Let $H=(V,E)$ be a [hypergraph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergraph). We say that $C\subseteq E$ is a *cover* if $\bigcup C = V$. Let $H$ be a hypergraph with the following properties: 


1. $\bigcup E = V$,
2. all members of $E$ are finite, and
3. $d,e\in E$ with $d\subseteq e$ implies $d=e$.


**Question.** Does this imply that there is a minimal cover $C\_0$ (that is, $C\_0$ has the property that for all $c\in C\_0$ the set $C\_0\setminus \{c\}$ is no longer a cover)?



Minimal covers in hypergraphs with finite edges
Let $V:=\omega\times\omega$ and $E=\{E\_{n,m}:n,m\in\omega\}$ where $$E\_{n,m}:=(\{0,\dots,n\}\times\{m\})\cup\{(2n,m+1)\}.$$ It seems that the hypergraph $(V,E)$ has no minimal cover.


A simplification of this example was suggested by Gerhard Paseman in his comment:
Just take $V=\mathbb Z$ and $E=\{E\_n,F\_n:n\in\mathbb N\}$ where $E\_n:=\{-2n\}\cup [0,n]$ and $F\_n:=[-n,0]\cup\{2n\}$.


**Added in Edit.** I have just discovered that the Paseman's example is "isomorphic" to the example of @domotorp ([Strongly minimal covers](https://mathoverflow.net/questions/193352/strongly-minimal-covers?rq=1)) given in 2015 to a similar question of Dominic van der Zypen.




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The question of Dominic van der Zypen has positive answer if the cardinalities of hyperedges are upper bounded by some number.


**Theorem.** For any $n\in\mathbb N$, any set $V$ and family $E\subset[V]^{\le n}$ with $\bigcup E=V$ there exists a minimal subfamily $C\subset E$ such that $\bigcup C=V$.


*Proof.* For $n=1$ the assertion is trivial. Assume that for some $n\ge 2$ we have proved that any family $E\subset [V]^{<n}$ with $\bigcup E=V$ contains a minimal subfamily $C\subset E$ with $\bigcup C=V$. 


Take any family $E\subset [V]^{\le n}$ with $\bigcup E=V$. Using Zorn's lemma, choose a maximal disjoint subfamily $D\subset E$. If the set $W:=V\setminus\bigcup D$ is empty, then $D$ is a required minimal cover of $V$. 


So, we assume that $W$ is not empty. By the maximality of $D$, each hyperedge $e\in E\setminus D$ intersects the set $\bigcup D$, which implies that $E':=\{e\cap W:e\in E\setminus D\}\subset [W]^{<n}$. By the inductive assumption, the family $E'$ contains a minimal subfamily $C'\subset E'$ with $\bigcup C'=W$.


For every $c\in C'$ find a hyperedge $e\_c\in E\setminus D$ such that $e\_c\cap W=c$. Let $H:=\{e\_c:c\in C'\}$ and $D':=\{e\in D:e\not\subset \bigcup H\}$. It can be shown that $C:=H\cup D'$ is a minimal subcover of $E$.


