Minecraft wiki entry for Tips_and_tricks, associated text: A "minor task" is similar to mining stone during a mining operation, which can be mined using any pickaxe, even as simple as a wooden pickaxe. For example, by bringing several weak pickaxes and your best pickaxe on a mining operation, you can use the weaker pickaxes to mine stone instead of wasting durability on your best pickaxe before you find diamonds or a better ore and using your best pickaxe to mine it.