Best way to oxidize copper in Minecraft

Copper is one of the newer blocks added to the game in the Minecraft Caves & Cliffs update part 1. Just like iron and gold, its ore generates commonly in the Overworld. Players can find it between Y levels 0 and 96. When mined, it drops raw copper, which can be smelted to obtain copper ingots.

When placed anywhere, a block of copper will start oxidizing. There are four stages of oxidation. Most players are unaware that rain or water can increase the oxidation speed of copper blocks.

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Copper oxidization in Minecraft

The oxidization of a copper block depends entirely on the random ticks in Minecraft. When two or more copper blocks are placed within four blocks of Manhattan distance, the less oxidized copper blocks slow down the oxidation process for the other copper blocks.

However, this does not work in reverse. Therefore, players cannot place more oxidized copper blocks close to less oxidized ones and increase their oxidation rate.

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Best way of oxidizing copper blocks

Blocks of copper (Image via Minecraft)

As the oxidation process is slowed by other copper blocks placed within four blocks of Manhattan distance, the most efficient way of oxidizing them is by placing them at least five blocks away from each other.

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How to deoxidize copper blocks?

Deoxidizing copper block using an axe (Image via Minecraft)

Deoxidizing copper blocks in Minecraft is quite simple. Players can do it by right-clicking on the oxidized copper block while holding an ax in their hand. The ax will scrape off wax and oxidation on the copper. Each time the player uses it, the copper block will go back by one oxidation stage.

Copper blocks can also be deoxidized when struck by lightning. The chances of this happening are pretty low, but players can use lightning rods. Lightning rods are a new item added along with copper. It is capable of redirecting a lightning bolt that strikes a specific area.

To use it for deoxidizing copper blocks, players need to place it on the block and wait for a thunderstorm. When a lightning bolt strikes a copper block, it removes all oxidation from it and can remove some oxidation layers of other copper blocks placed near the struck block as well.