Hi, first of all, I hate when people do it, but I'll start by saying that English is not my first language (I got a bad comment about my grammar in my first post here...). I would be appreciated if you help me improve the English level of this post. When I first used the prospector's pick, I had no idea of how to use it, and how to use the readings it gave. This post will be a guide about the techniques I found in Youtube or in this forum. I will explain and analyse these technique. NOTE : Click on the picture for full size screenshot. How to find ore The first thing to do before using the pick, if actually finding the right spot. As most player know, if you find small pieces of mineral while you punch the ground, then you are around the right spot. Basically, you just want to punch rocks and when you find some pieces of metal, that you can mark using stone, torch, flower, fence post or anything you want. Once done, you want to use the pick to go to the ore, but you usually don't get any reading from the ground level (of course it's possible if you are lucky). The best way to find your first reading is to choose a spot in the middle of your marking and dig. You should get a reading when you hit the rock level under the dirt, or maximum four block under.From your first reading, you might want to dig down a bit before prospecting (if you dig 12 block down, you should hit the vein while prospecting) or you can start prospecting than dig just at the right place to find your ore. Analysis breakdown In order to test the techniques I found, I first created a world in creative mode. I looked around for small pieces of ore, dig down until I hit rock, where I had a reading and flatten the entire zone to that level. Once done, I marked the readings with different color of wool, then filled the empty spot with a similar color. With the reading done, I only have to use the prospecting techniques and dig to see if if find ore. Vein area after digging Prospecting result. White-Traces, Orange-Small, Pink-Medium, Blue-Large, Green-Very Large. The middle of the to section of very large was not prospected. Also note interfering readings in black. In the same order order, grey, yellow, purple, light blue and lime wool used to indicate guessed readings of two types. 1. All the blocks between two blocks of the same reading. 2. Reading one or two block deeper or higher. 1. Level change technique This is the technique I found in a video by TheRealBassetts ( ). As he said in the video, he got his technique in the forum, I just want to give him credits because I fist saw it trough his video.Technique breakdown Prospect on a line until you find a point where the reading level change. (The "change point" marked by redstone torch) From this point, walk 12 blocks in the direction of the highest reading. Turn left or right and prospect until you find the point where the reading level change. (I turned left) From this point, walk 12 blocks in the direction of the highest reading (usually you would have to walk backward). Dig until you find the vein, you will find it 13 block down or less. (the red wool indicate the point where you have to dig). AnalysisI tried this technique from 4 different point, starting from different density, (traces, small sample, etc...), for one point I tried turning left and right at step 3 to get to entry points, and for one point that was in a reading corner, I tried going top and left. I ended up testing 6 different entry point. Result, 5 time I found ore right under the entry point, and for the sixth one, I fond it in a 1 block radius in a + shape. My 6 points and the way I found them. Pro Effective to find a vein using the pick as less as possible. Based on my test, it's 100% effective. You should hit the vein all the time if you dig in a 3x3 staircase (as normal players don't dig straight down). ConNot the best technique to find small pockets of ore in a a vein formed of many small pockets. 2. Vein framing techniqueThis is the technique I found in a video by Syrolux ( ). I named this technique the "vein framing" because the goal is to frame the vein, or if you prefer, to locate a box around the entire vein, then you only have to mine inside of this frame to find all the ore available in the vein.Technique breakdown The redstobe torch mark my starting point, the redstone one the ground mark the 12 block count and give an idea of the final frame. On a point where you have a reading, mine in straight line until you don't get a reading anymore (you might want to have 3 to 5 negative reading in a row to avoid conflicting false negative). From the last reading, count 12 block toward the highest reading and put a marker. Continue mining in the opposite direction until you have no hit, turn around, count 12 and place a marker. You pinned down the width of your vein. From the middle point between your two markers, mine in in the two other direction until you get no hit, count 12 and place a marker. You also pinned down the length of the vein. From the middle point, mine up and down the same way to pin down the height of the vein. Analysis When you look at the reading, you realize that the reading box have quite square edges, but that the corners are a bit round. In other words, if you count 12 block from the edge of this square, or if you count 12 block from a last reading that is not on the edge of the square, you might end up with a box that is too small for the vein. What I did is to draw two boxes, the largest possible, and the smallest possible. First I dug around the biggest frame, leaving everything from the smallest box in place. On the left and top line i got some ore sight on the line of my box, and on the right and bottom lines, I only got ore one box next to the line. Result, 100% of the ore was inside of my box. However, all what I found was outside of the small box. Of course, the biggest part of the vein was vein was framed. If well executed, this technique will be extremely exact. The large box is indicated by redstone, and the small one in red wool. There is less readings in the top right corner, that's why we get a smaller box. Everything is inside the big redstone box and not everything is covered by the small fence box. (I broke one ore piece by mistake, replaced by orange wood). Additional tips To get the biggest box, you should always prospect on a line where you get the highest reading for that vein, so you are not on the edge of the vein. At point 5, always dig from the middle, if you get your with a bit wrong, at least you will get your length right because you are prospecting in the middle of the vein. at the end, if you go up or down from the middle, you should hit the vein in the middle. If you dig down to get you first reading, mine at least 3 block lower before testing your lines. Instead of testing many block in a row to check if you got a false negative, hit the walls and ceiling too. The ceiling being the first layer where you get readings, the walls the second an third, and the floor the 4th. Assuming you found the vein from the top, if you dig 14 block bellow your first reading, you will hit the vein during the framing process. If you only dig 12 down, you will walk on the vein instead of mining trough it. ProReally accurate to frame 100% of the ore of a complete vein. ConRequire a lot of mining, and more than 100 mined blocks will completely be out of the box. In my example none of the prospected block where in the box.