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Iron Pickaxe

Iron Pickaxe

An iron pickaxe is a variant of pickaxe that is crafted from iron ingots. It is the third-highest tier of pickaxe, having higher mining efficiency…

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Items Renewable resources Non-stackable resources Tools
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Contents (27)
  1. Obtaining
  2. Crafting
  3. Generated loot
  4. Mob loot
  5. Trading
  6. Usage
  7. Mining
  8. Weapon
  9. Repairing
  10. Enchantments
  11. Smelting ingredient
  12. Sounds
  13. Data values
  14. ID
  15. Achievements
  16. Advancements
  17. Videos
  18. History
  19. Java Edition
  20. Bedrock Edition
  21. Legacy Console Edition
  22. New Nintendo 3DS Edition
  23. Data history
  24. Issues
  25. Gallery
  26. In other media
  27. References
For other uses, see Pickaxe (disambiguation).
Iron Pickaxe
Iron Pickaxe.png: Infobox image for Minecraft item 'Iron Pickaxe'
Enchanted Iron Pickaxe.gif: Infobox image for Minecraft item 'Iron Pickaxe'
Invicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed
Rarity tier
  Common
Mining efficiency 6
Mining level 2[note 1]
Attack damage JE: 4HP❤️❤️
BE: 5HP❤️❤️💔
Attack speed‌[JE only] 1.2 (0.833 seconds)
Attack range 3 (3 blocks)
Hitbox margin 0
Durability JE: 250
BE: 251
Enchantability 14
Renewable Yes
Stackable No

An iron pickaxe is a variant of pickaxe that is crafted from iron ingots. It is the third-highest tier of pickaxe, having higher mining efficiency, durability, attack damage, and enchantability than a copper pickaxe. It has a mining level of 2, allowing it to mine gold ore, redstone ore, emerald ore, and diamond ore.

Obtaining

Crafting

Ingredients Crafting recipe
Iron Ingot +
Stick
Invicon Iron Ingot.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Ingot in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Iron Ingot with description: Iron IngotInvicon Iron Ingot.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Ingot in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Iron Ingot with description: Iron IngotInvicon Iron Ingot.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Ingot in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Iron Ingot with description: Iron IngotInvicon Stick.png: Inventory sprite for Stick in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Stick with description: StickInvicon Stick.png: Inventory sprite for Stick in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Stick with description: Stick
Invicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed

Generated loot

Item Structure Container Quantity Chance
Java Edition
Iron Pickaxe Mineshaft Chest not located in a sulfur cave 1 7%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.07042253521126762, "structure": "Mineshaft", "container": "Chest not located in a sulfur cave" }
Mineshaft Chest located in a sulfur cave 1 7%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.07042253521126762, "structure": "Mineshaft", "container": "Chest located in a [[sulfur cave]]" }
Stronghold Altar chest 1 11.9%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.1189215578748346, "structure": "Stronghold", "container": "Altar chest" }
Storeroom chest 1 4%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.03967744439487575, "structure": "Stronghold", "container": "Storeroom chest" }
Village Toolsmith's chest 1 41.2%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.4118208436710489, "structure": "Village", "container": "Toolsmith's chest" }
Weaponsmith's chest 1 22.9%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.22884863260948196, "structure": "Village", "container": "Weaponsmith's chest" }
Enchanted Iron Pickaxe[A] End City Chest 1 12.7%
{ "item": "Enchanted Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.12714065479531, "structure": "End City", "container": "Chest" }
Bedrock Edition
Iron Pickaxe Mineshaft Chest not located in a sulfur cave 1 7%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.07042253521126762, "structure": "Mineshaft", "container": "Chest not located in a sulfur cave" }
Mineshaft Chest located in a sulfur cave 1 7%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.07042253521126762, "structure": "Mineshaft", "container": "Chest located in a [[sulfur cave]]" }
Stronghold Altar chest 1 11.5%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.11541180293889097, "structure": "Stronghold", "container": "Altar chest" }
Storeroom chest 1 3.2%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.03196665510523944, "structure": "Stronghold", "container": "Storeroom chest" }
Village Toolsmith's chest 1 41.2%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.4118208436710489, "structure": "Village", "container": "Toolsmith's chest" }
Weaponsmith's chest 1 22.9%
{ "item": "Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.22884863260948196, "structure": "Village", "container": "Weaponsmith's chest" }
Enchanted Iron Pickaxe[A] End City Chest 1 12.7%
{ "item": "Enchanted Iron Pickaxe", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.12714065479531, "structure": "End City", "container": "Chest" }
  1. ↑ a b Enchantment probabilities are the same as a level-20 to level-39 enchantment would be on an enchanting table that had no cap at level 30, and that was able to apply treasure enchantments (except Soul Speed, Swift Sneak, and Wind Burst), and where the chance of multiple enchantments is not reduced.

