How to Find and Mine Ancient Sediment

Locating Ancient Sediment

Ancient sediment spawns naturally on ocean floors across all ocean biomes. Dive down to the sea floor and look for distinctive sediment blocks mixed among sand and gravel. They appear most frequently in deeper ocean areas.

Mining and Collecting

Use any pickaxe to mine ancient sediment blocks. They will drop as items you can collect into your inventory. Each block may contain preserved fossils or rich coal deposits. Mine multiple blocks to gather enough fossils for processing—you'll need several to extract meaningful amounts of DNA.

Tip: Bring a water breathing potion or helmet with Respiration enchantment to extend your underwater mining time. Mark promising sediment patches with torches or beacons so you can return to them later for additional harvesting.