Automated Quarries: Automatic Mining Datapack for Minecraft
Resource gathering in Minecraft often becomes a tedious chore, especially when large-scale building projects demand hundreds of stacks of cobblestone or you are hunting for rare ores deep underground. Manual pickaxe work is slow and exhausting, while using TNT is risky and imprecise. The Automated Quarries: Automatic Mining Datapack for Minecraft offers a clever solution by introducing fully functional automatic quarries that operate without requiring a single mod. This datapack works on a pure vanilla server, needing only the datapack itself and a companion resource pack to function correctly.
Core Concept and Functionality
This datapack transforms standard gameplay by adding mechanized helpers that do the heavy lifting for you. The central feature is a special machine workbench used to craft the quarry block itself. Once placed, the quarry systematically excavates all blocks within a defined area, depositing everything it collects into a nearby chest. This is a multiplayer-friendly design: multiple players can run their own quarries simultaneously without any conflicts or interference.
To get started, you need to learn the new crafting recipes. The developer included an in-game guidebook that can be summoned with the command /trigger QuarryBook. This book clearly illustrates all available recipes and potential upgrades. For those who want to test the mechanism immediately without spending resources, the command /function quarry:blocks/quarry/summon spawns a quarry block directly.
Getting Started: Crafting and Installation
The production chain begins with the Machine Workbench, a specialized crafting station for technological items. Its recipe is detailed in the guidebook and on the datapack's official page. Using this workbench, you assemble the quarry itself. Additionally, the datapack introduces a Lockbox, a secure container that only opens when a specific player is within a two-block radius. This is an excellent anti-griefing tool for multiplayer servers.
Before the quarries will operate, you must install the LapisCore, which serves as the essential foundation for the entire system. You also need the Lapis Resources resource pack; without it, some blocks and items will display incorrectly. For players who prefer a streamlined setup, certain launchers allow you to load these add-ons directly from their menu, avoiding manual folder navigation. This is particularly useful when switching between different modpacks or setups quickly.
Upgrade System: Enhancing Your Quarry
The standout feature of this datapack is the ability to upgrade an already placed quarry without breaking it. You simply insert specific items into the block's interface, and its characteristics change instantly. Here is a breakdown of the available upgrades:
- Speed Upgrade: Uses redstone blocks. Each block increases the mining speed by 8 blocks per cycle, up to a maximum of 64 blocks per cycle.
- Ignore Stones and Dirt: Insert a stonecutter, and the quarry will skip ordinary stone, dirt, and gravel, focusing exclusively on valuable ores.
- Fortune: Adds one level of the Fortune enchantment for each unique type of rare item you provide: a Nether star, a dragon egg, an enchanted golden apple, or a totem of undying. The quantity of identical items does not matter; only the variety counts.
- Silk Touch: Achieved by inserting eight slime blocks. This allows the quarry to mine ores in their raw block form instead of breaking them into resources.
- Show Particle Area: Insert a torch to highlight the quarry's working boundaries with particles, giving you a visual representation of its operational zone.
This flexible system lets you adapt a single quarry to your current needs. You can speed it up for rapid terrain clearing, then switch to Fortune for diamond hunting.
Additional Tools and Armor
The datapack extends beyond quarries. Version 0.4 introduced the Techno Armor, a high-tech suit with an Auto-hill-Step feature that automatically steps up one-block heights, eliminating constant jumping. A katana and a rechargeable drill with 3D models were also added. The drill runs on batteries, and since update 0.9.3, charged batteries can be used as an attribute for tinker constructs if you have the corresponding mods installed.
Another useful item is the Area Dampener, which temporarily disables quarries in a selected region. This is handy during construction or reconfiguration. An admin menu is available via /trigger QuarryAdmin, along with a book titled "Dampeners for Dummies" that explains the finer points of configuring dampeners.
Known Limitations and Compatibility Notes
Before installation, consider a few quirks. The datapack uses the squid spawn egg to display quarry blocks, and the resource pack overrides the models of the command block and that same egg. If you use other resource packs, you may need to merge model files. Additionally, quarries do not currently function in alternate dimensions like the Nether or the End. The developer acknowledges this is a complex challenge and a fix may arrive in a future update.
It is crucial to ensure the chunk at coordinates [0, 0] is loaded. On a server, run the command /forceload add 0 0; otherwise, the mechanism may malfunction. Also, note that the Silk Touch recipe specifically requires slime blocks, not slimeballs, a detail that often confuses players.
Future Plans and Development
The author has announced several exciting additions in development. These include a Filler for rapid area construction, a vacuum hopper for item collection, a smarter chest interaction system, and datapack-based chunk loaders. Some code for fueling the chunk loaders is already complete, with the technical challenge of chunk loading via datapack still being resolved.
Conclusion
The Automated Quarries: Automatic Mining Datapack for Minecraft is an excellent way to automate resource extraction without the overhead of heavy mods like BuildCraft or IndustrialCraft. It installs easily on any vanilla server, supports multiplayer seamlessly, and offers a robust upgrade system. Despite minor limitations, such as the lack of cross-dimension support, it fully delivers on its promise. If you value efficiency and enjoy technological solutions in Minecraft, you should definitely try this datapack. To get started, you can download Automated Quarries: Automatic Mining Datapack for Minecraft from trusted sources, and follow the installation guide to enjoy automated mining. Remember to check the supported Minecraft versions and loader requirements before installing. For the best experience, search for "Automated Quarries: Automatic Mining Datapack for Minecraft for Minecraft" to find the latest version and learn how to install it properly.