Basalt

Basalt is an igneous rock prevalent in the Nether's basalt deltas.

Polished basalt is the polished version of basalt.

Natural generation
Basalt generates naturally as basalt pillars, which are found in the biome. They also generate in biomes as regular terrain and as part of basalt columns.

Both basalt and polished basalt can be found naturally as part of bastion remnants.

Breaking
Basalt drops as an item if mined by any pickaxe. If mined by any other tool, it drops nothing.

Post-generation
Basalt can also be made by lava flowing into a space that is on top of soul soil and next to blue ice. The flowing lava is replaced with basalt. This mechanic can be used as a basalt generator.

Usage
Basalt's only current use is as building material. 4 polished basalt blocks can be crafted using 4 basalt blocks. Like logs and quartz pillars, basalt points perpendicular to whatever block face it's placed on. It always generates vertically (including in a generator), so this can be useful in marking artificially placed blocks including with respect to directions.

Thanks to its high blast resistance, low flammability, and ready availability, basalt is an excellent material for building bridges and shelters in the Nether. Polished basalt can also be helpful for leaving identifiable breadcrumb trails.

Note Blocks
Basalt and polished basalt can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass drum" sound.

ID




Trivia

 * Geologically, basalt is a volcanic rock that cools from mafic lava flows. Mafic lava is runny, much like Nether lava, and under the right conditions it can cool into the stacks of basalt columns seen in basalt deltas.
 * Basalt makes up most of Earth's sea floor, as well as Iceland and the Hawaiian Islands.
 * Despite being an extrusive igneous rock, basalt has a lower mining time than granite and diorite, which are intrusive.
 * Basalt is the only rock-like block to have both a polished and smooth variant.