Minecraft wiki entry for Your_first_10_minutes, associated text: If you don't have enough wool (or wood) for a bed to sleep on, then, as long as you have a light source, you can use the night time more usefully by crafting or by starting to make a mine. From mines you can get lots of useful items such as iron, coal, redstone, gold, lapis lazuli, diamond, and emerald. Never dig straight down, as it is very dangerous. you could fall into a mob-filled cave, into lava, or fall into a large ravine. Mines are also a good way to find caves.