Excavated Variants Mod (1.21.1, 1.20.1) is a mod that generates the same minerals as always, but in new stone type variants. This means we can find mineral resources in more places than the default settings. Take a look at the images to see some examples of this. Therefore, this mod automatically adds new minerals for each combination of mineral type and stone type. But that’s not all-it also manages the generation of these mineral resource variants in Minecraft’s terrain generation.

Features:

  • Automatically creates new ore blocks for each combination of supported ores and stone variants.
  • Attempts to configure world generation for all generated ore variants.
  • Supports configuration via a config file to enable, disable, or extend ore/stone combinations.

Configuration

  • Default configs include many popular mods; additional mods can be added manually.
  • Configuration is handled via the mod’s config file.
  • For visual examples of generated ores, see the Images section on the mod’s CurseForge page.

Troubleshooting

  • Slow world or game loading: enable stronger asset and/or data caching in the Dynamic Asset Generator configuration.
  • Game crashes on launch or magenta/black ore textures: there may be an invalid configuration; remove or reset the config files.
  • Missing compatibility for a listed mod: delete the configs to restore the default settings.

Built-in Compatibility

Default configs provide ore variants for:

Config Format

The main configuration file is config/excavated_variants.json and provides global options:

  • attempt_worldgen_replacement: Enables or disables ore generation replacement during world generation.
  • add_conversion_recipes: Enables or disables recipes that convert variants back to the base ore.

All detailed configuration is loaded from the globalresources folder. It is recommended to use your own subdirectory or archive there instead of modifying built-in files. New configuration files can be added without extracting or editing existing ones.

Core Data Types

  • Ground Types: Logical groups of stones and ores that determine which ore–stone combinations (variants) are created. Example: excavated_variants:overworld groups overworld stones and ores.
  • Ores: Ore blocks that can appear in multiple stone types. During world generation, they are replaced with variants that match surrounding stones. Example: excavated_variants:minecraft/iron_ore covers all iron ore variants.
  • Stones: Stone blocks that ores can generate in. Example: excavated_variants:minecraft/granite describes granite and which variants should be derived from it.
  • Modifiers: Rules that adjust properties or visibility of variants (tags, block properties, disabling variants, and similar behavior).

By default, variants are generated for every ore–stone pair that shares at least one ground type and does not already have a defined variant, except where restricted by modifiers.

Ground Types

Location: globalresources/[folder/pack]/globaldata/[namespace]/excavated_variants/ground_type

  • Each file is a JSON object. Currently, ground type files do not store additional data; an empty object {} is sufficient.

Ores

Location: globalresources/[folder/pack]/globaldata/[namespace]/excavated_variants/ore

Each ore JSON file contains:

  • types: List of ground types this ore can generate in, for example ["excavated_variants:overworld"].
  • translations: Map of locale codes (such as en_us) to translated ore names. The stone name is prepended automatically, or inserted at %s if present.
  • tags: List of tags that all variants of this ore are added to as both block and item tags.
  • blocks: Map where keys are block IDs representing ore variants, and values describe their stone association:
    • String value: Stone ID, for example "excavated_variants:minecraft/granite". The variant is used if the mod with that block’s namespace is present.
    • Object value:
      • stone: Stone ID, for example "excavated_variants:minecraft/granite".
      • required_mods: List of mod IDs required for this variant, for example ["spelunkery", "create"].
      • generating (optional, default true): Whether this variant can be used as a parent when generating new variants.

Stones

Location: globalresources/[folder/pack]/globaldata/[namespace]/excavated_variants/stone

Each stone JSON file contains:

  • types: List of ground types this stone belongs to, for example ["excavated_variants:overworld"].
  • translations: Map of locale codes (such as en_us) to translated stone names.
  • block: Block ID for this stone, for example "minecraft:granite".
  • ore_tags: List of tags that ore variants for this stone are added to as both block and item tags.

Modifiers

Location: globalresources/[folder/pack]/globaldata/[namespace]/excavated_variants/modifier

Each modifier JSON file may contain:

  • tags (optional): List of tags to add to all variants matching the filter. Tags follow the format "namespace:[block/item]/path".
  • flags (optional): List of behavior flags applied to matching variants:
    • original_without_silk: Drop the original block’s normal drops unless silk touch is used.
    • original_always: Always drop the original block’s drops, even with silk touch.
    • disable: Prevent this variant from being generated or recognized.
    • non_generating: The variant exists but is never used as a parent for new variants.
  • properties (optional): Object defining block property overrides:
    • destroy_time: Block breaking time.
    • explosion_resistance: Explosion resistance value.
    • xp: Experience dropped, can use integer ranges as in vanilla datapacks.
  • filter: Filter definition specifying which variants this modifier applies to.

Filters

Modifier filters can be defined as an object or a string.

Object filters always include a type field:

  • all: Matches all variants.
  • empty: Matches no variants.
  • not: Matches everything not matched by its filter field.
  • and: Matches only variants matched by all filters in its filters list.
  • or: Matches variants matched by at least one filter in its filters list.

String filters use a compact syntax:

  • *: Matches everything.
  • ~: Matches nothing.
  • ~[filter]: Negation of another filter.
  • ground_type@[namespace]:[path]: Matches variants with the specified ground type.
  • stone@[namespace]:[path]: Matches variants with the specified stone.
  • ore@[namespace]:[path]: Matches variants with the specified ore.
  • mod@[mod_id]: Matches only if the given mod is present.
  • generated: Matches all variants generated by this mod.
  • block@[namespace]:[path]: Matches variants with the specified block ID; * can be used as a wildcard in namespace or path.

Screenshots:

Modded Compatibility: Variant for a Tech Reborn ore.

Gold Ore in Basalt: Gold ore variant generating in a Basalt Delta.

Tech Reborn and Better End Compatibility: Tech Reborn peridot in a Better End end biome.

Lapis around a Geode: Lapis ore generating around an amethyst geode.

Dripstone and Tuff Variants: Dripstone and Tuff variants of an ore from Tech Reborn.

Immersive Engineering and Create Compatibility: Immersive Engineering silver ore in a Create stone vein.

Requires:

Minecraft Forge or Fabric API or Quilt Loader or NeoForge Installer

Dynamic Asset Generator Mod

How to install:

Click the following link to view details: How to Install Mods for Minecraft Java Edition on PC: A Beginner Guide

Excavated Variants Mod (1.21.1, 1.20.1) Download Links

For Minecraft 1.18.2, 1.18.1

Forge version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.19.2, 1.19.1, 1.19

Forge version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.19.3

Forge version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.19.4

Forge version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.20.1, 1.20

Forge version: Download from Server 1 – Download from Server 2

Fabric version: Download from Server 1 – Download from Server 2

For Minecraft 1.20.2

NeoForge version: Download from Server 1

Fabric/Quilt version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.20.4

NeoForge version: Download from Server 1

Fabric/Quilt version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.20.6

NeoForge version: Download from Server 1

Fabric/Quilt version: Download from Server 1

For Minecraft 1.21.1, 1.21

NeoForge version: Download from Server 1 – Download from Server 2

Fabric/Quilt version: Download from Server 1 – Download from Server 2

Click to rate this post!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]