Thorin and the Dwarves once coal diggers?

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Ahh...dwarf topics, how I love thee...
...unfortunately, I don't have much time to devote to discussion at present.

Kuru you're so cute.

Gandalf was probably to some degree speaking with a bit of classic Gandalf sharpness when he made the coal reference.

Yup it's definitely there, and while, objectively, it's likely they did dig for coal, I don't think we can use anything Gandalf says in that tone as proof.

Originally Posted by Alfirin

Incidentally, given ME's very strict creationist orgin and accompanying shorter geological timeline, anyone want to speculate where the coal came from? Did Aule finally get tired of bickering with Yavannah about dwarven wood needs and call into being (or I suppose petition Illuvitar to bring into being). rocks that could burn and take some of the wood's place?

That's an interesting idea. Then again, it took at least tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of years to get to the Years of the Sun; and even so we don't know how long the Valar were there before the Years of the Lamps.

Or then perhaps...

And they built lands and Melkor destroyed them; valleys they delved and Melkor raised them up; mountains they carved and Melkor threw them down; seas they hollowed and Melkor spilled them; forests they raised and Melkor buried them...