Starsand Island coal: Step-by-Step Mining Route - Resources

Starsand Island coal: Step-by-Step Mining Route

Learn how to unlock the Moonlight Forest route, clear its gates, and mine coal in Starsand Island with this step-by-step guide.

2026-08-18
Starsand Island Wiki Team
Quick Guide
  • Starsand Island coal is found beyond the Moonlight Forest route behind your house.
  • Required tools include the Impulse Pickaxe and a slingshot before entering the route.
  • Recipe access depends on progressing Zaren’s crafting quest to apprentice crafter status.
  • Forest gates open by shooting lit stones and destroying three nearby grave crystals.
  • Mining location appears after the boulder and bubble bridge near the end of the path.

Starsand Island Coal Location and Route

Starsand Island coal is located inside the Moonlight Forest, behind your house. The resource does not appear on the early section of the route, so preparing the correct tools and clearing the forest obstacles is more important than simply searching around your starting area.

The route includes several locked or blocked points. You must open the stone gate with a slingshot, build a bridge if necessary, destroy three grave crystals near another sealed gate, and then break a boulder with the Impulse Pickaxe. Coal becomes visible after crossing the bubble bridge.

Video Highlights:

  • The required Impulse Pickaxe recipe comes from Zaren’s general store.
  • Zephariah provides the slingshot and related exploration recipes.
  • The Moonlight Forest entrance is behind the player’s house.
  • Grave crystals must be destroyed before the sealed gate opens.
  • Coal appears beyond the boulder and bubble bridge.
Route LandmarkRequired ActionResult
House areaTravel behind your houseReach Moonlight Forest
Lit stone gateShoot the illuminated stonesClear the first barrier
Unbuilt bridgeGather stones and construct itCross the gap
Grave crystal gateDestroy three grave crystalsOpen the sealed gate
Boulder passageUse the Impulse PickaxeReach the coal area
Bubble bridgeCross the bridgeFind coal deposits

Moonlight Forest

The main route to the coal deposits. Enter through the forest area behind your house and follow the accessible path.

Impulse Pickaxe

The tool needed to break the boulder blocking the final approach. Unlock its recipe through Zaren’s crafting progression.

Slingshot

The ranged tool used to shoot lit stones and remove the first forest gate. Zephariah introduces the exploration club path.

Route Tip

Do not stop at the first forest clearing. Coal is positioned farther along the route, beyond the boulder and bubble bridge.

Required Tools and Unlocks

Before making the trip, confirm that both key tools are available. The Impulse Pickaxe handles the physical obstruction on the route, while the slingshot solves the ranged gate puzzle. Having only one of them leaves the path incomplete.

The Impulse Pickaxe is tied to Zaren’s crafting quest. You must progress far enough to become an apprentice crafter before buying the recipe from Zaren’s general store. The slingshot follows a different progression path: speak with Zephariah to learn about the exploration club, then receive the slingshot, its crafting recipe, and an ammo maker recipe.

ItemHow to AccessMain Route FunctionPriority
Impulse PickaxeBuy the recipe from Zaren’s general store after apprentice crafter progressBreak the boulder near the coal routeEssential
SlingshotSpeak with Zephariah about the exploration clubShoot lit stones at the forest gateEssential
Slingshot ammo maker recipeObtained through Zephariah’s exploration club introductionSupports slingshot useUseful
StonesCollect them around the route when neededBuild the unfinished bridgeSituational
1

Progress Zaren’s Crafting Quest

Continue Zaren’s crafting quest until you become an apprentice crafter. This progression unlocks access to the Impulse Pickaxe recipe at Zaren’s general store.

2

Buy and Craft the Impulse Pickaxe

Purchase the recipe from Zaren’s store, then craft the Impulse Pickaxe before entering the deeper Moonlight Forest route. It is required for the boulder blocking the path.

3

Speak with Zephariah

Talk to Zephariah and learn about the exploration club. This interaction provides the slingshot, its crafting recipe, and the ammo maker recipe.

4

Prepare the Slingshot

Make sure the slingshot is ready before approaching the first gate. The illuminated stones must be shot to clear the barrier.

5

Travel to Moonlight Forest

Head behind your house and enter the forest. Follow the route until you reach the boulder and bubble bridge that lead to coal.

Preparation Warning

The coal route requires two different solutions: the slingshot for lit stones and the Impulse Pickaxe for the boulder. Bring both before leaving.

Step-by-Step Moonlight Forest Walkthrough

Once the tools are ready, the trip to coal is a short puzzle route rather than a random resource search. Follow the path behind your house and focus on clearing each obstacle in order.

At the first blocked gate, look for stones that are lit up. Equip the slingshot and shoot these targets to open the way. If you reach an unfinished bridge, collect nearby stones and complete the bridge before continuing.

