Ores
If you are looking for the official page of vanilla ores, click here.
Ores are primary crafting materials necessary for the game to progress. They generally must be crafted or smelted into bars at a Furnace after which they can then be used to craft several essential tools, weapons, armor and other items. Some items (especially in Origins) require raw ores themselves, most commonly bricks, armors and potions. Raw ores can also be used as plain blocks for construction.
Ores appear as veins of placed blocks in the Underground layer and below (or in Floating Islands like Felnum Ore), and are mined with a pickaxe, drill or explosives. Lower-tier ores appear inside Dirt near the surface, or within Floating Islands. Some ores are also dropped by bosses like the Eye of Cthulhu, world evil bosses and Moon Lord.