Uranite ore requires a mining setup, not a crafting one

Uranite in Minecraft doesn't drop from a crafting recipe or a furnace — it comes from mining uranite ore blocks, usually found in modded versions like Technic or Feed The Beast. To automate uranite, you need to automate the mining of those ore blocks, not the processing of raw materials. This means building a quarry, a mining laser, or a similar block-breaking machine that can run on its own.

The method you choose depends on which mod pack you're using and what power source you have available. Some packs include Quarry Plus (which has a simple quarry block), others use Modular Machinery or Mekanism (which offer more complex but flexible options). The core idea stays the same: set up a machine that breaks blocks in a defined area, collects the drops, and feeds them into storage.

Key Takeaways

  • Uranite automation requires a mining machine like a quarry or mining laser, not a smelter or processor.
  • Most mining machines need a power source (RF, EU, or Mana depending on your mod pack) and a defined mining area or target block.
  • You'll need a way to collect and sort the drops — usually a hopper, chest, or item pipe connected to your storage system.
  • Mining machines can run continuously if you keep them powered and clear the output inventory regularly.

Using a Quarry for steady uranite collection

A quarry is the simplest mining automation in most mod packs. In Quarry Plus, you place the quarry block, define a rectangular area with frame blocks, and it will mine every block inside that area down to bedrock. The quarry outputs ore and stone into an internal inventory that you can pull from with hoppers or pipes.

To set up a quarry for uranite: place the quarry block at one corner of your mining area, then place frame blocks to mark the opposite corner. The quarry will mine everything between those points. Connect a hopper or item pipe to the top or side of the quarry to pull out the drops. Feed that hopper into a chest or into a sorting system that separates uranite ore from stone and other blocks.

Quarries consume a lot of power — usually 40 to 80 RF per tick depending on the mod pack. You'll need a power generation setup (solar panels, a reactor, or a turbine) that can sustain that draw. If your power cuts out, the quarry stops, but it remembers where it was and resumes when power returns.

Mining lasers for faster, targeted extraction

Some mod packs include mining lasers or similar tools that can break blocks from a distance. These are faster than quarries but require more setup and more power. A mining laser typically needs to be aimed at a specific block type and will break all blocks of that type in a cone or beam in front of it.

To automate a mining laser: place it in a fixed position (usually mounted on a frame or piston), point it at a uranite ore block, and power it. The laser will break uranite ore blocks in its path and drop them. You'll need to collect those drops with a hopper or vacuum hopper positioned below or to the side of the mining area.

Mining lasers are more power-hungry than quarries but faster. They also require you to manually aim them or use a redstone timer to rotate them across different areas. If your mod pack includes Modular Machinery, you can build a custom mining machine that combines a laser with a timer and a sorting system in one multiblock structure.

Collecting and sorting the uranite ore

Once your mining machine is breaking uranite ore, you need to catch the drops and move them to storage. A hopper placed directly under or beside the mining machine will collect drops automatically. Feed that hopper into a chest, a barrel, or a more advanced storage system like a Refined Storage or Applied Energistics network.

If your mining machine also breaks stone and other unwanted blocks, you'll want a sorting system. The simplest approach is a hopper with a filter (if your mod pack supports it) or a series of hoppers and chests that separate ore from stone. Some mod packs include item sorters or routing pipes that can do this automatically — check your mod documentation for the exact names and recipes.

Make sure your output inventory doesn't fill up. If a hopper or chest is full, the mining machine will stop outputting drops and may pause. Use a large chest, a barrel, or a storage network with plenty of space, or set up a system that moves full stacks to a secondary storage area.

Power requirements and generation

Mining machines need a steady power supply. Most use RF (Redstone Flux) in packs like Technic or FTB, but some use EU (Energy Units) or Mana depending on the mod. Check your machine's tooltip or manual to see what it needs.

For a quarry running at 60 RF per tick, you'll need a power generation setup that produces at least that much continuously. Solar panels are reliable but slow — a single solar panel produces 1 RF per tick in daylight. A small reactor or a wind turbine produces 40 to 100 RF per tick depending on the mod. A turbine (powered by steam or lava) can produce 500+ RF per tick.

Connect your power generation to the mining machine with power cables (the exact cable type depends on your mod pack — look for "RF cable", "EU cable", or "Mana conduit"). Use a power storage block like a battery or capacitor between your generator and your mining machine to smooth out power spikes and keep the machine running if your generator has downtime.

Automating the entire chain with processing

Once you have uranite ore, you may want to smelt it into uranite ingots or process it further. This is a separate automation from mining, but it's worth setting up at the same time. Place a furnace or an ore processor next to your storage chest and connect it with hoppers or pipes. Feed uranite ore into the furnace, and it will output uranite ingots into another chest.

If your mod pack includes Mekanism, you can use an Enrichment Chamber or a Crusher to process uranite ore more efficiently than a furnace. These machines are faster and may produce more output per ore. They also require power, so make sure your power generation can handle both the mining machine and the processor running at the same time.

For a complete automation chain: mining machine → hopper → storage chest → hopper → processor → hopper → output chest. Each hopper should be connected with redstone to only pull when the next container has space, or use a filter to prevent backups.

Troubleshooting common automation problems

If your mining machine stops working, check three things: power (is the cable connected and is the power generator running?), output inventory (is the chest or hopper full?), and mining area (has the machine finished mining the defined area?). Most mining machines will pause silently if any of these are blocked.

If drops are disappearing, your hopper may not be fast enough to collect them before they despawn (usually 5 minutes). Use a vacuum hopper or a faster collection method, or reduce the mining machine's speed if your mod pack allows it. If ore is going into the wrong chest, check your hopper filters and pipe routing — some pipes require you to set a filter on the hopper itself.

If your power is cutting out, your generator may not be producing enough power, or your cables may be too long (some cables lose power over distance). Add more power generation, use higher-tier cables, or place a power storage block closer to the mining machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I automate uranite mining without a quarry?

Yes. Mining lasers, mining drills, and custom Modular Machinery setups can all break uranite ore automatically. Quarries are the simplest but not the only option. Check what mining machines your mod pack includes and pick one that fits your power budget and space.

How much power does a uranite mining setup actually use?

A quarry typically uses 40 to 80 RF per tick. A mining laser uses 60 to 120 RF per tick. These numbers vary by mod pack, so check your machine's tooltip in-game. You'll need a power generator that produces at least that much continuously, plus extra for any processors you add later.

What do I do if my mining machine finishes the area?

Move the quarry frame blocks to a new location, or set up a new mining machine in a different area. Some mod packs include quarries that can be configured to mine in a spiral or to move automatically, but most require manual repositioning. Plan your mining areas in advance so you don't run out of ore.

Can I use a vanilla Minecraft hopper to collect uranite drops?

Yes, but it's slow. A vanilla hopper moves one item per second. For a fast mining machine, use a modded hopper, a vacuum hopper, or item pipes that move faster. If you're using a slow mining machine, a vanilla hopper is fine.

Do I need to sort uranite ore from stone automatically?

Not if you don't mind stone in your storage. If you want only uranite ore, use a hopper with a filter or a routing pipe to separate them. This adds complexity but saves storage space and makes processing faster since you're not smelting useless stone.