Freeze Lava into Scoria, break it into transportable Cinder, then ignite the Cinder where you want to recreate Lava.
Lava in Sandustry occurs naturally deep underground in the Lava Cave. Because the documented Pump, Pipe, and Liquid Vent system excludes molten fluids, the practical early transport method is to convert Lava into a solid, move it, and recreate it at the destination.
The Lava-to-Cinder transport cycle
- Apply Snow to Lava, including Snow produced by a Cryoblaster.
- The Lava freezes into Scoria.
- Destroy the Scoria with a weapon to obtain Cinder.
- Carry the Cinder with the Grabber or move it on Conveyor Belts and Launchers.
- Ignite the Cinder at its destination to turn it back into Lava.
The current sources confirm the sequence, but not an exact one-to-one conversion ratio or the fastest Scoria-breaking tool. Build a small test batch before sizing a permanent transport line. The Cinder guide explains the ignition requirement in more detail.
Using Lava as a factory burner
The official Lava page documents a compact burner built around a Filter. Set the Filter to allow Cinder, place a solid block underneath, fill the Filter with Cinder, and ignite it to hold Lava in the chosen position.
When the Filter is completely filled with Lava, Residue moving across the Conveyor Belt above can ignite and become Burnt Residue. That output can feed a Kinetic Press, turning the Lava pocket into a reusable heating stage.
Test the enclosure before attaching it to a valuable line. Lava is a persistent liquid, and the collected sources do not establish a universal throughput for every Filter width or conveyor speed.
What happens when Water hits Lava
When Water falls onto Lava, the Water becomes Steam. The current official page says the amount of Lava does not decrease during this interaction.
This makes Lava a persistent heat source for that reaction, but it does not make the surrounding plumbing safe automatically. Keep Water storage separated until you intentionally want Steam.
Current terminology matters
Older Demo guides may connect Lava to Slag, Burnt Slag, or Spore production. The current Early Access sources instead use Residue, Burnt Residue, Scoria, and Cinder.
Do not copy a Demo recipe simply because the machine layout looks similar. Confirm the material names shown in the current client before loading a large batch.
Quick troubleshooting
- You cannot pump Lava: the documented fluid transport system excludes molten fluids; use the Cinder route.
- Snow creates a solid mass: that intermediate material is Scoria and must be broken.
- Cinder reaches the destination but stays solid: ignite it directly as described in the Cinder guide.
- Residue is not burning: confirm the Filter pocket is fully filled with Lava and the Residue contacts the heated belt area.
- An old guide mentions Slag: it is using obsolete Demo terminology.
Sources
- Lava — Sandustry Official Wiki
- Sandustry Logistics Guide — Steam Community
- Current Early Access Lava Factory — YouTube
The current material chain and Lava interactions were checked on August 16, 2026. Exact conversion ratios, tool efficiency, and automated throughput remain deliberately unclaimed.