Non-renewable resource

A non-renewable resource (as opposed to a renewable resource) is a resource that can't be obtained in indefinite quantities in survival without exploring more terrain or using certain glitches, commands or Creative mode to create more of them. While running out of a resource isn't likely to be a factor in normal gameplay due to massive size of an Minecraft map, in principle there is only a finite quantity of these resources available in each Minecraft world.

Most non-renewable resources aren't renewable because they can be only obtained through crafting recipes which consume non-renewable items, others can only be obtained by finding them as naturally generated blocks, in structure loot chests or as a drop from certain enemies which don't respawn; elder guardian and shulkers, which only spawn as a part of structure generation, and the wither, which can only be spawned by using non-renewable soul sand.

Many normally renewable resources become non-renewable, and in some cases unobtainable if playing on peaceful difficulty, as monsters will not spawn.

The degree of impact the non-renewability of a resource has on normal gameplay generally depends on how limited the resource in question is, but on custom maps these relationships may be changed, for example on many Skyblock-style maps, any soul sand provided is extremely valuable, as no more can be obtained.

All status effects which cannot be obtained in Survival are non-renewable.

Common

While technically not renewable, these resources or their non-renewable raw materials are so common in the default world generation that they are unlikely to be used up in even in relatively small areas of the map, assuming they contain the appropriate biomes. Their non-renewability may be more important in custom maps.

Resource	Non-renewable products	Sources
Gravel ‌[JE & BE only]		Generates in large pockets underground, as a layer on the bottom of rivers and oceans, in the paths of some generated villages and in the Nether. Flint and steel can also be found in some Nether fortress chests. Flint and steel can be generated renewably through trading with farmers who have the trade unlocked in versions 1.3.1 through 1.7.10, and this trade will be retained when updating to 1.13.2.[needs testing]
Lava Bucket ‌[JE & BE only]	―	Obtained by collecting lava with a bucket. Lava generates in small lakes in the Overworld, in random pockets in The Nether, and in large amounts at low Y-levels in both dimensions.
Netherrack ‌[JE only]		Generates in massive quantities in the Nether, it is the most abundant non-renewable resource. Nether bricks naturally generate in nether fortresses.
Soul Sand ‌[JE & BE only]		Generates in large quantities in the Nether.

Uncommon

While these resources aren't rare, players may be pushed to explore further to find more, especially if multiple players are collecting them. In many cases, they aren't truly exhausted, but finding and collecting the remaining material is far harder than simply exploring for more. For example, nether quartz generates throughout netherrack, but many players only harvest the veins visible on cavern surfaces.

Resource	Non-renewable products	Sources
Cobweb	―	Can be collected with shears from strongholds and abandoned mineshafts.
Dead Bush	―	Can be collected with shears in Badlands and desert biomes.
Diamond Ore	"Trail" Firework Stars & Rockets	Generates in veins in the overworld, below Y=16. Diamonds can also be be found in chests of many generated structures.
Emerald Ore	―	Emerald ore generates underground in mountains biomes, usually in single-block veins.
Nether Quartz Ore ‌[JE & BE only]		Generates in medium-sized veins in the Nether Andesite, Diorite, and Granite can be found in large veins in the overworld.
Ores	―	These ores generate underground in all biomes of the overworld.
Shulker Shell ‌[JE & BE only]		Dropped by shulkers, which spawn as a part of end cities.
Tall Grass	―	Can be found in generated chests of villager houses. Tall grass can be renewably created by using bone meal on grass, but doesn't drop itself when broken.
Wet Sponge		Spawn in the sponge rooms of some ocean monuments. Dropped by elder guardians. Formed when water touches a sponge.

Rare

These resources are limited enough to force players to wander far and wide to find them in any significant quantity, especially on servers.

Resource	Non-renewable products	Sources
Dragon Egg ‌[JE & BE only]	―	Spawns on top of the exit portal when the ender dragon is defeated for the first time. Only one is obtainable in each world, making it the rarest obtainable resource in the game.
Elytra Wings ‌[JE & BE only]	―	Generates in the end ship alongside end cities.
Dragon Head ‌[JE & BE only]	―	Generates on the end ship alongside end cities.
Heart of the Sea		One can be found in every buried treasure chest, which can be found using treasure maps found in shipwrecks or underwater ruins.
Horse Armor ‌[JE & BE only]	―	Can be found in generated chests of various generated structures.
Enchanted Golden Apple ‌[JE & BE only]	"Thing"	Very rarely found in the chests of dungeons, desert pyramids, mineshafts and woodland mansions.
Potion of Decay ‌[BE & LCE only]	―	Can be obtained by tapping with an empty bottle or arrow a very rare cauldron filled with Potion of Decay found in a swamp hut.

Not obtainable in Survival

These resources are not obtainable as items in Survival. However, they can be encountered and some even created or manipulated in survival.

Resource	Notes
Bedrock	Bedrock can be found at the bottom 5 levels of the overworld, the top and bottom 4 levels of the nether, and as part of end crystal structures and portals in the End, but cannot be broken.
End Portal Frame	Can be found in strongholds, but cannot be broken or moved.
Farmland	Farmland may be created by tilling renewable dirt, grass or grass paths with a hoe, but always drops dirt when mined.
Frosted Ice	Frosted ice may be generated infinitely by walking on renewable water with the Frost Walker enchantment equipped, but drops nothing when mined.
Grass Path ‌[JE & LCE only]	Grass paths may be created by right clicking renewable grass with a shovel, but drop dirt when mined.
Infested Blocks	Infested blocks may be generated infinitely as silverfish infest renewable cobblestone, stone and stone bricks, but do not drop themselves when mined. They also generate naturally in strongholds and in mountains.
Monster Spawners	Monster spawners can be encountered in dungeons and abandoned mineshafts, but drop only experience if mined.
Technical Blocks	Technical blocks are blocks such as portal blocks and fire, whose main functions are strictly tied to the usage of other blocks and items. Many can be generated renewably in the world, but they cannot be acquired as items through normal survival gameplay.

