Duration
3-6 hours
Difficulty
★★☆ Medium
Unlocks
- •Copper Tools
- •Prospecting
- •Metal Casting
- •Bronze Alloys
TFC Version
1.7.10, 1.18+
Copper Age Guide
Your first metal tools! Learn to prospect for copper ore, smelt it in a pit kiln, and craft copper tools. Plus: introduction to bronze alloys.
Forgetting to add flux to the vessel
Always add 1 flux per ore or the metal won't smelt properly
Pouring cold metal
The vessel must still be hot - pour immediately after pit kiln finishes
Wrong alloy ratios
Use exact percentages: Bronze needs 88-92% copper, 8-12% tin
Mining without prospecting
Use pro pick first to find the richest vein locations
Wasting metal on stone tools
Prioritize pro pick first, then hammer - these are most useful
Prerequisites
Before starting the Copper Age, make sure you have completed these from the Stone Age:
Phase 1: Prospecting
Find ore deposits underground
Prospecting is how you find ore deposits underground. You'll need a Prospector's Pick (copper or better) to prospect effectively, but you can find surface ore deposits first.
Finding Surface Ore
Small Ore Rocks
Look for small ore rocks on the surface. These indicate ore veins below. Right-click to pick them up - they're the same as mined ore and can be smelted.
Rock Type Matters
Different ores spawn in different rock types. Check what rock type you're in by looking at loose rocks on the ground or exposed stone.
Prospector's Pick Results
Once you have a copper pro pick, RMB on stone to search for nearby ores:
Pro Tip
Phase 2: Copper Ores
Three types of copper ore in TerraFirmaCraft
Native Copper
Pure copper ore, easiest to process
Found in:
Malachite
Green copper carbonate ore
Found in:
Tetrahedrite
Contains copper and small amounts of silver
Found in:
Flux: Essential for Smelting
You need flux to smelt ore. Flux removes impurities and helps extract metal.
Flux Sources:
- - Borax (white mineral, found in deserts)
- - Calcite (found in marble/limestone)
- - Powdered flux (crush limestone/marble/chalk with hammer)
How to Get Flux:
- 1. Find flux stone (limestone, marble, chalk, dolomite)
- 2. Mine it with a pickaxe
- 3. Crush with a hammer to get flux powder
Phase 3: Pit Kiln Smelting
Smelt copper ore in a ceramic vessel
Smelting in a Ceramic Vessel
The pit kiln can smelt copper ore inside a ceramic vessel with flux
What You Need:
Fired Ceramic Vessel
8x Straw
8x LogsPit Kiln Setup:
- 1. Dig a 1x1 hole in the ground
- 2. Place filled vessel in hole (V)
- 3. Add 8 straw on top
- 4. Add 8 logs on top of straw
- 5. Light with firestarter
- 6. Wait 8 in-game hours
- 7. Vessel now contains liquid copper!
Pouring Liquid Metal
Step-by-Step Smelting Guide
Phase 4: Copper Tools
Your first metal tools - Tier 1
Copper tools are Tier 1 metal tools - better than stone but not as good as bronze. The most important copper tool is the Prospector's Pick for finding more ore!
Copper Pickaxe
Mine stone and ores (Tier 1)
Copper Axe
Chop trees faster than stone
Copper Shovel
Dig dirt, sand, gravel
Copper Hammer
Crush ore, flux, work anvil
Copper Chisel
Detailed block work, smooth stone
Copper Saw
Cut logs into lumber
Copper Knife
Butcher, harvest, cut leather
Copper Hoe
Till farmland
Copper ProPick
Prospect for ore veins
Copper Javelin
Ranged weapon
Copper Sword
Melee combat
Copper Mace
Melee combat, armor piercing
Copper Scythe
Harvest crops in area
Casting vs Smithing
Casting (Copper Age)
- - Pour liquid metal into ceramic molds
- - Simpler process, no anvil needed
- - Can only make basic tool heads
- - Tools need handle (stick) added after
Smithing (Bronze Age+)
- - Heat ingots and work on anvil
- - Requires bronze/iron anvil
- - Can make advanced items (armor, etc.)
- - More efficient metal usage
Phase 5: Introduction to Bronze
Alloys and the next tier of tools
Bronze is the next tier of metal. It's an alloy (mixture) of copper with other metals. Bronze tools are stronger and last longer than copper. To make bronze, you need to smelt copper with tin (or other metals) in specific ratios.
How Alloying Works
Bronze Alloy Recipes
Bronze
Standard bronze, best all-around alloy
Bismuth Bronze
Easier to make if tin is scarce
Black Bronze
Decorative alloy, requires precious metals
Where to Find Alloy Metals
Tin
Cassiterite ore - found in igneous intrusive rocks (granite, diorite)
Zinc
Sphalerite ore - found in metamorphic rocks
Bismuth
Native Bismuth, Bismuthinite - found in various rock types
Pro Tips
Expert advice for the Copper Age
Prospector's Pick Priority
Batch Smelting
Rock Layer Knowledge
Metal Math