "facing": "up",
            "waterlogged": "false"
          }
        },
        {
          "Name": "minecraft:amethyst_cluster",
          "Properties": {
            "facing": "up",
            "waterlogged": "false"
          }
        }
      ],
      "invalid_blocks": "#minecraft:geode_invalid_blocks",
      "middle_layer_provider": {
        "type": "minecraft:simple_state_provider",
        "state": {
          "Name": "minecraft:calcite"
        }
      },
      "outer_layer_provider": {
        "type": "minecraft:simple_state_provider",
        "state": {
          "Name": "minecraft:smooth_basalt"
        }
      }
    },
    "crack": {
      "base_crack_size": 2.0,
      "crack_point_offset": 2,
      "generate_crack_chance": 0.95
    },
    "distribution_points": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 4,
        "min_inclusive": 3
      }
    },
    "invalid_blocks_threshold": 1,
    "layers": {
      "filling": 1.7,
      "inner_layer": 2.2,
      "middle_layer": 3.2,
      "outer_layer": 4.2
    },
    "max_gen_offset": 16,
    "min_gen_offset": -16,
    "noise_multiplier": 0.05,
    "outer_wall_distance": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 6,
        "min_inclusive": 4
      }
    },
    "placements_require_layer0_alternate": true,
    "point_offset": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 2,
        "min_inclusive": 1
      }
    },
    "use_alternate_layer0_chance": 0.083,
    "use_potential_placements_chance": 0.35
  }
}

History

Announcement

October 3, 2020							Amethyst geodes are shown at Minecraft Live 2020.
October 6, 2020							Cory Scheviak tweeted a screenshot where an updated amethyst geode was shown with budding amethyst and amethyst buds.

Java Edition

Java Edition
1.17			20w45a				Added amethyst geodes.
			21w08a				The tuff layer of amethyst geodes has been replaced with smooth basalt.
							Amethyst geodes can no longer generate fully in midair.[2]
			21w20a				Amethyst geodes have now actually been made rarer (after being incorrectly stated to have been made rarer in 21w19a[3]), from 1 geode in 30 chunks to 1 geode in 53 chunks.
1.18			21w41a				Amethyst geodes no longer generate above Y=30.
							The rarity of amethyst geodes has been adjusted to match pre-21w20a rarity.

Bedrock Edition

Bedrock Edition
1.17.0 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.17.0.50				Added amethyst geodes.
1.17.0			beta 1.17.0.52				Amethyst geodes are now available without enabling Experimental Gameplay.
			beta 1.17.0.56				Amethyst geodes have now been made slightly rarer, from 1 geode in 48 chunks to 1 geode in 53 chunks.
1.18.0			beta 1.18.0.20				Amethyst geodes are now able to generate below Y=0.[4]
			beta 1.18.0.21				Amethyst geodes no longer generate above Y=30.
							The rarity of amethyst geodes has been adjusted to match pre-beta 1.17.0.56 rarity.

Issues

Issues relating to "Amethyst Geode" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 
  The amethyst geode menu screen in Java Edition 1.17.1
• 
  An amethyst geode in Spectator mode. The amethyst geode is next to a lush caves biome.
• 
  The inside of the amethyst geode that was shown in Minecraft Live 2020
• 
  An amethyst geode's inside
• 
  The inside of an amethyst geode
• 
  An interior view into an amethyst geode
• 
  A creeper, spider, and sheep near an amethyst geode, from the Minecraft Live 2023 trailer
• 
  An amethyst geode generating in an iceberg.
• 
  An amethyst geode generated on a desert superflat world.
• 
  An amethyst geode generating above the ground.^[5]
• 
  An amethyst geode in a village
• 
  An amethyst geode generated in a mineshaft^[6]
• 
  An amethyst geode intersecting an ocean monument
• 
  Three amethyst geodes that all spawned in close proximity, with two of them touching
• 
  A fossil in an amethyst geode
• 
  An amethyst geode with an odd growth in its basalt shell. Note that the protrusion is much smaller in the calcite layer, and missing entirely in the amethyst core.
• 
  A monster room overwritten by an amethyst geode
• 
  A shipwreck overwritten by an amethyst geode
• 
  A stronghold overwritten by an amethyst geode
• 
  An amethyst geode and a mineshaft
• 
  An amethyst geode with a mineshaft and 2 cave spider spawners
• 
  An exposed amethyst geode in a desert
• 
  An amethyst geode that is intersecting with a lava lake
• 
  An underwater amethyst geode
• 
  An image teased by Cory Scheviak of an amethyst geode generated underwater (brightened)
• 
  An amethyst geode partially exposed on the surface
• 
  An amethyst geode cutting through bedrock
• 
  An amethyst geode inside a stalactite
• 
  An amethyst geode in an underwater cave
• 
  A mineshaft going through an amethyst geode
• 
  An amethyst geode with a mineshaft inside
• 
  Another amethyst geode generated inside of a mineshaft
• 
  Inside an underwater geode

Renders

• 
  Cracked amethyst geode in 20w46a, after the textures of calcite, block of amethyst, and budding amethyst were changed
• 
  Ditto, for uncracked amethyst geode
• 
  An amethyst geode in 20w48a after the textures of block of amethyst and budding amethyst were changed again

Concept artwork

• 
  Concept art of underground crystals, which was later reiterated into the amethyst geode
• 
  Ditto

In other media

• 
  Alex gazing inside a geode^[7]
• 
  A Lego amethyst geode, as featured in the set The Badlands Mineshaft
• 
  Artwork of an amethyst geode, made for International Women's Day^[8]
• 

References

External links

• "Building Blocks: Amethyst Geode" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, October 20, 2025.