Amethyst Pickaxes
Mining in Minecraft has always been a grind, but what if a single swing could clear an entire tunnel face? That is exactly what Amethyst Pickaxes delivers. This add-on introduces a custom enchantment that transforms your ordinary pickaxe into a block-devouring machine, letting you break a full 3x3 area with one hit. Inspired by the legendary Amethyst Pickaxe from the Donut SMP, this datapack brings that same iconic tool straight into your survival world.
What Does the Amethyst Enchantment Do?
The core feature is simple but game-changing. Once your pickaxe carries the Amethyst enchantment, every swing mines a 3x3 square of blocks instead of a single block. That means nine blocks per swing, which dramatically speeds up branch mining, strip mining, and clearing out large caverns. Instead of chipping away at stone one block at a time, you carve through the underground like a hot knife through butter.
This is not a new item you have to craft from scratch. It is an enchantment applied to the pickaxe you already own, which keeps the experience close to vanilla Minecraft while adding a powerful quality-of-life upgrade.
How to Get the Amethyst Enchantment
Obtaining the enchantment requires a bit of legwork, and that is part of the fun. You cannot simply find it in a chest or pull it from an enchanting table. Instead, you earn it through trading with villagers. Once you have the enchanted book in hand, head to an anvil and combine it with your pickaxe. From that moment on, your mining sessions will never feel the same.
Step-by-Step: How to Install
Getting set up is quick, and the process depends on whether you prefer a datapack or a modded loader. Here is the general flow:
- Download the Amethyst Pickaxes file (amethyst-1.0.0.jar) from the official source.
- Drop the file into your world's mods folder, or apply it as a datapack depending on your setup.
- Launch the game and load into your world.
- Trade with villagers to obtain the Amethyst enchantment book.
- Combine the book with your pickaxe at an anvil and start mining.
If you would rather skip the manual file juggling, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install for Amethyst Pickaxes, dropping the correct build straight into your instance without any folder hunting. That convenience matters when you just want to get underground and start swinging.
Version and Loader Compatibility
Amethyst Pickaxes is built for modern Minecraft, requiring version 1.21 or higher. The add-on supports all four major loaders, so you are covered no matter how you play:
- Fabric — lightweight and popular for performance modpacks.
- Quilt — a flexible fork of Fabric with growing community support.
- NeoForge — the modern successor to Forge for newer versions.
- Forge — the long-standing standard for large modpacks.
That broad compatibility means you can slot this add-on into almost any modded setup without worrying about conflicts. Whether you run a slim Fabric profile or a heavyweight Forge pack, the Amethyst enchantment should work without a hitch.
Why 3x3 Mining Changes Everything
Anyone who has spent hours clearing a mineshaft knows the value of efficiency. A 3x3 mining enchantment cuts your time investment dramatically. Large-scale projects, from underground bases to sprawling rail systems, suddenly become far less tedious. You also gather resources faster, which means more iron, more diamonds, and more redstone in the same amount of playtime.
There is a strategic angle too. Because you break nine blocks at once, you need to be mindful of where you swing. Accidentally mining into a lava pocket or a friend's build becomes a real possibility, so a little caution goes a long way.
Final Thoughts
Amethyst Pickaxes captures the spirit of the Donut SMP's famous tool and packages it neatly for your own world. The custom enchantment, the villager trading loop, and the satisfying 3x3 swing all come together to make mining feel fresh again. With support for Minecraft 1.21+ across Fabric, Quilt, NeoForge, and Forge, there is little reason not to try it. If you want to download Amethyst Pickaxes and start clearing tunnels in record time, grab the file, enchant your pickaxe, and get mining.