It takes 14 stacks to get the 30 levels. Its faster to just Mine coal and redstone.

 

This is the reason I have 15 stacks of coal ore just waiting to be mined :D

 

Go ahead and smelt that iron. You only get XP from ores that change into items. Diamond ore-> Diamond. Redstone ore-> Redstone. Coal ore-> Coal. Lapis Lazuli ore-> Lapis Lazuli. I wont work for Iron ore/ Gold ore because you could just place the ore down, mine it, get XP, place it down again, mine it, get XP. See? Its like infinite XP. Therefore, it doesnt work.

 

*reads this right after 4 stacks burned in his oven* :cry:

 

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Upcoming_features

"XP orbs can now be gained through mining ores, AND using a furnace for smelting."

It specifically says using a furnace for smelting.

I bet you are correct that xp will only be given when mining ores that transform into items like you said. So that you cant place iron/gold and mine it over and over. However thats why I think they added xp from smelting iron and gold as thats how you gain xp from those types of ores. You wont get it while mining, but you do get it when smelting.

RagMan

 

and....multiple stacks of gold and iron waiting...lol.

 

I have 2 double chests full of ores ready to go. Lol

I have been testing 1.3 for a while and im seeing about 5 orbs per block mined and 1 per block smelted. On average your looking at about 2.5 stacks per 30 levels mined and 14 stacks smelted. I also tested out mob xp farming. I was able to get to 30 levels in about 20- 30 minutes farming blaze and about an hour farming other mobs.

It will be very interesting to see what happens. The xp market is already hurting the economy as there is no money to be made from it. Im curious to see what happens and what is decided before we update.

 

Whatever happens the price on xp will plummet heavily

 

alll u need is a silk touch pick and one coal/diamond/redstone/lapis
1. place the ore
2. break it with the silk touch
3. u get XP (I THINK) and the ore
(if it does work
4. repeat step 1-3
does this actully work?

 

This is all new to me, lol... can someone post a link to a discussion about 1.3? I would really like to read about the upcoming updates, and I hope I enjoy reading about them as it seems most other users do too.