Surface and mountain gathering

Overworld — exposed hills and mountains; lower batch near Y=96.

SEE WHERE TO GO

Maps & farm layouts

1 map

Drag to pan. Zoom in to read labels and markers.

Ore search heights and required mining tools. Use the seed map to locate terrain, then follow the resource’s depth instructions.

Interactive maps & location tools

Your world seed map · Java 26.3

Enter your world seed, generation version and dimension to locate biomes and structures. Ore deposits still require the depth and tool instructions below.

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Before you go

Any pickaxe.
Food and room in your inventory.
Lighting if you extend the search underground.

Farming steps

Travel through exposed hills or mountains and scan stone faces for black-speckled coal ore.
Mine the visible vein with a pickaxe and collect the coal drops.
Check nearby exposed stone for additional connected ore before leaving the area.
Use Fortune when available if you want increased coal drops.
If surface deposits are scarce, search around Y=96 as an alternative route for the lower batch.
Store coal for torches, smelting or the recipe you planned.

Useful search heights and required tools; Overworld ore targets and a separate Nether debris note. · Open image for full size

Coal is usually easier to gather from exposed terrain than from deep diamond tunnels.
Carry a few blocks to mark a safe descent and return route if your search leaves the surface.

Repeat, collect and use

Repeatable as a mining trip; each exposed vein is finite.

Common mistakes

Searching deep diamond tunnels for routine coal: prioritize exposed terrain or the lower batch near Y=96.
Leaving coal behind in a connected vein: inspect the adjacent face before moving on.
Confusing coal with charcoal: both can serve as fuel, but they are distinct items.