Once you get to using gravel, you can help your early game to hammer the created 2x2 ore and get bonus ores and such. I've created SFM setups, cyclics, all sorts to do this automatically. I think in this play I might just throw everything in a smeltery tho cause of all the time it takes to make those setups. Haven't decided, but early game tho when you have little, yeah it helps.
Yeah, RNG for diamonds/emeralds sucks. Sometimes you get some right away, sometimes nope. I use the activator you get as quest reward to constantly sift dust and collect into water while I'm doing things. Will come back, turn it off and sift gravel after I've got stones to use, then work on cobblegen (now I do set one up somewhat early).