Mob loot

In Bedrock Edition, pillagers and vindicators have a chance of dropping a damaged iron pickaxe when killed during a raid. The pickaxe has a 50% chance of being enchanted with random enchantment(s). Wandering traders also have a chance of 25% (increased by 1% per level of Looting) to drop an enchanted iron pickaxe (available enchantments listed below) when killed while showing the item as trade offer, if the player holds an emerald.

Trading

Both toolsmiths and wandering traders can sell an enchanted iron pickaxe.

VillagerProbabilityVillager wantsPlayer receivesTrades in
stock		Villager
experience		Price
multiplier
JEBE
Wandering TraderSpecial13%13%6–20 × Emerald Enchanted Iron Pickaxe[t 1]1——
Toolsmith Journeyman40%25%8–22 × Emerald Enchanted Iron Pickaxe[t 2]3100.2
  1. ↑ Enchanted with a random experience cost in range 5–19, equivalent to the middle slot of an enchanting table with 13 bookshelves. The price is 1 plus the experience cost in emeralds.
  2. ↑ Enchanted with a random experience cost in range 5–19. The price is 3 plus the experience cost in emeralds.

Usage

Main article: Pickaxe § Usage

Mining

An iron pickaxe is used to break stone and metal-based materials faster. Breaking a block with an iron pickaxe consumes one use (one durability point). No durability is consumed for blocks that have a hardness value of 0, such as torches and flowers.

Mining level

Iron pickaxes have a mining level of 2. An iron pickaxe or better is required to mine the following blocks:

Weapon

Java Edition

All pickaxes have an attack speed modifier of -2.8, meaning they take about 0.85 seconds to recover. Iron pickaxes do 4HP❤️❤️ damage per attack, or 4.8 damage per second.

Bedrock Edition

All pickaxes attack instantly, with iron pickaxes doing 5HP❤️❤️💔 damage per attack.

Repairing

Combining

Ingredients Crafting recipe Notes
Damaged Iron Pickaxe
Invicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed
Invicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed
 The durability of the two pickaxes is added together, plus an extra 5% of durability.
Ingredients Grinding recipe Notes
Damaged Iron Pickaxe
Invicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack SpeedInvicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed
 The durability of the two pickaxes is added together, plus an extra 5% of durability.

Anvil repair

Main article: Anvil mechanics § Unit repair
Ingredients Anvil recipe
Damaged Iron Pickaxe +
Iron Ingot
Iron PickaxeInvicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack SpeedInvicon Damaged Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Damaged Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack SpeedInvicon Iron Ingot.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Ingot in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Iron Ingot with description: Iron IngotInvicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed

An iron pickaxe can be repaired in an anvil by adding iron ingots, with each ingot restoring 25% of the pickaxe's maximum durability, rounded down. Two iron pickaxes can also be combined in an anvil. Both methods preserve the pickaxe's enchantments.

