The method of adding ores to the config is a bit weird for now... At this point, we have to know both the name the block is registered under in the mods code (a potential problem for either closed-source or metadata ores) and the filename of the texture used (not as problematic, necessarily, but certainly not convenient).

It seems like a few people have spoken up about automatic ore dictionary scanning. I would say this, plus a blacklist option, might be the best, but maybe even allowing us to just use block IDs?

Block IDs won't work anymore in 1.7 as they are now handled internally.

In the meantime, is there any way of reliably getting textures ,and the correct metadata to work?

For example, trying to add dense versions of Apatite, Copper, and Tin from Forestry:

block_18 {
    S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
    I:baseBlockMeta=0
    S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:apatite
    D:denseOreProbability=1
    I:retroGenID=1
    S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

block_19 {
    S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
    I:baseBlockMeta=1
    S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:copper
    D:denseOreProbability=1
    I:retroGenID=1
    S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

block_20 {
    S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
    I:baseBlockMeta=2
    S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:tin
    D:denseOreProbability=1
    I:retroGenID=1
    S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

None of these show up textured in-game (pink and black boxes), and when placed and broken, all drop 3 Apatite Ore. Even Apatite, which I would hope would drop Apatite, as an item :/

You can get the block's registered name from the /give command.

I'll look into the possibility of getting a blocks texture from ingame.

try this...

block_18 {
S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
I:baseBlockMeta=0
S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:ores/apatite
D:denseOreProbability=1
I:retroGenID=1
S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

block_19 {
S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
I:baseBlockMeta=1
S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:ores/copper
D:denseOreProbability=1
I:retroGenID=1
S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

block_20 {
S:baseBlock=Forestry:tile.resources
I:baseBlockMeta=2
S:baseBlockTexture=forestry:ores/tin
D:denseOreProbability=1
I:retroGenID=1
S:underlyingBlock=stone
}

In regard to Forestry Configs I've tried both this example and the one in the example configs and neither appear to work.