Customizing Your Vein Mining Experience: Exclude Blocks from FTB Ultimine
Vein mining has become a staple quality-of-life feature in modded Minecraft, allowing players to break entire clusters of connected blocks in a single action. The FTB Ultimine mod is one of the most popular implementations, bundling this power into a simple keybind. But sometimes, absolute convenience can backfire — accidentally clearing out a dirt wall or a patch of grass you wanted to keep can ruin a build or a carefully landscaped area. That is where the Exclude Blocks for FTB Ultimine datapack steps in, giving you fine-grained control over what gets obliterated with a single swing.
What Exactly Does FTB Ultimine Do?
FTB Ultimine is a lightweight, server-friendly mod that lets you hold down a hotkey (usually the grave accent key) while mining a block, instantly breaking all connected blocks of the same type within a configurable range. It respects tool requirements and enchantments, so you will not accidentally mine stone with your bare hands. By default, it works on almost every block, which is fantastic for clearing out large ore veins, chopping down whole trees, or excavating massive underground chambers. However, the lack of a built-in block exclusion list can be frustrating when you are working near delicate structures or in biomes where you want to preserve certain natural formations.
Why You Need a Block Exclusion List
Imagine you are building a hobbit-hole in a hillside and you need to hollow out a large area of stone, but the ceiling and floor are lined with grass blocks and dirt that you want to keep intact. Without exclusions, one mis-timed Ultimine activation could turn your ceiling into a gaping hole. Similarly, in a skyblock world where every dirt block counts, accidentally vein mining a patch of grass could wipe out your entire platform. The Exclude Blocks for FTB Ultimine datapack solves these problems by letting you define a custom list of blocks that Ultimine will completely ignore, no matter how many are connected.
How the Datapack Works
This datapack is not a mod in the traditional sense — it is a collection of JSON files that modify the behavior of FTB Ultimine without altering its core code. Once installed, it reads from a file called excluded_blocks.json to determine which block IDs should be exempt from vein mining. The pack comes pre-configured with dirt and grass blocks as examples, but you can easily replace those with any block you want to protect. The logic is straightforward: if a block’s identifier appears in the list, Ultimine will skip it entirely, leaving it untouched while still breaking the surrounding valid blocks.
Installing the datapack is straightforward. After downloading the ZIP file, you unzip it and place the resulting folder inside the datapacks directory of your Minecraft world save. If you are managing multiple mods and datapacks, a modern launcher like the foxygame.net launcher can simplify the process — it lets you handle installations directly from its interface, and you can even grab the latest version of this datapack from its built-in mod browser without juggling file folders manually.
Editing the Exclusion List
Customizing which blocks Ultimine ignores is as simple as editing a text file. Inside the datapack folder, navigate to data/ultimine_exclude/functions/excluded_blocks.json. You will see a JSON array containing the default entries:
"minecraft:dirt""minecraft:grass_block"
You can add any valid block identifier to this array. For example, to protect your precious chests from accidental destruction, you might add "minecraft:chest". To preserve natural clay deposits in a river biome, add "minecraft:clay". The syntax is case-sensitive, so always use lowercase and the full namespace prefix. After saving the file, reload the datapack with the /reload command (if cheats are enabled) or restart the world, and the changes take effect immediately.
Practical Examples and Use Cases
Here are a few scenarios where an exclusion list shines:
- Preserving building materials: Add
"minecraft:oak_planks","minecraft:stone_bricks", or any block you frequently use in construction to avoid dismantling your own base. - Protecting redstone contraptions: Exclude
"minecraft:redstone_wire","minecraft:repeater", and"minecraft:observer"so a quick vein mine near your machinery does not erase hours of wiring. - Keeping natural terrain intact: In a custom map or adventure world, you might want to exclude
"minecraft:podzol","minecraft:mycelium", or even"minecraft:ice"to maintain the landscape’s aesthetic. - Skyblock and challenge packs: Exclude
"minecraft:cobblestone"if your generator relies on a specific platform shape, preventing accidental mass-breaking that could strand you in the void.
Remember that the exclusion list only affects FTB Ultimine; you can still break those blocks manually with a pickaxe or shovel as normal. The datapack simply tells the mod to skip them during its vein mining logic, so you retain full control.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If Ultimine still breaks an excluded block, double-check the block ID in your JSON file. A missing colon or a typo will cause the entry to be ignored. Also, ensure the datapack is loaded correctly — use the /datapack list command to verify it appears as enabled. If you are playing on a server, the datapack must be installed on the server side, and all players need to have FTB Ultimine installed. The exclusion list is server-authoritative, so you do not need to distribute the datapack to clients.
Going Beyond the Basics
Once you are comfortable editing the JSON, you can get creative. You could maintain multiple exclusion profiles for different worlds by swapping out the file before loading a save. Some players even share their lists on community forums for specific modpacks, creating curated experiences that balance efficiency with world preservation. The datapack’s simplicity makes it easy to adapt to any playstyle, from hardcore survival to creative building.
Conclusion
The Exclude Blocks for FTB Ultimine datapack fills a small but significant gap in the vein mining workflow. By letting you define exactly which blocks are off-limits, it prevents those heart-sinking moments when a misclick undoes hours of work. Whether you are a builder, a redstone engineer, or a map maker, taking a few minutes to set up an exclusion list will make your Minecraft sessions smoother and less stressful. Pair it with a flexible launcher like foxygame.net to keep all your mods and datapacks organized, and you will have a mining experience that feels both powerful and precise.