Ore Detector Legacy
by ChillPavz
Ore Detector Legacy adds eleven handheld detectors that players craft early in the game, each tuned to one ore.
What it does
Right-clicking a block with a detector scans the stone behind the surface for the ore it is tuned to. A quick beep plus a line in the action bar tells the player whether the ore is nearby and about how much of it is there, so digging can start in the right spot. The detectors work as a lightweight way to pick a spot for x-ray style mining without cheats.
The eleven detectors cover coal, copper, iron, redstone, lapis lazuli, gold, diamond, emerald, nether quartz, amethyst and netherite. Amethyst detection also finds geodes, and netherite detection targets ancient debris. Ore Detector Legacy is open source under the MIT License and is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt across 10 release versions, 1.20 – 26.3. Fabric API and Cloth Config API are required, so both must be installed alongside it. Servers that run it need every player to install it too.
Optional integrations add more detectors when the matching mods are installed. With Create, zinc detection is added, and with Mekanism, tin, lead, osmium, fluorite and uranium are added. Mystical Agriculture, Seamless Ores, Universal Ores and Dense Mekanism are also listed as optional companions. The mod detects new ores automatically once the matching mod is present, so no config change is needed.
Key features
Eleven early-game detectors
Each handheld detector is tuned to a single ore and can be crafted early in the game.
Right-click surface scans
A right-click reveals the ore behind the surface, with a beep and an action bar message for count.
Repairs with matching material
A detector is repaired using the same material as the ore it finds, so upkeep stays tied to its ore.
Modded ore support
Detectors appear for ores added by installed mods, including Create zinc and several Mekanism ores.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.21.x3 of 3 versions with builds
1.20.x2 of 2 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 2
Optional 4
How it compares
Balanced Ore Detector is also a client and server mod, open source under the MIT License, for Fabric and NeoForge on 1.20.2 – 26.2. Ore Recipes is not open source, is released under All rights reserved, runs on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge for 1.16 – 26.3, and is server required with client optional. Between Tools is client or server optional under the MIT License for 1.20 – 26.2.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ore Detector Legacy | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.20 – 26.3 | Client and server | 2026-09-22 |
| Balanced Ore Detector | Fabric and NeoForge | 1.20.2 – 26.2 | Client and server | 2026-08-03 |
| Ore Recipes | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.16 – 26.3 | Server required, client optional | 2026-08-30 |
| Between Tools | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20 – 26.2 | Client or server, optional | 2026-05-23 |
Questions
Does Ore Detector Legacy need Fabric API on Forge?
Does the server need Ore Detector Legacy?
In the catalog
Ore Detector Legacy is one of 17,631 Equipment mods on ModsFinder, and one of 8,894 Equipment mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.
More from ChillPavz
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What the author says
Simple handheld ore detectors for the early and mid game. Craft one, right-click a surface, and it scans the blocks behind that surface for a specific ore. A short beep and an action bar message tell you whether the ore is there and exactly how much. A lightweight, no-cheats way to decide where to start digging, with…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/ore-detector-legacy
- Owner
- ChillPavz
- Published
- 2026-07-31
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-09-22
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15