Tin in Valheim is found in small deposits beside rivers, lakes and coastlines in the Black Forest. Mine the deposits with an Antler Pickaxe or better, smelt the ore into Tin bars, then combine one Tin with two Copper at a Forge to make Bronze. It is one of the first resources you will need after defeating Eikthyr.
If you’re looking for Tin in Valheim, unlike the large Copper deposits scattered through the forest, it’s easy to miss if you search inland. This guide explains where to look, what equipment you need, how to process the ore and which early recipes are worth making first.
Where to find Tin in Valheim
Follow the water’s edge in a Black Forest biome. Tin deposits appear as small, dark, slightly shiny rocks near the shore, including along rivers and inland lakes. They are much smaller than Copper deposits and do not form the enormous veins you can excavate underground. A coastal route is usually more efficient than wandering through the trees.
Take a moment to check that the ground is actually Black Forest: a nearby Meadows beach will not have the same deposits. Mark useful stretches of shoreline on your map, and move to another part of the coast once you have cleared the visible nodes. Mined Tin deposits do not naturally respawn.
How to mine Tin in Valheim
To mine Tin in Valheim, you need a pickaxe. The first one available through normal progression is the Antler Pickaxe, crafted at a Workbench from 10 Wood and one Hard Antler dropped by Eikthyr. You do not need a Bronze Pickaxe to mine Tin, so you can collect it as soon as you have defeated the first boss and made your initial mining tool.
- Defeat Eikthyr and craft an Antler Pickaxe.
- Travel to a Black Forest shoreline with food, a weapon and room in your inventory.
- Look for small metallic-looking rocks close to the water and strike them with the pickaxe.
- Collect the Tin Ore, then follow the shoreline to find more deposits.
- Carry the ore back to a Smelter for processing.
Greydwarfs can interrupt mining trips, especially at night, so travelling while rested and during daylight makes early gathering easier. Tin Ore is heavy; avoid filling your inventory so completely that you cannot move safely.
How to smelt Tin Ore and make Bronze
After collecting Tin in Valheim, put the raw ore into a Smelter with Coal before you can use it in crafting. A Smelter costs 20 Stone and five Surtling Cores. Burial Chambers in the Black Forest are an early source of those cores. A Charcoal Kiln, built with 20 Stone and five Surtling Cores, turns Wood into Coal, although other coal sources are possible.
Each Tin Ore produces one Tin bar. At a Forge, combine two Copper bars and one Tin bar to make Bronze. Copper is mined from the larger deposits in the Black Forest and also needs smelting. For a batch of ten Bronze, plan on twenty Copper and ten Tin. Gathering both metals in the same expedition can save a return journey.
What is Tin used for in Valheim?
Bronze is Tin’s main early-game purpose. It is used to craft equipment such as the Bronze Axe, weapons and armour, and Bronze Nails for important transport upgrades. The Bronze Axe is especially useful because it lets you chop Fine Wood from Birch and Oak trees.
Tin in Valheim also has direct crafting uses. A Cauldron requires 10 Tin and unlocks an important range of cooked foods. Other recipes include the Butcher Knife and Mead Ketill. If you have just reached the Black Forest, consider reserving Tin for the Cauldron as well as the Bronze you need for tools and progression.
Can Tin Ore travel through portals?
Transporting Tin in Valheim takes some planning: ordinary wooden portals do not carry Tin Ore or Tin bars under default item restrictions. Carry them overland, use a Cart or transport them by ship. Later portal options and modified world settings can change how metal transport works, so check your world’s rules before planning a long haul.
A portal near your mining area is still useful for returning to repair equipment or restock food, even when you must move the metal itself by road or sea. If you are also collecting Copper, choose a route that lets you bring both materials back together.
Fastest way to farm Tin
For a productive route when farming Tin in Valheim, pick a Black Forest coastline that you can reach safely and walk it in one direction, mining every deposit near the water. Rivers and lake shores can be just as productive as an ocean coast. Because each deposit is finite, moving into unexplored shoreline is more effective than repeatedly visiting a cleared spot.
Bring a repaired pickaxe, decent food and enough space for the ore. Keep an eye on the ratio of Copper to Tin you are collecting: Bronze needs twice as much Copper. If you already have a large Tin stockpile but little Copper, switch to mining the larger inland Copper deposits rather than gathering more Tin you cannot yet use.
Frequently asked questions about Tin
Do Tin deposits respawn?
No. Tin in Valheim comes from finite deposits: once mined, a particular deposit is gone. Explore new Black Forest shorelines to find more.
Do you need to defeat The Elder to mine Tin?
No. Eikthyr is the usual first boss requirement because its Hard Antler lets you craft the Antler Pickaxe. You can mine Tin before fighting The Elder.
Why can’t I craft Bronze with Tin Ore?
To craft Bronze from Tin in Valheim, you must smelt Tin Ore into Tin bars and Copper Ore into Copper bars first. Then use a Forge to combine two Copper with one Tin.
Once you have a steady supply of Tin in Valheim, alongside Copper, the Black Forest opens up a much wider range of crafting options. Start with the tools and food stations that improve your next expedition, and keep a few bars in reserve for later recipes.
For the wider progression path, see our Copper guide, Pickaxe guide and Valheim Guides Hub. For game updates, visit the official Valheim website.
