The Copper Golem is a new mob added in Minecraft 1.21.9 (The Copper Age update) that helps with automatic item sorting. Here’s everything you need to know about creating a Copper Golem in Minecraft and using this helpful little companion.
How to Make a Copper Golem in Minecraft
Creating a Copper Golem is simple and works similarly to making other golems in Minecraft. You only need two items:
- One Block of Copper (any oxidation stage works – regular, exposed, weathered, or oxidized)
- One Carved Pumpkin or Jack o’Lantern
To build the golem, place the copper block on the ground first, then place the carved pumpkin or jack o’lantern directly on top of it. The pumpkin must be placed last for the process to work. You can also build it sideways or even upside-down, as long as the pumpkin goes on last.
When you complete the build, the copper block transforms into a Copper Chest, and your Copper Golem spawns where the pumpkin was. The golem and chest will match the oxidation level of the copper block you used. So if you use a weathered copper block, you get a weathered golem and a weathered chest.
How to Use a Copper Golem in Minecraft?
Copper Golems are automated helpers that move items between chests. They follow a specific pattern that makes them useful for sorting systems:
When not holding anything, the golem searches for the nearest Copper Chest and takes up to 16 items of the first type it finds. It examines each chest for about 3 seconds before moving on if it’s empty. The golem can remember up to 10 copper chests it has visited.
Once holding items, the golem looks for regular wooden chests or trapped chests to deposit the items into. It only puts items in empty chests or chests that already contain the same item type. This makes it perfect for sorting systems where you want specific items going to specific storage areas. The golem searches for chests in a 32-block radius horizontally and 8 blocks vertically, giving it a decent working range around your base.
Managing Oxidation
Just like copper blocks, Copper Golems oxidize over time through four stages: normal, exposed, weathered, and oxidized. This process takes about 7 real-world hours or roughly 21-23 in-game days per stage.
As the golem oxidizes, its appearance changes from shiny copper to green and spotty, and its eyes gradually dim. When fully oxidized, there’s a chance the golem will freeze into a Copper Golem Statue block if it’s standing in an air block and isn’t waxed.
You can prevent oxidation by using honeycomb on the golem to wax it, keeping it at its current oxidation level forever. If your golem is already oxidizing, you can scrape off the oxidation with an axe, reverting it one stage at a time. Lightning strikes also remove all oxidation instantly.
