How to Get Metal in Valheim

At some point during your Viking journey in this fantastic early access survival game of Valheim you might get tired of running around with sticks and stone. After all, Vikings were one of the first people to smith and use metals. So how do you get metal in Valheim? Read on to find out how you can get the different types of metal in Valheim and how you can make metal tools and weapons.


Different Types of Metal

You may start from very humble beginnings in Valheim but the name of the game is progression. Unfortunately for the player, the bosses and enemies in Valheim will continue to get stronger and stronger as you progress. Luckily however, your weapons and armors will get stronger too. By utilizing different metal and resource types you will be constantly upgrading and making new gear.

To begin with you will not have any access to metal. Just sticks and leather that can by found from animals. Once you have defeated the first forsaken of the game, Eikthyr, you will be given a resource called hard antler. You will be able to use this to craft your first pickaxe and start collecting metal in Valheim.

There are currently 7 different types of metal available to the player in Valheim. Valheim is an early access game and this number is subject to change as the game develops. This does not include any mods that may or may not be in production in Valheim. Some of the metals available in Valheim won’t actually be useful for crafting weapons and armor but for other things in crafting and structures.

There is one metal type that is currently not being used for anything but is still in the current version of the game. It is expected to be the next advancement in gear. The 7 different metals currently available in Valheim are:

  • Copper: Along with Tin, Copper is the first metal that will be available for the player to mine. Whilst it’s main purpose is to be combined with Tin to create Bronze for weapons and armor Copper is also useful for some structures and you can make one weapons called a Copper Knife.
  • Tin: As with Copper, Tin’s main purpose is to be used to make Bronze although you can make some very helpful crafting stations using Tin. You will need Tin to create the Cauldron which is used for making mead bases.
  • Bronze: Created from combining two units of copper and one unit of Tin, Bronze is a metal useful for strong weapons and armor in Valheim. You will need to acquire Bronze if you plan to farm in Valheim as it is needed to craft the Cultivator.
  • Iron: After defeating the second boss you will be able to start mining Iron. Iron is the product of putting scrap Iron into a smelter and is your key to the next set or armor and weapons. Iron is really useful and such a huge step up from bronze. Upon creating Iron you will unlock the ability to work stone, build a new ship and many more things,
  • Silver: The metal to be used on the dead. As with other fantasy games, silver is a great metal to use against undead enemies. It is the next metal after Iron and will allow you to create some really cool armor sets and weapons.
  • Black Metal: Black Metal is the metal used by the Fulings in Valheim. These creates will drop Black Metal Ore upon they deaths. This is currently the best ore for creating things in Valheim. You can create the best weapons and the best armor with this metal.
  • Flametal: The last metal available to create is the metal that comes from smelting Flametal Ore. It Currently serves no purpose in the game and is expected to be given a purpose in one of the games upcoming large updates.

Valheim Metal Locations

Now we’ve shared all of the different metals you can acquire in the early access of Valheim, let’s talk about how and where to get them! Some ores will require you to have an upgraded pickaxe to mine them so check the details below to find out exactly what you need and where you can find it.

How to Get Copper and Tin

Copper and Tin are the two first metals you will find in the game. They are both found in the Black Forest biome and can be collected using the Hard Antler Pickaxe which is the first you will get in the game. You can check the bottom of the page for links to guides on how to get both of these. After mining these resources the player will get Tin and Copper Ore. You can put these into a smelter with coal to create metal bars to use for crafting.

A copper deposit, one of the metals in Valheim

How to Get Bronze

Once the player has 2 bars of copper and 1 bar of Tin they can create Bronze. The player will have to take these metals to a forge in order to work them into Bronze.


How to Get Iron

The player can find Iron by going to the Swamp biome. You will have to defeat the second boss, The Elder. The Elder will drop an item called the Swamp Key which will allow the player to unlock the Sunken Crypts in the Swamp. In these crypts the player will have to mine the Muddy Scrap Piles they see down here to get scrap Iron. But this in the smelter to get regular Iron which can be worked with.

A image of scrap iron in a sunken crypt in Valheim. One of the many metals in the game

How to Get Silver

Getting Silver is going to be the most difficult task so far. Silver is found in the mountains biome. You will have to craft some kind of cold protection before you plan on going there otherwise you will freeze to death. The player will also have to defeat the third boss of the game, Bonemass, in order to receive an item called the Wishbone. Once equipped, the Wishbone will tell the player when they are close to a silver deposit which will be hidden underground. The player will need at least an Iron Pickaxe in order to mine Silver ore. Silver ore is processed in the regular furnace.

Finding Silver in Valheim using the Wishbone. Silver is a metal

How to Get Black Metal

Black Metal is the metal of the Fuling race. It is found on the Plains biome. You will need to be pretty well prepared to get some of this. Black Metal is the first metal ore that is not mined in Valheim. You can get Black Metal in chest inside Fuling camps and settlements or by simply defeating these creatures. Black Metal can’t be processed in a regular furnace. The player will have to craft a blast furnace in order to process Black Metal.


How to Get Flametal

The Flametal Ore is the only type of metal in Valheim that does not currently serve a purpose. The player can still get this metal and smelt it down however. You will need to go pretty far south in order to find a biome called the Ashlands. One the Ashlands you can find a pile of glowing rocks known as Glowing Metal. You will need to use at least an Iron Pickaxe to get Flametal Ore from Glowing Metal and it can be melted down in the blast Furnace.

Glowing metal in Valheim which can be found in the Ashlands

Related: How to Tame Wolves in Valheim | 3 Powerful Weapons in Valheim

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