Netherrack

Netherrack is a frail stone block found abundantly in the Nether and in blobs below ruined portals. Fire lit on top of netherrack burns indefinitely.

Obtaining

Breaking

Netherrack can be obtained only with a pickaxe. It drops nothing if mined without one.

Block	Netherrack
Hardness	0.4
Tool
Breaking time^[A]
Default	2
Wooden	0.3
Stone	0.15
Iron	0.1
Diamond	0.1
Netherite	0.1
Golden	0.05

↑ Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Netherrack can also be obtained by mining nylium with a pickaxe not enchanted with Silk Touch.

Natural generation

Netherrack makes up most of the Nether's terrain, and also generates as part of ruined portals in the Overworld.

Netherrack generates as part of bridge and treasure room bastion remnants.

Post-generation

In Bedrock Edition, netherrack generates as part of nether portals spawned floating. This is what makes netherrack renewable.

Crimson or warped nylium transforms into netherrack if a solid, opaque block is directly above it, or when it is covered by snow.^[1]

Usage

Netherrack is mostly used as a cheap building block. Because of its abundance and softness, it is often used to construct temporary structures that can be used for scaffolding, blockage, or other purposes.

When netherrack's top is lit on fire, the fire burns indefinitely. Unlike soul fire, this fire can spread.

Using bone meal on netherrack placed next to warped nylium or crimson nylium transforms the netherrack into more nylium.

Analyzing the netherrack in a material reducer, it turns out to be a volcanic silicate rock rich in mercury.‌^{[Bedrock Edition and Minecraft Education only]}

Crafting ingredient

Name	Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template or Rib Armor Trim Smithing Template	Diamond + Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template or Rib Armor Trim Smithing Template + Netherrack	22
Smithing Template	Diamond + Matching Smithing Template + Netherrack	22222222222222222

Smelting ingredient

Name	Ingredients	Smelting recipe
Nether Brick	Netherrack + Any fuel	0.1

Note Blocks

Netherrack can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass drum" sounds.

Sounds

Java Edition:

Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	`block.netherrack.break`	`subtitles.block.generic.break`	1.0	0.8	16
Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	`block.netherrack.place`	`subtitles.block.generic.place`	1.0	0.8	16
Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	`block.netherrack.hit`	`subtitles.block.generic.hit`	0.1375	0.5	16
None^{[sound 1]}	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	`block.netherrack.fall`	None^{[sound 1]}	0.5	0.75	16
Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	`block.netherrack.step`	`subtitles.block.generic.footsteps`	0.15	1.0	16

↑ ^a ^b MC-177082

Bedrock Edition:

Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
Blocks	Once the block has broken	`dig.netherrack`	1.0	0.8-1.0
Blocks	When the block is placed	`dig.netherrack`	1.0	0.8-1.0
Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	`hit.netherrack`	0.22	0.5
Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	`fall.netherrack`	0.4	1.0
Players	Walking on the block	`step.netherrack`	0.13	1.0-1.1
Players	Jumping from the block	`jump.netherrack`	0.12	1.0
Players	Falling on the block without fall damage	`land.netherrack`	0.14	1.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Block tags	Translation key
Netherrack	`netherrack`	Block & Item	`base_stone_nether` `infiniburn_end` `infiniburn_nether` `infiniburn_overworld` `mineable/pickaxe`	`block.minecraft.netherrack`

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID^{[i 1]}	Translation key
Netherrack	`netherrack`	`87`	Block & Giveable Item^{[i 2]}	Identical^{[i 3]}	`tile.netherrack.name`

↑ ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.
↑ Available with /give command.
↑ The block's direct item form has the same id as the block.

History

Java Edition Alpha
v1.2.0		preview			Added netherrack, originally called "bloodstone"^[2], and referred to by Notch at one point as "netherstone".^[3] However, neither of these two names are in common use.
Java Edition Beta
1.0					Items now have tooltips, officially naming this block netherrack.
Java Edition
1.0.0		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5			The texture of netherrack has been slightly changed.
1.5		13w01a			Netherrack can now be smelted into a nether brick item, which are used to craft nether bricks, just like how clay balls can become bricks.
1.5		13w02a			Netherrack now uses the hellrock.png texture in texture packs.
1.8		14w27b			The netherrack's texture now randomly rotates depending on position.
1.10		16w20a			Endermen can now pick up netherrack.
1.13		17w47a			Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeral ID was 87.
1.14		18w43a			The texture of netherrack has been changed.
1.14		18w47a			The texture of netherrack has been changed, once again.
1.16		20w06a			Using bone meal on netherrack can now spread nylium into it.
		20w06a			New unique sounds have been added for netherrack.
		20w07a			Endermen no longer pick up netherrack.
		20w16a			Netherrack now generates as part of bastion remnants and ruined portals, the latter making netherrack generate in the Overworld for the first time.
1.20 (Experimental)		23w04a			Netherrack can now be used to craft netherite upgrade smithing templates and rib armor trims.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.6.0					Added netherrack, which now generates as the main block of the Nether reactor instead of obsidian.
v0.7.1					Netherrack is now flammable.
v0.12.1		build 1			The Nether reactor has been removed and replaced by the Nether, and this is now the way to get netherrack.
v0.15.0		build 1			Endermen can now pick up netherrack.
Bedrock Edition
1.10.0		beta 1.10.0.3			The texture of netherrack has been changed.
1.16.0		beta 1.16.0.51			Using bone meal on netherrack can now spread nylium into it.
		beta 1.16.0.51			Endermen no longer pick up netherrack.
		beta 1.16.0.57			Netherrack now generates as part of bastion remnants and ruined portals.
		beta 1.16.0.57			Changed breaking and placing sounds.
Next Major Update (Experimental)		beta 1.19.80.21			Netherrack can now be used to craft netherite upgrade smithing templates and rib armor trims.
Legacy Console Edition
TU1	CU1	1.0	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added netherrack.
TU43	CU33	1.36	Patch 13	1.0.1	Endermen can now pick up netherrack.
		1.90			The texture of netherrack has been changed.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added netherrack.

Issues

Issues relating to "Netherrack" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Gallery

A naturally generated nether wastes biome next to a soul sand valley.
Enderman holding netherrack. This no longer occurs naturally after the Nether Update, as endermen are no longer able to pick up netherrack.

Notes

References

↑ MC-174639 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/block-week-netherrack
↑ "@luitjens yes, and it'd also take away some of the annoyingness of mining Netherstone with diamond pickaxes." – @notch (Markus Persson) on X, November 5, 2010

External Links

Block of the Week: Netherrack – Minecraft.net on June 4, 2018

[breakingtimenote-1] Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

[bugMC-177082-3] MC-177082

[bedrock-item-id-4] ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.

[bedrock-give-available-5] Available with /give command.

[bedrock-item-form-6] The block's direct item form has the same id as the block.

[2] MC-174639 — resolved as "Works As Intended".

[7] ttps://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/block-week-netherrack

[8] "@luitjens yes, and it'd also take away some of the annoyingness of mining Netherstone with diamond pickaxes." – @notch (Markus Persson) on X, November 5, 2010

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