Minecraft wiki entry for Breaking, associated text: Although many blocks can be harvested with bare hands, certain ones require the use of a tool. In particular, to obtain resources from stone or metal-type blocks, the player must use a pickaxe. For harder blocks like iron ore or obsidian, a pickaxe made from a higher-tier material is required. The player can also use shovels and axes to speed up the breaking of dirt and wood-type blocks (respectively), although, with the exception of snow, they are not required to get the resource drop. The downside is that tools have durability, and so they eventually wear out.