Enchantments

An iron pickaxe can receive the following enchantments:

Name Description Max Level Method Weight
Efficiency Increases the mining speed. V Enchanting Table
Anvil 		10
Fortune[note 2] Increases the amount of drops when mining. III Enchanting Table
Anvil 		2
Silk Touch[note 2] Causes blocks to drop themselves when mined. I Enchanting Table
Anvil 		1
Unbreaking Grants a chance to negate durability consumption. III Enchanting Table
Anvil 		5
Mending Repairs the pickaxe when obtaining experience. I Anvil 2
Curse of Vanishing The pickaxe vanishes on death, not dropping as an item. I Anvil 1
  1. ↑
  2. ↑ a b Silk Touch and Fortune are mutually exclusive

Smelting ingredient

Name Ingredients Smelting recipe
Iron Nugget Iron Pickaxe +
Any fuel
Invicon Iron Pickaxe.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Pickaxe in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Iron Pickaxe When in Main Hand:  4 Attack Damage  1.2 Attack Speed
Invicon Coal.png: Inventory sprite for Coal in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Coal with description: CoalInvicon Charcoal.png: Inventory sprite for Charcoal in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Charcoal with description: CharcoalInvicon Oak Log.png: Inventory sprite for Oak Log in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Oak Log with description: LogInvicon Oak Planks.png: Inventory sprite for Oak Planks in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Oak Planks with description: Overworld PlanksInvicon Lava Bucket.png: Inventory sprite for Lava Bucket in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Lava Bucket with description: Lava BucketInvicon Block of Coal.png: Inventory sprite for Block of Coal in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Block of Coal with description: Block of Coal
Invicon Iron Nugget.png: Inventory sprite for Iron Nugget in Minecraft as shown in-game linking to Iron Nugget with description: Iron Nugget0.1
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Sounds

Java Edition:

Sounds
SoundClosed captionsSourceDescriptionIdentifierTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
​Item breaksPlayersWhen a pickaxe's durability is exhaustedentity.item.breaksubtitles.entity.item.break​0.80.8–1.216

Bedrock Edition:

Sounds
SoundClosed captionsSourceDescriptionIdentifierTranslation keyVolumePitch
​Item breaksPlayersWhen a pickaxe's durability is exhaustedrandom.breaksubtitles.entity.item.break​1.00.9

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierForm Translation key
ItemSprite iron-pickaxe.png: Sprite image for iron-pickaxe in Minecraft Iron Pickaxeiron_pickaxeItem item.minecraft.iron_pickaxe

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID Form Translation key
ItemSprite iron-pickaxe.png: Sprite image for iron-pickaxe in Minecraft Iron Pickaxeiron_pickaxe297Item item.iron_pickaxe.name

Achievements

IconAchievementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)Gamerscore earnedTrophy type (PS)
PS4Other
MOAR ToolsConstruct one type of each tool.Construct one pickaxe, one shovel, one axe, and one hoe with the same material.15Bronze

Advancements

IconAdvancementIn-game descriptionActual requirements (if different)
Isn't It Iron Pick?Upgrade your PickaxeHave an iron pickaxe in the inventory.

Videos

History

Main article: Pickaxe § History

Java Edition

Java Edition Indev
0.3120100110 Added pickaxes. At this point, iron pickaxes are the only type ingame.
20100128-2200 Pickaxes now have tiers. The existing pickaxes are now known as iron pickaxes.
The texture of iron pickaxes has been changed.
20100129-1447 Iron pickaxes can now be crafted.
20100131-2156 Iron pickaxes now have durability which is 129.
Java Edition Beta
1.2 Iron pickaxes' durability has been increased from 129 to 250.
1.8Pre-release Iron pickaxes are now found in the new stronghold storeroom chests, and in the new mineshaft chests.
Java Edition
1.0.0Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3 Iron pickaxes can now be found in the new stronghold altar chests.
1.112w01a Iron pickaxes are now found in the new village blacksmith chests.
1.3.112w21a Blacksmith villagers now sell 1 iron pickaxe for 7–8 emeralds.
1.6.113w21a Instead of replacing the barehanded damage (1HP💔), iron pickaxes now add their damage onto the barehanded damage, which results in them doing 1HP💔 more damage than before.
1.814w02a Tool smith villagers now sell 1 enchanted iron pickaxe for 9–11 emeralds.
Unenchanted pickaxes are no longer sold by villagers.
1.915w31a Enchanted iron pickaxes can now be found in chests in end cities.
15w44a The average yield of iron pickaxes in mineshaft chests has been increased.
1.11.116w50a Iron pickaxes can now be smelted down into one iron nugget.
1.13.118w30b The durability of iron pickaxes has been reduced from 251 to 250 due to the fixing of a bug.[1]
1.1418w43a The textures of all pickaxes have been changed.
18w50a Iron pickaxes can now be found in chests in village toolsmith houses.
19w11a Weaponsmith villagers now sell 1 enchanted iron pickaxe for 8–22 emeralds.
1.20.2
Experiment
Villager Trade Rebalance		23w31a Wandering traders now have a chance to sell an enchanted iron pickaxe.
1.21.525w07a The above change is no longer experimental and now available through normal gameplay.

