Minecraft wiki entry for Tips_and_tricks, associated text: Instead of wasting a shovel's durability by digging piles of sand, gravel, or even concrete powder, you can use torches or various other blocks to break entire columns at once. This works with any "passable" block, including rails, redstone dust, or even slabs; but torches are almost always handy since they save a mining player's life more than any other tool.