Not encountered in Survival

These resources cannot be accessed without using creative mode or commands.

Resource
Barriers
Command Blocks
Debug Stick ‌[JE only]
Player Heads
Jigsaw Blocks
Knowledge Books ‌[JE only]
Minecarts with Command Blocks
Petrified Oak Slab
Unbrewable Potions ‌[JE & LCE only] ‌[JE only]
Spawn Eggs
Structure Blocks
Chemistry Equipment ‌[BE only]
All Elements and Compounds ‌[BE only]
Medicines ‌[BE only]
Chemistry Products ‌[BE only]

Bedrock Edition

These resources aren't renewable in the Bedrock Edition, even though they are in the Java Edition. For resources which are renewable in Bedrock, but aren't in Java, see the Renewable resources page.

Resource	Non-renewable products	Reason for Discrepancy
Block of Quartz [until BE 1.12.0]		Bedrock Edition lacks the block of quartz trade from the stone mason.
Clay	[until BE 1.12.0]	Bedrock Edition lacks villager raid reward gift, which would make clay renewable. Also stone mason villager doesn't sell terracotta.
Sand ‌[upcoming: BE 1.12.0]		Wandering Trader no longer sell regular sand in 1.12.0

Not renewable on Legacy Console Edition

These resources are not renewable in the Legacy Console Edition, even though they are in the Java Edition. For a list of resources which are renewable in legacy Console Edition, but are not in Java Edition nor Bedrock Edition, see Renewable resource.

Resource	Non-renewable products	Reason for Discrepancy
Shrubs	―	Legacy Console Edition exclusive
Totem of Undying	―	Legacy Console Edition lacks raids, which would make the item renewable
Coral Blocks		Legacy Console Edition lacks the wandering trader, who sells Coral Block on other editions.
Clay		Legacy Console Edition lacks raids, which would make clay renewable through villager raid reward gift.
Red Sand		Legacy Console Edition lacks the wandering trader, who sells the material on other editions.
Sand		Legacy Console Edition lacks the wandering trader, who sells the material on other editions.

Non-renewable in peaceful difficulty

These resources are not renewable while playing in peaceful difficulty as their renewable methods of obtaining require the spawning of hostile mobs. (Previously mentioned non-renewable resources are removed from the products list).

Resource	Non-renewable products	Sources
Brewing fuel		Brewing requires blaze powder which is not obtainable in peaceful difficulty. Potions of healing II and splash potions of weakness generate in end ships and igloos, respectively. All other potions (excluding water bottles and potion of invisibility, which are renewable) are unobtainable.
Blaze Rod		Not obtainable in peaceful difficulty. Magma blocks generate in the Nether and underwater, while end rods, ender chests and brewing stands generate in end city ships, igloo basements and village temples.
Coal		Obtained from coal ore or generated chests.
End Stone		The renewable method of obtaining end stone requires the use of end crystals which are unobtainable in peaceful difficulty. The End is mainly composed of end stone. End Stone Bricks generate in end cities and ships.
Ghast Tear		Not obtainable in peaceful difficulty.
Gold Ingot		Obtained by smelting gold ore Additionally, gold ingots, powered rails, gold nuggets and golden helmets, chestplates, swords and apples can be found in certain generated chests. Gold blocks generate in Ocean Monuments. Potions of healing II generate in end ships.
Clay block		the only way make clay renewable from villager hero of the village gift.
Mob Heads	"Creeper" and "Skull" "Creeper" and "Skull" Charge Banners "Creeper-Shaped" Firework Stars & Rockets	Not obtainable in peaceful difficulty.
Music Disc	―	13 and Cat can be found in dungeons and woodland mansions chests. In Bedrock Edition Mellohi and Wait can be found in buried treasure chests, while others are unobtainable in peaceful difficulty.
Ominous Banner	―	8 banner generate per pillager outpost.
Prismarine Shard and Crystals		Found in generated buried treasure chests. Prismarine crystals are obtained from sea lanterns Prismarine, prismarine brick, and sea lantern generate in ocean monuments, prismarine and sea lantern generate in underwater ruin or are crafted from these blocks.
Spider Eye		Found in certain generated chests. Splash potions of weakness generate in igloos.
Totem of Undying	―	Dropped by evokers, which still spawn in woodland mansions in peaceful difficulty but can't damage the player.
Trident	―	Not obtainable in peaceful difficulty.
Wither Rose	―	Not obtainable in peaceful difficulty.

Additionally, going to the End requires the use of eye of enders (the chances of requiring none is only 1 in a trillion) which are unobtainable in peaceful difficulty, therefore the following renewable resources can also be considered unobtainable and therefore non-renewable. (Previously mentioned non-renewable resources are removed from the products list)

Resource	Non-renewable products	Sources
Chorus Flower		Not obtainable if the End is inaccessible.
Dragon's Breath	―	Not obtainable if the End is inaccessible.

Gameplay

View at: Template:Gameplay/content [edit]