The next sealed gate is connected to three grave crystals in the surrounding area. Search nearby rather than trying to force the gate directly. Destroy all three crystals, and the gate will open after the related ghost activity is triggered.

StepAreaActionCheckpoint
1Behind the houseEnter Moonlight ForestForest route started
2First gateShoot the lit stones with the slingshotGate cleared
3Bridge gapGather stones and build the bridge if neededSafe crossing available
4Sealed gateLocate and destroy three grave crystalsGate opens
5BoulderBreak it with the Impulse PickaxeCoal route unlocked
6Bubble bridgeCross to the far sideCoal deposits visible
Progress Check

If you can cross the bubble bridge after breaking the boulder, you have reached the correct coal area. No early forest clearing is required for the final search.

A useful way to avoid backtracking is to treat the route as three stages:

  • Gate stage: use the slingshot on the illuminated stones.
  • Access stage: build the bridge and clear the grave crystal gate.
  • Mining stage: break the boulder, cross the bubble bridge, and inspect the revealed area.

The grave crystals are the most easily missed objective. If the gate remains closed, circle the nearby area and look for all three crystals before returning to the entrance.

Mining Coal Efficiently

After crossing the bubble bridge, search the newly accessible area for coal deposits. The key goal is reaching the correct mining zone; searching around the house or the first part of Moonlight Forest will not reveal the deposits described by this route.

Use the Impulse Pickaxe once the coal is visible. Keep the route clear while mining so you can return to the area without repeating the gate sequence unnecessarily. If the bridge was built during the first visit, it serves as a reliable landmark for future trips.

SituationBest ResponseAvoid
Coal is not visible near the entranceContinue deeper into Moonlight ForestSearching only around the house
First gate blocks progressShoot the lit stones with the slingshotTrying to break the gate
Bridge is missingCollect stones and build itLeaving before creating a crossing
Second gate is closedDestroy all three grave crystals nearbyAttacking the gate directly
Boulder blocks the routeEquip the Impulse PickaxeUsing the slingshot on the boulder
Bubble bridge is aheadCross it and inspect the far sideTurning back before crossing

Fastest Preparation

Finish the relevant crafting progression first, then obtain the slingshot from Zephariah. This reduces interruptions during the forest trip.

Best Navigation Habit

Treat the bridge, sealed gate, boulder, and bubble bridge as sequential landmarks. Each one confirms that you are moving correctly.

Common Recovery Method

If progress stops, return to the last obstacle and identify which requirement was skipped: lit stones, bridge, grave crystals, or boulder.

Coal Route Checklist:

  • Become an apprentice crafter through Zaren’s crafting quest
  • Buy and craft the Impulse Pickaxe
  • Speak with Zephariah and obtain the slingshot
  • Build the forest bridge if it is unfinished
  • Destroy three grave crystals and cross the bubble bridge
Mining Advice

The most efficient run is a preparation-first run. Unlock both tools before entering, then clear every obstacle as you encounter it.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Most problems on the coal route come from reaching an obstacle before unlocking the correct tool or from overlooking one of the nearby objectives. Use the checks below to identify the issue quickly.

ProblemLikely CauseFix
Zaren does not sell the pickaxe recipeCrafting quest progress is incompleteContinue until apprentice crafter status
The first gate will not openLit stones have not been shotEquip the slingshot and target the illuminated stones
The bridge cannot be crossedThe construction is unfinishedGather stones and build the bridge
The sealed gate remains closedOne or more grave crystals remainSearch nearby and destroy all three
The boulder remains intactThe wrong tool is equippedUse the Impulse Pickaxe
No coal appearsThe search stopped too earlyCross the bubble bridge and inspect the area beyond it

Q: Where is Starsand Island coal located?

Coal is found inside Moonlight Forest, behind your house, beyond the boulder and bubble bridge on the deeper forest route.

Q: Which tools are required to reach the coal deposits?

You need the Impulse Pickaxe to break the boulder and a slingshot to shoot the lit stones at the forest gate.

Q: How do I unlock the Impulse Pickaxe recipe?

Progress Zaren’s crafting quest until you become an apprentice crafter. You can then buy the recipe from Zaren’s general store.

Q: Why is the Moonlight Forest gate still closed?

The sealed gate requires three nearby grave crystals to be destroyed. Search around the gate and clear all three before returning.

Final Route Reminder

When the path seems blocked, check the required interaction first. The route advances through tools, construction, crystals, and the boulder in that order.

The most reliable coal run follows this sequence:

  1. Unlock the Impulse Pickaxe through Zaren’s crafting progression.
  2. Obtain the slingshot by speaking with Zephariah.
  3. Enter Moonlight Forest behind your house.
  4. Shoot the lit stones, build the bridge, and destroy three grave crystals.
  5. Break the boulder, cross the bubble bridge, and mine the coal beyond it.

Following these landmarks keeps the search focused and prevents wasted time in areas where coal does not appear.