How to Move Lava in Sandustry
A step-by-step explanation of the Cinder process without overclaiming exact layouts.
Freeze Lava into Scoria, break it into Cinders, move those Cinders with Grabber, Conveyor Belts, or Launchers, then reignite them into Lava at the destination.
Run this check first
- You need Lava somewhere else and ordinary liquid movement does not apply.
- You want the exact concept behind Scoria and Cinders.
- You are planning a safe heat chamber for automation.
Pre-checks
- Clear Water from the route and destination.
- Prepare transport for Cinders, not loose Lava.
- Set up the destination before reigniting anything.
Walkthrough
- Clear water and flammable clutter from the source area.
- Freeze Lava into Scoria with Snow or Cryoblaster.
- Break Scoria with a suitable weapon/tool to create Cinders.
- Move Cinders through a protected path.
- Place Cinders into the destination chamber.
- Apply enough heat to turn Cinders back into Lava.
- Seal the destination before connecting it to automation.
Move Lava Without Moving Lava
The trick is to change Lava into a transportable form, then change it back.
Snow or Cryoblaster
Solid intermediate
Creates Cinders
Grabber, belts, launchers
Restore Lava
Quick facts
Why Lava is different
Lava is dangerous and not handled like simple water transport. Official notes point to the Cinder process for movement.
Freeze it
Use Snow or Cryoblaster interactions to turn Lava into a solid form such as Scoria.
Break and move it
Break Scoria into Cinders, then transport those Cinders using player grabbing, conveyors, or launchers.
Reignite it
At the target location, provide enough heat to turn Cinders back into Lava. Keep water away from the destination chamber.
Common mistakes
The common mistake is trying to treat Lava like water. Cinders are the transportable form, so pipe-style assumptions should be avoided unless the current build gives you a direct Lava transport tool.
The second mistake is building the destination after moving Cinders. Build the destination first, keep water out, then move only the amount you can safely reignite.
Do / Don't
Do
- Move Cinders, not loose Lava.
- Use a separate route.
- Add safety notes for Water contact.
Don't
- Do not promise pipe transport.
- Do not skip reignition details.
- Do not use modded-map setups as default.
FAQ
Can I move Lava in pipes?
Current notes direct players to the Cinder process instead.
What happens if Water touches the moved Lava?
Water can become Steam, so the destination should be isolated.