Permafrost How to Get Flint
Flint is one of the first materials you'll need when upgrading your equipment in Permafrost. It's used to make stronger tools, including the Flint Pickaxe required to mine Copper and other resources. Fortunately, you can start collecting it fairly early, without traveling deep into the more dangerous parts of the map.
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How to Get Flint
Best Early Flint Locations
Why You Can't Mine Flint
What to Craft With Flint
How to Get Flint in Permafrost
To get Flint in Permafrost, mine Flint Boulders using a Stone Pickaxe. These deposits can be found around rocky terrain, caves, and cliff walls east of Horizon, the first settlement you visit during the main story.
You don't need a Flint Pickaxe to collect Flint itself. Your basic Stone Pickaxe is enough, allowing you to gather the material needed for your first equipment upgrades.
1. Craft and equip a Stone Pickaxe.
2. Travel toward the rocky areas and caves near Horizon.
3. Look for deposits labeled Flint Boulder when targeting them.
4. Break the deposit with your Stone Pickaxe.
5. Collect the Flint and repeat with other nearby deposits.
Pay attention to the resource name when aiming at rocks. Flint and ordinary Stone come from different boulders, so mining every rock you encounter isn't the most efficient approach.
Best Early Flint Locations in Permafrost
The best place to start looking is around Horizon. There are numerous Flint deposits near the settlement, meaning you can gather enough for early tools without making a long journey into unfamiliar territory.
If you're having trouble locating deposits above ground, Bone Cave is another reliable option. You'll visit this cave during the Dog Days quest, and Flint Boulders can be found along the main route through it.
Horizon
Search the rocky terrain and cliff walls around the settlement. There are approximately 12 mapped Flint Boulder locations nearby.
Bone Cave
Look along the cave's main passage during the Dog Days quest. There are six mapped Flint Boulder locations in this area.
Other Caves and Rock Walls
Additional deposits appear farther across the map, although traveling beyond Horizon isn't necessary for your first Flint tools.
I would search around Horizon first, then collect the Flint inside Bone Cave when your questline takes you there. This avoids making a separate trip purely for mining and gives you an opportunity to gather more while completing story objectives.
You can also check Robyn's inventory at Horizon if you need a small amount of Flint immediately. However, mining nearby boulders is generally the better option when you need enough material for multiple tools.
Why Can't You Mine Flint?
If you've found a resource deposit but your pickaxe isn't working, check what kind of boulder you're targeting. Permafrost has multiple mineral types, and some require stronger tools than the basic Stone Pickaxe.
When targeting a deposit, the game displays its name and a pickaxe icon. A red, crossed-out icon indicates that your currently equipped tool cannot mine that resource.
Stone Boulders: Stone Pickaxe
Flint Boulders: Stone Pickaxe
Copper Boulders: Flint Pickaxe
Coal Boulders: Flint Pickaxe
This distinction matters because you may encounter higher-tier minerals while searching for Flint. You don't need to unlock better equipment before collecting Flint, but you will need to upgrade your pickaxe before mining Copper and Coal.
What Should You Craft With Your First Flint?
I would prioritize making a Flint Pickaxe once you've gathered enough material. It's the upgrade that opens access to Copper and Coal, allowing you to move beyond the basic Stone tool tier.
Flint is also used to craft the Flint Axe, Flint Shiv, and Flint Sledgehammer, along with their refined versions. You'll eventually need several of these tools, particularly during the New Home quest, which requires crafting a Flint Pickaxe, Flint Axe, and Flint Shiv.
For now, there's no reason to travel across the entire map looking for Flint. The deposits around Horizon and Bone Cave are enough to get started, and you can return for additional resources as needed.
If you're traveling farther between settlements later, our Permafrost fast travel guide explains how to unlock travel posts and reduce the time spent returning to previous areas.
