Block of the week: Andesite

Do you need a block that resembles gravel but won’t fall when you mine the block beneath it in Minecraft Pocket Edition? Or perhaps you’re looking for more refined variations for your stone and cobblestone base? Well, I have an excellent solution for you, and this week’s featured block is Andesite!

Andesite is one of three special types of stone found in Minecraft PE, alongside granite and diorite. All three were introduced simultaneously in snapshot 14w02a back in 2014. They generate underground below level 80, appearing in veins similar in shape and size to gravel and dirt, but you may also occasionally find andesite on the surface of extreme hills. Typically, you’ll discover several of these blocks in igloo basements and woodland mansions.

All three stone variants share identical blast resistance, mining time, and other properties akin to regular stone, making them suitable materials for resisting creeper explosions. In Minecraft PE, you can use them to craft stone slabs, comparators, and redstone repeaters, while the Java version limits their use strictly to decorative purposes.

In real life, andesite is a bluish-gray volcanic rock whose name derives from the Andes mountains in South America, where it is quite common. It forms when a specific type of magma erupts onto the surface as lava and cools down. By contrast, diorite is created when the same type of magma cools within the earth before it can reach the surface, making them related rocks.

Besides being the second most abundant volcanic rock on Earth after basalt, andesite also constitutes a significant portion of Mars’ surface. It has even been found in meteorites traveling through space, suggesting there might be alternative ways to create it that we are unaware of.

Speaking of crafting andesite, mining isn’t the only method to gather large quantities of this material in MCPE. You can also produce it by combining diorite with cobblestone at a crafting table. Additionally, you can make diorite by fusing cobblestone with nether quartz, so as long as you have access to the Nether in Minecraft Pocket Edition, you’ll never run out of materials.

While we’re discussing recipes, four andesite blocks arranged in a square grid will combine to create polished andesite—a smoother, more elegant variant of the block that looks fantastic as flooring.

So next time you’re building a modern-style home and need a great material for flooring or something new to add to your stone fortress, definitely consider using Andesite. It will look amazing!