Sandustry Lava Guide: Move, Store, and Use Lava
Learn how Sandustry lava is found, frozen into Scoria, moved as Cinder, restored with fire, contained in Filters, and used for heat and steam.
Sandustry lava cannot be carried on a belt or pumped through a pipe in its liquid state. Freeze it into Scoria, break the Scoria into Cinder, transport that solid Cinder, then ignite it with the Flamethrower where you need lava. This state-change chain is the practical answer to moving lava from a deep cave into your factory.
Where to Find Lava
Lava occurs naturally in the Lava Cave deep underground. It can sit behind cave walls or below ice, so prepare a contained route before opening a glowing chamber. Keep Snow or a Cryoblaster ready because exposed lava begins flowing as soon as its barrier is removed.
| Property | Confirmed behavior |
|---|---|
| Matter type | Liquid |
| Density | 75 |
| Obtained from | Cinder and Fire |
| Cold-processing result | Scoria |
| Direct interactions | Snow and Water |
How to Move Lava
Apply Snow, including Snow made by the Cryoblaster, until the lava becomes solid Scoria. Destroy the Scoria with a weapon or digging tool to release Cinder, which behaves as a transportable solid. Conveyors, Launchers, the Grabber, and other solid-material logistics can then move it to the destination.
At the destination, drop Cinder into a prepared chamber and hit it with the Flamethrower’s direct flame. The Cinder changes back into lava, completing the transport loop. Collected reports distinguish this direct ignition from passive heat, so use the Flamethrower for reliable conversion.
How to Contain and Store It
A Filter can trap lava while still allowing selected material to pass over it. Set the Filter for Cinder, place a solid block below it, fill it with Cinder, and ignite the contents only after the enclosure is complete. Check corners and leave enough free volume before conversion, because a single opening can let liquid escape into the factory.
Storing most of the supply as Cinder makes it easier to move and replenish than keeping every unit as exposed lava. A dedicated Cinder buffer also prevents heat-dependent lines from stopping when the active pool runs low. For larger factories, separating the transport stockpile from the live lava chamber keeps the conversion step controlled.
Lava Uses in Production
Lava ignites burnable pixels that pass across a filled Filter, which supports automated Residue and Flower burners. Rising flames can also heat nearby Thermal Buffers and other processing areas. Because heat systems can consume lava, keep Cinder available for regular top-ups.
When Water touches lava, the Water becomes Steam while the amount of lava remains unchanged. This makes a contained lava surface useful in a steam setup, provided the rising gas has a guided route. Lava can also supply heat for melting Copper, either directly nearby or through a charged Thermal Buffer.
Common Setup Failures
Most lava problems come from using the wrong transport state or opening the system before its outputs are contained.
- The lava will not move: Raw lava cannot use Pumps, Pipes, or normal belts. Freeze it, break the Scoria, and move the resulting Cinder.
- The active pool turns solid: Snow reached the chamber and converted the lava to Scoria. Filter Snow away unless that conversion is intentional.
- Steam escapes into the factory: Give Steam a contained upward route before Water touches lava.
- The burner has poor coverage: Use a wider working surface rather than a narrow, deep pool so more material passes over rising flames.
- The line goes cold: Store enough Cinder nearby to replace lava consumed by heat-dependent systems.