Basalt

Basalt is a type of igneous rock found in the Nether.

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.

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 lava is replaced with basalt.

Usage
Basalt is currently used only for decoration. Like blocks such as logs and quartz pillars, basalt can face either horizontally or vertically depending on how they are placed; they face in the direction of the surface they are placed on.

Basalt CAN be destroyed by Ghast fireballs. Combined with its easy generation, basalt is an excellent material for building bridges and shelters in the nether. It’s even possible to automate the building with a flying machine.

ID




History
{{History||September 29, 2019link=minecraft.gamepedia.com/MINECON_Live_2019 {{Basalt is shown at Minecon Live 2019, but is not named.}} {{History|java}} {{History||1.16|snap=20w06a|{{animate|Basalt Axis Y JE1 BE1.png;Basalt Axis X JE1 BE1.png;Basalt Axis Z JE1 BE1.png|32px}} Added basalt.}} {{History|||snap=20w12a|{{animate|Polished Basalt Axis Y JE1 BE1.png;Polished Basalt Axis X JE1 BE1.png;Polished Basalt Axis Z JE1 BE1.png|32px}} Added polished basalt. {{History|||snap=20w13a|Basalt can now be formed when lava flows over soul soil next to blue ice, making it renewable. {{History|||snap=20w15a|Added the Basalt Deltas, a biome in which basalt is abundant.}} {{History|||snap=20w16a|Basalt and polished basalt now generate as part of bastion remnants.
 * Polished basalt can currently be obtained only by smelting the normal basalt block.}}
 * Basalt can no longer be smelted into polished basalt.
 * Polished basalt can now be obtained by crafting 4 blocks of basalt in a 2×2 grid or stonecutting it, similar to other polished stones.}}
 * Basalt can now generate as part of ruined portals.}}

{{History|bedrock}} {{History||1.16.0|snap=beta 1.16.0.51|{{animate|Basalt Axis Y JE1 BE1.png;Basalt Axis X JE1 BE1.png;Basalt Axis Z JE1 BE1.png|32px}} {{animate|Polished Basalt Axis Y JE1 BE1.png;Polished Basalt Axis X JE1 BE1.png;Polished Basalt Axis Z JE1 BE1.png|32px}} Added basalt and polished basalt.}} {{History|||snap=beta 1.16.0.57|Basalt can now be formed when lava flows over soul soil next to blue ice, making it renewable.|Added the Basalt Deltas, a biome in which basalt is abundant.|Basalt and polished basalt now generate as part of bastion remnants.}} {{History|||snap=beta 1.16.0.59|Crafting polished Basalt now gives the correct amount of blocks in return. |Polished basalt can now be crafted using a stonecutter.}} {{History|foot}}

Trivia

 * Interestingly, despite being an igneous extrusive rock, it has a lower mining time than granite and diorite, which are both igneous intrusive.