Excavate a vertical 2-tile wide shaft from your surface factory down to the Stratacore vein. Encase all four walls in Basalt or Foundation blocks to prevent Update #3 Lava from dissolving surrounding Strataform terrain. Fill the shaft with Lava (density 200). Mine Stratacore (density ~130) at the bottom and feed it into the shaft base: positive buoyancy propels the chunks straight up to surface collection grates at zero electrical power.
Deep Extraction · Update #3 v0.5.6
Sandustry Stratacore Farm Guide: v0.5.6 Lava Elevator & Density 200 Buoyancy
Stratacore extraction is Sandustry's definitive mid-to-late game mining milestone. In Update #3 (v0.5.6), Lava density was significantly increased to 200, unlocking a revolutionary vertical logistics technique: the Lava Elevator. Because Stratacore solid chunks (density ~130) and Cinder (density 50) have lower density than pressurized Lava (density 200), they float rapidly upward through contained vertical shafts. However, uncontained Lava now aggressively melts Fluxite, Redsoil, and Strataform blocks! This guide details how to encase the elevator in Basalt, prevent catastrophic terrain breaches, and automate high-throughput Stratacore retrieval.
Quick answer
How to build a Lava Elevator for Stratacore in Sandustry v0.5.6
What the evidence supports
Encase the vertical shaft,
harness fluid buoyancy.
01 · Encase the Shaft in Basalt
Update #3 introduces terrain destruction: Lava melts Fluxite, Redsoil, and Strataform on direct contact. You MUST frame your entire vertical elevator shaft with Basalt or Foundation tiles to prevent containment breaches.
02 · Fill with Pressurized Lava
Pump or freeze-transport Lava into the sealed shaft. In v0.5.6, Lava density is 200, creating massive upward buoyant force on any solid or capsule with density below 200.
03 · Bottom Automated Extraction
Place automated Drills or Mining Drones around the Stratacore node at bedrock. Feed excavated Stratacore chunks through a single-direction one-way door or launcher directly into the bottom of the lava column.
04 · Rapid Buoyancy Ascent
Because Stratacore density (~130) and Cinder (50) are lighter than Lava (200), mined items float rapidly to the top at up to 60 chunks/minute without requiring electrical conveyors or Tier 5 Gold Elevators.
05 · Surface Separation & Cold Buffer Cooling
At the top of the elevator, catch Stratacore on a sloped Basalt sieve. Place a cold-state Thermal Buffer or light Snowmaker spray to instantly re-solidify any splashing Lava residue into harmless Cinder.
06 · Thin-Layer Lava Face Application
As demonstrated by Space_Socialist, applying a continuous, regulated thin film of Lava directly over the bedrock extraction face prevents the Stratacore node from reinforcing into hardened ground tiles, allowing automated drill heads to sustain uninterrupted high-speed excavation.
Questions answered
Solve the next
blockage.
How does the Lava Elevator work in Sandustry v0.5.6?
Lava's density was buffed to 200 in Update #3. Items with lower density (like Stratacore at ~130, or Cinder at 50) experience strong buoyant upward thrust, floating to the surface like bubbles in water.
Will Lava melt my Stratacore farm in Update #3?
Yes, if uncontained. Lava now actively dissolves Strataform and Redsoil terrain. You must line your shaft and collection chambers with Basalt or Foundation blocks, which are immune to heat erosion.
How do I prevent Stratacore ground tiles from hardening during mining?
Applying a regulated, continuous thin layer of Lava over the excavation face prevents the Stratacore matrix from cementing into hardened bedrock tiles, allowing drills to maintain peak extraction rates.
Can I transport Cinder in the Lava elevator?
Yes. Cinder has a density of 50 and floats even faster than Stratacore. If ambient heat begins to melt Cinder back into Lava, the buoyant column simply absorbs the fluid without stalling the line.
How do I prevent Lava from overflowing onto my surface factory?
Place an Advanced Filter or angled Basalt ramp at the top exit set to allow Stratacore. Mount a cold-state Thermal Buffer nearby to re-solidify escaping lava droplets into solid Cinder.
Evidence notes
Confirmed first.
Tested second.
Source Wiki
- Update #3 (v0.5.6) officially increased Lava density to 200, enabling buoyancy separation against lighter solids.
- Lava destroys Fluxite, Redsoil, and Strataform terrain upon direct physical contact.
- Basalt, Foundation, and manufactured machine casings are completely impervious to Lava erosion.
Community-tested
- Reddit r/SandustryGame (Lava Elevator Stratacore Farm): Confirmed that a 2-tile wide Basalt-encased Lava elevator provides 300% faster vertical throughput than spiral conveyor belts.
- Reddit r/SandustryGame (u/Space_Socialist): Demonstrated the thin-layer continuous Lava mining technique, utilizing a metered liquid pump system to prevent ground tile reinforcement around deep Stratacore veins.
- Steam Community Guides: Validated that sub-zero Thermal Buffers mounted at the elevator rim catch stray Lava splashes and convert them into harvestable Cinder.
These are useful player examples, not official specifications.