Where to get flint and which pickaxe to bring
Mine labeled Flint Boulders with a Stone Pickaxe; early places to look include Bone Cave’s passage toward the Woods exit and the area around Nomad Camp. Then craft a Flint Pickaxe at a Workbench using 2 Flint and 4 Wood.
Flint Boulders in Bone Cave and the Woods
In Bone Cave, check the main route between the dog’s chamber and the far exit. Flint Boulders line that passage, including the lower cavern where the bear roams. There is also a Flint Boulder at the exit into the Woods, giving you a clear landmark to check as you leave.
Outside the cave, look on the Woods slope slightly downhill from your first base. Another search route follows the ravine beyond the repaired road bridge near that base, continuing into the misty chasm toward Solar Fields. Flint Boulders also occur around Nomad Camp, so check their displayed names while exploring that area.
Flint comes from Flint Boulders rather than ordinary loose Stone. Point at a boulder to read its name and check the pickaxe icon before swinging. For your first trip, focus on the Flint Boulders along your existing route instead of extending the expedition just to collect more.
Make your first Flint Pickaxe
The Stone Pickaxe recipe is known from the start and works directly from your inventory. Flint tools use the Workbench instead, which you build through the Building menu’s Utilities section. Keep the wood for that station separate from the materials you intend to spend on tools.
- Craft a Stone Pickaxe in your inventory with 2 Stone and 4 Wood.
- Equip it and mine labeled Flint Boulders in Bone Cave or another early flint location.
- Build a Workbench from the Building menu’s Utilities section for 10 Wood.
- Use the Workbench’s crafting list to make a Flint Pickaxe from 2 Flint and 4 Wood.
- Check the finished pickaxe’s Mines entry before your next run: it lists Sulfur, Copper, Coal, Flint and Stone.
Compare the early pickaxes
| Pickaxe | Mining targets | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Pickaxe | Flint and Stone | Craft in your inventory: 2 Stone + 4 Wood |
| Refined Stone Pickaxe | Flint and Stone | Find or buy it |
| Flint Pickaxe | Sulfur, Copper, Coal, Flint and Stone | Craft at a Workbench: 2 Flint + 4 Wood |
A Refined Stone Pickaxe still mines the same materials as the basic Stone Pickaxe. The Flint Pickaxe expands your mining targets to include Sulfur, Copper and Coal. Its Mines entry lists compatible resources; you do not need to gather them in the order shown.
Flint tool recipes at the Workbench
| Tool | Mining targets or damage | Recipe and station |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Axe | Damage: 14 | 2 Flint + 4 Wood at a Workbench |
| Flint Pickaxe | Mines Sulfur, Copper, Coal, Flint and Stone | 2 Flint + 4 Wood at a Workbench |
| Flint Shiv | Damage: 14 | 1 Flint + 2 Wood at a Workbench |
| Flint Sledgehammer | Damage: 14 | 2 Flint + 4 Wood at a Workbench |
If your goal is reaching more ore, prioritize the Flint Pickaxe. Use the recipe table to budget materials for whichever tools you want afterward. Check each recipe separately before crafting so you keep enough supplies for your immediate goal.
Why a boulder will not break
A red crossed-out mining icon means the equipped tool cannot harvest the targeted boulder. You may be holding the wrong tool, or your pickaxe may be below the required tier. Read the boulder’s name and your pickaxe’s Mines entry before spending more swings on it.
The Stone Pickaxe handles Flint and Stone, so switch to a Flint Pickaxe for Sulfur, Copper or Coal. Gold and Moonrock Boulders remain beyond the Flint Pickaxe’s capabilities. Iron and Gold Boulders require a Scrap Pickaxe.
For Moonstone, use a Quality Iron Pickaxe. The basic Iron Pickaxe’s description says it can mine Moonstone, but that description is misleading. Changing from flint to the basic iron tool therefore does not solve that particular mining restriction.
Also check your tool’s Durability Status before heading out, because pickaxes wear down. Carry a spare for an extended mining trip. At the Workbench, red ingredient counts indicate a material shortage that prevents crafting, so gather the missing supplies before trying again.
Where refined flint recipes are found
- Refined Flint Axe: collect its Recipe note at the abandoned hillside camp above your first base in the Woods. Its Workbench recipe uses 1 Flint Axe, 4 Flint and 1 Cloth.
- Refined Flint Pickaxe: look for its Recipe note on a crate inside Bunker Checkpoint’s walled yard.
- Refined Flint Shiv: find its Recipe note in the highest cabin of the Hunter’s Glade tower.
- Refined Flint Sledgehammer: the tool is not available in the game, and its blueprint can drop without unlocking anything.
Prepare for a longer mining run
Once you have the Flint Pickaxe, returning deeper into Bone Cave lets you mine its Coal Boulders. The ravine and chasm toward Solar Fields also contain Coal and Copper Boulders. Choose the return trip that fits your current supplies, and leave room for the resources you intend to bring home.
Your dog’s pack can carry ore stacks when inventory space becomes tight. Open it with the Check container prompt and transfer supplies during the trip. Before extending the route, check your pickaxe’s durability and make sure you have food and warmth supplies for the journey back.