Overview#
Geolosys (A Logical, Geological System) is a comprehensive world-generation mod that fundamentally changes how minerals and stones are distributed in Minecraft. Inspired by the realism of TerraFirmaCraft, Geolosys removes the scattered, random distribution of vanilla ores and replaces them with massive, rare deposits known as Plutons.
To balance the difficulty of finding these rare veins, the mod introduces a prospecting system involving surface Samples and specialized tools like the Prospector's Pick. It is designed to be highly compatible with other tech mods, providing realistic mineral variants for common ores like Copper, Tin, Lead, and Uranium.
Getting Started#
The first step in any Geolosys-enabled world is to understand that you will no longer find ores by simply strip-mining at specific Y-levels. Instead, you must scout the surface for small rock-like blocks called Samples.
The Field Manual
The Field Manual is the essential in-game guide. It provides detailed information on every deposit type, where they generate, and what they drop. It is powered by Patchouli and is highly recommended for all players.
- Recipe: 1x Book + 1x Wooden Pickaxe (Shapeless)
Prospecting Basics
When you find a Sample on the surface, it indicates that a corresponding ore Pluton is located somewhere within that chunk or the immediate vicinity. To pinpoint the exact location and depth, you will need a Prospector's Pick.
Items#
Geolosys adds several tools and intermediate items to facilitate its geological systems.
Prospector's Pick
The primary tool for any miner. It allows you to scan for nearby ore deposits.
- Recipe: 3x Iron Ingots (top row) + 2x Sticks (middle and bottom center).
- Usage:
- Above Sea Level: Right-clicking will scan the current chunk and report if any deposits are present.
- Below Sea Level: Right-clicking will scan in the direction you are facing (up to a configurable radius) to detect nearby ores.
- Overlay: While held, it displays an overlay showing your current depth relative to sea level.
Ore Clusters & Nuggets
When mining Geolosys ores without Silk Touch, they often drop Clusters instead of the block itself. These clusters can be smelted into ingots or blasted for higher yields. The mod also adds Nuggets for all its custom metals to ensure compatibility with various recipes.
| Item | Description | Smelting Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hematite Cluster | Dropped from Hematite Ore | 1x Iron Ingot |
| Malachite Cluster | Dropped from Malachite Ore | 1x Copper Ingot |
| Cassiterite Cluster | Dropped from Cassiterite Ore | 1x Tin Ingot |
| Galena Cluster | Dropped from Galena Ore | 1x Lead/Silver Ingot |
| Bauxite Cluster | Dropped from Bauxite Ore | 1x Aluminum Ingot |
Blocks & Ores#
Geolosys introduces realistic mineral variants for all standard Minecraft ores and many common modded ones.
Overworld Ores
| Mineral | Vanilla Equivalent | Common Biomes |
|---|---|---|
| Hematite / Limonite | Iron | Mushroom Islands, Swamplands (Limonite) |
| Malachite / Azurite | Copper | Various |
| Cassiterite / Teallite | Tin | Oceans, Rivers |
| Galena | Lead / Silver | Plains, Ice Plains |
| Bauxite | Aluminum | Jungles, Savannas |
| Autunite | Uranium | Extreme Hills, Ice Mountains |
| Cinnabar | Redstone | Various |
| Kimberlite | Diamond | Various (Rare) |
| Beryl | Emerald | Extreme Hills, Ice Mountains |
| Assorted Quartz | Certus / Black Quartz | Various |
Nether Ores
In the Nether, Geolosys replaces standard generation with its own system:
- Nether Gold: Found in dense deposits.
- Ancient Debris: Found in rare Dike formations between Y-levels 8 and 22.
- Quartz: Found in massive Dike formations.
Samples
Samples are 1/8th sized blocks that generate on the surface. Breaking them gives a small amount of the corresponding mineral (e.g., a Hematite Sample gives an Iron Nugget or Cluster).
Mechanics#
Pluton Types
Ores do not generate in small blobs. Instead, they form one of four geological structures:
- Dense: A massive, concentrated sphere or blob of ore. High yield, easy to mine once found.
- Dike: A vertical column of ore that cuts through many Y-levels. Common for Quartz and Ancient Debris.
- Sparse: Ore blocks are scattered widely within a specific area. Requires more effort to extract all resources.
- Layer: Horizontal sheets of ore, often spanning multiple chunks but only a few blocks thick.
Ore Converter
Geolosys features an Ore Converter mechanic. If other mods generate their own ores (e.g., in the Twilight Forest or other dimensions), Geolosys can be configured to automatically swap those blocks for its own versions when a player enters the chunk, ensuring a consistent mining experience across the entire modpack.
Fortune & Silk Touch
- Fortune: Affects the drop rate of Clusters from Geolosys ores.
- Silk Touch: Allows players to mine the ore block itself. If the ore has a vanilla equivalent (like Hematite to Iron), it will drop the vanilla ore block.
Configuration#
Geolosys is designed for modpack authors and is highly data-driven. In versions 1.19.2 and 1.20.1, most configuration is handled via Datapacks.
Custom Deposits
Users can define their own deposits in JSON format. A typical deposit entry includes:
- Type: The pluton shape (dense, dike, etc.).
- Blocks: Which blocks make up the deposit.
- Y-Range: The minimum and maximum height for generation.
- Chance: The rarity of the deposit.
- Biomes: Whitelists or blacklists for specific biome types.
Common Config Options
- Disable Vanilla Ores: Set to
trueby default to allow Geolosys to take over generation. - ProPick Radius: Adjusts how far the Prospector's Pick can see underground.
- Sample Drop Rate: Controls whether surface samples drop items when broken.