Bedrock Edition

Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.2.0 Added iron pickaxes. They actually function as tools despite being unobtainable by normal means.
v0.3.2 Iron pickaxes can now be crafted with iron ingots and sticks.
v0.14.0build 1 Iron pickaxes can now be found inside minecart with chests in mineshafts.
Pocket Edition
1.0.0alpha 0.17.0.1 Enchanted iron pickaxes can now be found in end cities.
1.0.4alpha 1.0.4.0 Toolsmith villagers now sell enchanted iron pickaxes for 9-11 emeralds as their second tier trades.
1.1.0alpha 1.1.0.0 Iron pickaxes are now smeltable.
Bedrock Edition
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3 Iron pickaxes can now be found in plains village weaponsmith houses.
The textures of all pickaxes have been changed.
1.11.0beta 1.11.0.1 Iron pickaxes can now be found in village toolsmiths chests and in savanna, taiga, snowy taiga and desert village weaponsmith chests.
beta 1.11.0.4 Trading has been changed, toolsmith villagers now have a 25% chance to sell an enchanted iron pickaxe for 3 emeralds as part of their third tier trades.
1.16.100beta 1.16.100.54 Vindicators and pillagers that spawn in raids can now drop iron pickaxes.

Legacy Console Edition

Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360Xbox OnePS3PS4PS VitaWii USwitch
TU1CU11.001.001.00Patch 1 Added pickaxes (all five types).
TU141.041.0.1 Blacksmith villagers now sell 1 iron pickaxe for 7–8 emeralds.
TU19CU71.121.121.12 Instead of replacing the barehanded damage (1HP💔), iron pickaxes now add their damage onto the barehanded damage, which results in them doing 1HP💔 more damage than before.
TU31CU191.221.221.22Patch 3 Tool smith villagers now sell 1 enchanted iron pickaxe for 9–11 emeralds.
Unenchanted pickaxes are no longer sold by villagers.
TU36CU251.281.281.28Patch 7 The attack damage of iron pickaxes is now shown above the hotbar when switching to it if the item has less than 3 enchantments.
TU46CU361.381.381.38Patch 15 Enchanted iron pickaxes can now be found in chests in end cities.
TU53CU431.491.501.49Patch 231.0.3 Iron pickaxes are now smeltable.
1.90 The textures of all pickaxes have been changed.
1.91 Vindicators and pillagers that spawn in raids can now drop iron pickaxes.
Trading has been changed, toolsmith villagers now sell an unenchanted iron pickaxe for 3 emeralds as part of their first tier trades.

New Nintendo 3DS Edition

New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0 Added pickaxes.

Data history

Java Edition
1.1317w47a Prior to The Flattening, this item's numeral ID was 257.

Issues

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

In other media

References

  1. ↑ MC-120664 – Tool durability is off by one – resolved as "Fixed".
  2. ↑ "Packaging some items for a charity event this year. Some very old and rare things here!

    That pickaxe makes good on a promise I made to the dev team in 2011, before I worked at Mojang, that all items they signed would go to charity. The last one just took a while!

    Stay tuned for how to obtain one!"     – @marc-irl.bsky.social (Marc Watson) on Bluesky, September 18, 2026
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How to craft Iron Pickaxe
See the exact crafting recipe on a 3×3 grid, the ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
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