Minecraft Snapshot 21w08a, also referred to as “Cobbled Together Deeply” is another addition to the upcoming Caves and Cliffs update. This time, the update introduces brand new ores called “Deepslate Ores” (renamed Grimstone) with their very own sound design and texture.

21w08a also introduces a bunch of other interesting tweaks and changes that I’ll go over below. Read on to find out more about this Java snapshot.

First up, let’s talk about Deepslate. This is the renamed version of Grimstone, the blocks that spawn deep in the core of Minecraft’s earth. Deepslate now has a new texture and a new block, Cobbled Deepslate, drops from it when mined.

Cobbled Deepslate looks the same as ordinary Deepslate, but has no top texture, and is used to craft all the new Deepslate variants, like stairs and walls. Oh, and the block has a crunchy new sound as well.

New ores have been added to the Deepslate ore level, including gold, iron, lapis, Redstone, and diamond ores. They have their own unique textures but are as twice as tough to mine as regular ores.

Another interesting tip about ores is that they are now less likely to spawn in the open air in the deepest caves. This means you’ll need to go mining, or…cave diving. Water doesn’t count as an air block.

Andesite is also gone from y=0 and replaced by a brand new block called Tuff. Tuff was the block that once surrounded the new Amethyst Geode but new material has replaced that (Smooth Basalt).

On the topic of Amethyst Geodes, they will no longer spawn floating in the air inside giant caves, and you will have to go properly mining for them.

This Snapshot also introduces new methods of cave generation both above ground and below ground. The intention behind this is to create more variation and more epic generation, with skylights above ground, and more twisting caves below.

Twisting caves and carvers will now occur more regularly around y=0 and cracks can now be found carved into the overworld. There are a lot of interesting methods of generation at play here, including noise caves, cheese caves, and spaghetti caves.

Overall, with the Minecraft Snapshots really picking up steam now – another was released just a moment ago to fix the generation of Iron Ore in the newest snapshot – the Caves and Cliffs update looks to be one of the technically largest updates to Minecraft ever.