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I've heard on the minecraft forums that the best ores are located near lava. Is that true?

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This is an urban legend and the reason it exists is this:

Lava spawns in all caverns just below the level that diamond spawns. Since opening up a cavern (where lava is) reveals a lot more blocks than just mining one block, people have come to believe that it's lava that causes ores to spawn, whereas it's really just you being able to see more blocks, which means you're bound to see more ores.

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  • Any reason someone downvoted this?
    – Mr Smooth
    Sep 19, 2011 at 9:18
  • tactical downvoting?
    – Joe the Person
    Oct 11, 2011 at 23:44
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    @fireDude67 Potentially. I wasn't too fussed, I would have just liked whoever did it to give a reason so I could have fixed it. It's what I do.
    – Mr Smooth
    Oct 12, 2011 at 1:43
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    Oh my. I just noticed an accusation of tactical downvoting (late, I know) that was likely directed at me as I'm the only other answerer. I didn't do it.
    – John the Green
    Mar 14, 2012 at 3:58
  • Perhaps the downvoter strongly believes that the best ores are located near lava, and nothing you or anyone else says will change that fact?
    – Robotnik ♦
    Sep 7, 2012 at 23:47
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Not always, no. You can find any ore anywhere so long as you're at the right height for it. It just so happens that the level where lava spawns is also the level where diamonds do.
Nonetheless, you can find diamonds that aren't near lava.

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No, not always. Strip mining in Minecraft is a very time-consuming way of mining, but finding diamonds using this method WITHOUT lava is common if you are on the same level that it spawns.

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