At the end of the day, you are probably being told that:

(a) what you are asking are not questions for the newbie channel. They are questions to ask in character, using tell. To spell it out... if you want to know where to get copper, ask IN character. Your character would have to, so you should do so too.

(b) what you are asking isn't something essential. So you should learn about it over your mudding career, rather than have it handed to you on a plate at the start, living you little room to progress and learn.