how can I mine coal, what tool?

[vovan151]

how can I mine coal, what tool?

[CrazyMom]

To mine coal is a waste of time and resources.
It is by far easier to collect sticks and burn them into coal (10 sticks=1 coal) with a "charcoal pile" (you need 3x clay for that. So, while you sleep/build/scavenge et cetera, you make coal.

[Mrsandman70]

Originally posted by CrazyMom:

To mine coal is a waste of time and resources.
It is by far easier to collect sticks and burn them into coal (10 sticks=1 coal) with a "charcoal pile" (you need 3x clay for that. So, while you sleep/build/scavenge et cetera, you make coal.

It was far more efficient to mine coal than to make it in the kiln. The kiln takes far more resources and time. It is better for copper tier to get some coal before you get to iron and find coal veins.

To answer OP's question, bring your best pick. Copper if you got it, iron would be better. Or even a stone pick with a bunch of rocks to repair it. It could take several hundred durability to mine out a fresh vein which could be 15-20 coal i think. That should get you set up for a while. Can use the kiln in a pinch but it really isnt an efficient way to get it

[CrazyMom]

Correction: 10 sticks in a Charcoal Pile (not a kiln, kiln is for heating clay) produces 5 coal.
Your hands are the only resources needed to collect sticks and they are abundant on Hope Island and in the Buffalo Region. To transport a larger amount it is good to have a cart (simple one at first) on all islands since you can not dismantle these.
1 small box (4 sticks) can store 200 sticks or 200 coal.
Your charcoal Pile needs sticks to burn but they give you a good burn time.
Coal veins on Copper island require either night work or upgraded leather clothes and pick axes plus repair materials for pick axes. Both Mines there the first and only time I visited would have given me only 5 and 7 coal. Weeks for regeneration.
You can make a lot of coal before you visit Copper Island, there are enough clay on Hope Island to build a Charcoal Pile and Kiln (and Distiller).
Once on Copper, build another Charcoal Pile and while out exploring it will produce coal for you.
Or spend your time mining coal.

[CrazyMom]

In regards to clay on Hope: you can always dismantle one machine to build the other (kiln 2 clay + 2 split logs, charcoal pile 3 clay) if you are low on clay.