How to Get Coal in Minecraft (2022)
Coal is one of the many Minecraft ores that spawn in the overworld. It is the most common fuel in the game. We will be covering its uses, crafting, and mechanics in separate sections, so let’s dive in.
Where Does Coal Spawn in Minecraft
Most often, players will find coal within the caves of the Minecraft overworld. Expanding on that, you can get coal using these three ways – in chest loot, by killing mobs, and finally, by mining coal ore. Let’s look at each of these methods in detail below:
Chest Loot in Certain Locations
Coal can be obtained directly as an item if you come across in-game chests in certain locations. Such chests spawn in the following spots:
DungeonsMineshaftsIgloosShipwrecksStrongholdsAncient CityWoodland MansionUnderwater RuinsVillage
Among these, the igloos and underwater ruins have the highest chances of having a chest spawn filled with coal. Though, if we consider quantity, the chests from Ancient Cities in Minecraft can spawn with up to 15 pieces of coals at once. Other spots only offer a maximum of 8 coal pieces.
Get Coal by Killing Hostile Mobs
If exploration isn’t your strong suit, you can kill mobs to get coal. Unfortunately, you can only obtain coal by killing the Wither skeleton mob. They spawn in the Nether dimension and are highly dangerous. Unless you are planning to make a mob loot farm with them, it’s best to avoid them. Instead, it’s better to stick to the traditional way of finding coal in Minecraft, which is mining.
Mine Coal Ore (Easiest Way)
The most common and reliable way to obtain coal in Minecraft is mining. It spawns as the coal ore in the mountains and caves of the overworld. You can mine the ore directly with any pickaxe to make it drop coal as an item. Based on the ore generation, coal generates twice in the overworld.
In the mountainous areas, the coal ore blobs generate between the world height of Y=136 and Y=320. Meanwhile, at ground level, the second set of coal block blobs generates between the world height of Y=0 to Y=190.
The second set of coal blocks is usually hidden beneath other blocks and not directly exposed to the air. Moreover, Minecraft biomes don’t affect its spawn rate, and you can find the highest amount of coal ores at the height of Y=95.
How to Make Coal in Minecraft
Because coal can be obtained naturally in Minecraft, crafting is usually not in the picture. But if somehow, you come across a block of coal, you can place it on a crafting table to make 9 pieces of coal. Similarly, if you obtain a block of coal ore with a silk touch pickaxe, you can smelt it using a furnace to get coal. Though, unless you are playing on a custom Minecraft map or one of the best survival servers, such a situation is hard to imagine in day-to-day Minecraft gameplay with friends. Moreover, since smelting the coal ore only gives out one piece of coal, it is practically a waste of fuel.
How to Use Coal in Minecraft
Now, the next obvious question many players ask is — how can I use the coal I find in Minecraft? Well, here are the various ways in which you can use the coal block in the game:
Fuel: Coal can be used to power a furnace and a blast furnace in Minecraft to smelt different items.Trading: Minecraft villagers with jobs like a fisherman, armorer, toolsmith, weaponsmith, or butcher can, at times, offer emeralds in exchange for coal.Crafting: Coal is a common crafting ingredient that you can use to make a variety of useful items. Read more about them in the next section.
How to Make a Torch in Minecraft
The most common and important task that players do in the early days of Minecraft survival mode is crafting a torch. If you want to do that too, follow the torch crafting recipe for Minecraft below:
In the crafting area, place coal in a block and then place a stick in the block underneath to make a torch. You can use this recipe with a crafting table and even with your inventory’s crafting area. Moreover, if you have a piece of soul soil block, you can place it below the stick to craft a soul fire torch. The soul fire torch emits a blue fire and will look cool in your Minecraft house builds.
Craft Other Items with Minecraft Coal
Other than a torch, you can also use coal in the following crafting recipes:
Campfire: Combined with pieces of sticks and log blocks, you can use coal to craft a campfire, which is used for cooking food and as a light source.Block of Coal: You can place 9 pieces of coal together in the crafting area to form a block of coal, which acts as a fuel and an alternate option for storing coal.Fire Charge: You can also combine coal with blaze powder and gunpowder to create a fire charge, which can be used to light fire and Nether portals in Minecraft.
Find Coal and Explore Its Uses in Minecraft
Now, whether you want to create a bunch of light sources for your Minecraft house or a collection of efficient fuel sources, coal in Minecraft is perfect for you. Our guide will help you make the most out of finding and using coal in the game. Once you have enough coal, you can go on to find other important ores in the dark caves and mark your way using torches. We already have a guide to help you find diamonds in Minecraft, giving you a headstart. Having said that, how are you going to use coal in Minecraft? Tell us in the comments below!
