Sandustry guide
Sandustry Slag Processing Guide
A current-version guide to Sandustry slag processing. The game’s current sources use Residue and Burnt Residue; Slag Burner is treated here as the player search term for the related burning methods, not as a confirmed building name.
1. Quick Answer
Current Sandustry sources call the material Residue, not Slag. Igniting Residue can produce Burnt Residue, with automatic options including a Pyro Dispenser or Residue passing over Lava stored in a Filter. The official Wiki does not list a separate building named Slag Burner.
2. What Is Slag Processing in Sandustry?
Confirmed
Current terminology
The current official Wiki uses Residue and Burnt Residue. Wet Sand processed by a Shaker produces Gold and Residue, so Residue is part of the normal production chain rather than an unrelated resource.
Community observation
Why players search for Slag Burner
Community discussions and older guides often use Slag as shorthand for the residue-burning problem. This page keeps that search language for discovery, but uses the current official material names in the mechanism descriptions.
Confirmed
Early Access version boundary
Sandustry is an Early Access game, so building names, research placement and production details can change. Current Wiki facts should be preferred over older videos and development discussions.
3. How Burnt Residue Works
Confirmed
Residue must be ignited
Burnt Residue is produced by igniting Residue. The official source lists Flamethrower and Rocket Launcher Napalm Fire as manual ways to start the process.
Confirmed
The current conversion is not one-to-one
The current official Burnt Residue page records a 25% chance for Residue to become Burnt Residue; the remaining material can be consumed by burning without producing Burnt Residue. This value is version-sensitive and should be rechecked after major updates.
Confirmed
Automatic sources of fire
The official documentation lists Pyro Dispenser and Residue passing over Lava held in Filters as automatic burning methods. It does not establish a universal machine ratio or fixed throughput for either method.
4. How to Process Slag
Confirmed
1. Collect the current material
Start from the current production name: Residue. It comes from Wet Sand being processed by a Shaker, so inspect the Shaker output before choosing a burning method.
Confirmed
2. Test ignition with direct fire
For a simple verification test, the official source supports using a Flamethrower or Rocket Launcher Napalm Fire to ignite Residue. This confirms the material and output without assuming a particular factory layout.
Confirmed
3. Move to an automatic method
Once the material is identified, the documented automatic paths are Burner Belt heat, Pyro Dispenser fire, or a Lava-in-Filter route. The source package supports these mechanisms but does not identify one universal best method.
Needs Verification
4. Keep current and historical names separate
If a guide says Slag or Burnt Slag, verify its version before applying it. The available historical sources show terminology changes, but they do not provide a complete version-by-version conversion table.
5. Lava and Automatic Burning
Confirmed
Build the Lava-in-Filter mechanism
The official sources describe a route where Cinder is held in a Filter, ignited with direct Flamethrower fire to become Lava, and then retained in the Filter. Residue passing over the Lava can be ignited and become Burnt Residue.
Confirmed
Cinder needs direct fire
Cinder comes from destroyed Scoria. The official Cinder page states that direct Flamethrower fire is needed to turn Cinder back into Lava; passive heat alone is not enough for that conversion.
Confirmed
Burner Belt
The current Research page lists Burner Belt in Tier 2 and describes it as using Thermal Buffer heat to ignite flammable materials. The available source does not define every Residue input edge case or its production rate.
Confirmed
Pyro Dispenser
The current Research page lists Pyro Dispenser in Tier 3, records a 3-second firing interval and a 2000 Gold cost, and notes the need for an adjacent Thermal Buffer. Research is marked WIP, so these values may change.
Needs Verification
What is not established
The reviewed sources do not establish a best layout, fixed throughput, exact machine ratio, or a guaranteed way to prevent every Residue blockage. Those should be tested in the current build rather than stated as universal rules.
6. Version History
Confirmed
Current version terms
Use Residue and Burnt Residue when describing the current documented mechanism. Use Burner Belt, Pyro Dispenser and Lava-in-Filter for the current automatic burning paths supported by the source package.
Community observation
Older Slag terminology
Older community discussions and historical development material use Slag or Burnt Slag terminology. These names are retained only to help players recognize older search results; they are not used here as current mechanisms or recipes.
Needs Verification
Kinetic Slag Press is a separate historical naming issue
A historical development log records the name Kinetic Slag Press for an older machine name. That does not establish the current Kinetic Press recipe or make it a Slag Burner, so the two topics should not be merged.
7. Common Questions
Confirmed
Is Slag Burner an official Sandustry building?
The reviewed current official Wiki does not list a separate Slag Burner building. The search term refers to the broader problem of burning Residue, which can involve Burner Belt, Pyro Dispenser or Lava held in Filters.
Confirmed
How do you get Burnt Residue?
Ignite Residue with a Flamethrower or Rocket Launcher Napalm Fire, or use one of the documented automatic burning paths. The current official page records a 25% conversion chance, not a guaranteed conversion for every piece.
Community observation
Why is Residue piling up?
Community and third-party sources describe slow or complex burning lines as a common pain point. The available evidence does not provide a universal throughput diagnosis, so inspect the current inputs, heat source and output path before changing the layout.
Needs Verification
Is Slag the same as current Residue?
Older sources use Slag as a legacy or community term, while current official pages use Residue. The exact version boundary for every old name is not documented in the source package, so older recipes need version-by-version checking.
Needs Verification
What is the best automatic burning layout?
No best layout is established by the reviewed sources. This page intentionally does not claim a fixed layout, machine ratio or throughput.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slag Burner an official Sandustry building?
The reviewed current official Wiki does not list a separate Slag Burner building. The term refers to burning Residue with methods such as Burner Belt, Pyro Dispenser or Lava held in Filters.
How do you get Burnt Residue in Sandustry?
Ignite Residue with a Flamethrower or Rocket Launcher Napalm Fire, or use a documented automatic burning method. The current official page records a 25% conversion chance, not a guaranteed conversion.
What are the automatic ways to burn Residue?
The source package documents Burner Belt heat, Pyro Dispenser fire and Residue passing over Lava held in a Filter. It does not establish one universal best method or throughput.
Is Slag the same as current Residue?
Current official pages use Residue, while older community material uses Slag or Burnt Slag. The exact version boundary for every old name is not documented, so older recipes need version checking.
Why is Residue piling up in Sandustry?
Inspect the current Residue input, heat source and output path before changing the layout. The reviewed sources do not establish a universal throughput diagnosis or machine ratio.