Minecraft wiki entry for Lapis_Lazuli_Ore, associated text: Lapis lazuli ore can be mined with a stone pickaxe or higher. To obtain the block itself, the player must use Silk Touch; otherwise, the block drops 4–9 lapis lazuli. When mined with a Fortune enchanted pickaxe, there is a chance for the drops to be multiplied by between 2 and the level plus 1, up to a maximum of 2 to 4 at level III (for a maximum of 36 lapis lazuli dropped). This means at Fortune III there is a chance to get a minimum of 4 lapis lazuli or 36 lapis lazuli. See the chart "The drops per fortune level are as follows:" below.