In my current survival world, I am in the process of gathering materials to begin work on a Nuclear Reactor. However, I am finding it increasinglly difficult to find the smallest amounts of copper. After conducting tests and studying charts, I know that it only spawns above about y == 35 or above (not an exact number). However, if I try to mine in the "meat zone", around y == 48, I collect only copper at a 1:3 ratio to iron, and a 1:10 ratio to coal, approximately.
Is anyone else having so much trouble with this? If so, what have you done to collect more copper?