Skip to Content

What Is Copper Used For In Minecraft?

What Is Copper Used For In Minecraft?

In the real world, Copper is an extremely useful metal used in various machinery, equipment, and objects. However, in Minecraft, the utility of Copper, a recently added material in the game, is often overlooked. This is because players can’t readily determine what they can do with the material.

This guide will aim to answer just that and give you tips on better using the metal when you’re next playing Minecraft.

Copper ingots can make two extremely useful items: the Spyglass and the Lightning Rod. The more pure block of Copper, on the other hand, can be used for decoration and fashion purposes. These blocks are strong, durable, and have a great look, making them ideal for becoming flooring or turning into staircases.

Related: Top 20 Best Minecraft Skins To Try Out (Download Links Included)

How to Obtain Copper?

In order to obtain Copper in a usable form, you must first find it in its natural form in the world of Minecraft. These are Copper Ore blocks that can be located deep in the underground areas of Minecraft. Once you’ve found these you should do the following:

  • Use a Pick-axe to Mine into the Copper ore
  • Once broken, Ore blocks will drop Raw Copper
  • Find a Smelter and place your Raw Copper into it
  • Once you do so, you will obtain Copper Ingots

Copper Ingots are the most useful form of Copper and are the basic ingredient in many useful recipes that involve Copper.

How to make a Spyglass from Copper Ingots?

The Spyglass is an extremely useful item in Minecraft that can help you zoom into objects and figures in the distance. To use the Spyglass, the player must select it from their hot bar and select use while looking towards the object or direction they wish to zoom into.

In order to make the Spyglass, you must have two types of material. You must have a single Amethyst shard and two Copper Ingots.

In the center line of the crafting menu, place the Amethyst shard on the top middle square and place the two Copper Ingots in the two remaining squares in the central column. Once done, simply proceed to craft to obtain your Spyglass.

Spyglass Crafting Recipe

How to make a Lightning Rod from Copper Ingots?

The Lightning Rod is a craft-able block that can be used to divert lightning strikes. Its use is clear in protecting your house from the adverse weather effects within Minecraft.

A lightning rod merely needs to be placed in an orientation where it receives lightning from. It does not require a connection to the ground, unlike its real-world counter-part.

To craft the Lightning Rod, you must have the required materials, which are three Copper Ingots. The crafting recipe is very simple. Place three Copper Ingots in the central column and proceed to craft.

You might also be interested in: Best Minecraft PvP Servers Ranked

How to make Copper Tools with Copper Ingots?

Copper Tools are extremely useful early in the game this is because Copper ore is one of the first types of ores that you might encounter whilst traversing the underground.

Copper Axe

The copper axe breaks wood-type blocks, such as logs, planks, and crafting tables. Additionally, the Copper Axe can be used as quite an efficient weapon in the game before you can craft a proper sword.

Copper Pick-Axe

Copper Pickaxes are used to mine ores and many other types of blocks. However, these type of Pick-axes is unable to mine diamonds. So they make for good early-game Pick-axes but are meant to be replaced later.

Copper Shovel

A Copper Shovel is useful in so far as it can speed up the collection of dirt, sand, gravel, clay and snow.

Copper Hoe

A Copper Hoe’s primary use is to change the landscape into farmland where crops can grow. This can be extremely useful to players, so knowing this recipe and gaining access to this tool can be useful.


In conclusion, Copper is a very versatile material in Minecraft and has many uses in the game that are often not explored.

We believe that items such as the Spyglass and the Lightning Rod are incredibly useful in the game, and the vast array of Tools that can be made make the Minecraft early game significantly easier. Till next time! Ciao.