Rock

Rock
Material	Andesite, Basalt, Bauxite, Chalk, Chert, Claystone, Conglomerate, Granite, Halite, Kimberlite, Limestone, Marble, Obsidian, Peridotite, Phyllite, Sandstone, Scoria, Shale, Slate, Suevite, Travertine and Tuff
Stackable	64
Drops	Stones Rock
Blocks

Rocks are what form the entire underground of Vintage Story, with large swathes of rock covering different amounts of the surface and underground. Often, there are multiple rock types in one location as long as you dig deep enough. Rocks can contain ore deposits , which can be used for creating metal or crafting with gemstones .

There is a useful spreadsheet for sharing what ores generate in what types of rock located here.

Natural Generation

Twenty types of rock variants may exist in the world, and are created during world generation. The appearance of each block indicates the type, which dictates its uses and which ore deposits may be found in the rock. As of version 1.9, ores only appear in certain rock types. Examining a rock while holding (Sneak + H) will provide information about which ores can appear in that rock type.

An example of rock layer generation.

Different formations of rock layers are generated throughout the world. Typically, there are 3 layers of stone in a location, unless the top layer is volcanic, in which case there will be 4.

Types of Rock Layer Generation
Max Thickness	Volcanic	Sedimentary	Metamorphic	Igneous
Shield	0	0	0	255
Platform	0	40	10	255
Orogen	0	20	10	255
Basin	0	50	15	255
Large Igneous Province	30	20	0	255
Extended Crust	30	40	0	255

Due to the distortion and mapping of the various rock layers, it is possible to end up with a sedimentary rock layer below an igneous layer, or even 2 igneous layers on top of one another. The table is more of a general guideline than a rule.

Rock strata

Different types of rock are found in different places in the world and vary based on geological layers. There are many rock variants: Andesite, Basalt, Bauxite, Chalk, Chert, Claystone, Conglomerate, Granite, Halite, Kimberlite, Limestone, Marble (white, pink, or green), Obsidian, Peridotite, Phyllite, Sandstone, Scoria, Shale, Slate, Suevite, Travertine and Tuff. Marble appears as any of the three colors listed in parentheses, and generates similarly to ore generation. Many of the rocks can be made into cobblestone blocks for each rock (i.e., sandstone or basalt cobble). Each kind of cobblestone is a different color.

Rock strata, or layers, can be grouped into one of three types: sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous. These categories differ in how these rocks are created. While there are many other types of rock, the rocks in this section are those generated as layers by the game.

Sedimentary rocks

Sedimentary rocks are generally found near the surface, above metamorphic or igneous rock (except basalt). These are generally softer rocks, making them unsuitable for toolmaking. However, many different types of ores can be found in sedimentary rock, especially lower-tier metals such as copper and lead . Sedimentary layers also contain many secondary materials such as coal , sulfur , and borax .

Sedimentary rock types are:

• Claystone
• Sandstone
• Chert
• Shale
• Conglomerate
• Bauxite
• Chalk
• Limestone

Metamorphic rocks

Metamorphic rock is usually found under sedimentary rock but above igneous rock. Metamorphic rock types include:

• Phyllite
• Slate
• Marble (found as deposits in phyllite or slate)

Igneous rock

Igneous rock is usually found underneath sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Basalt is an exception to this, as it can appear above any other rock layer. Igneous rocks are hard and well-suited to toolmaking, as well as for use in querns . Igneous rock types include:

• Andesite
• Granite
• Peridotite
• Basalt

Harvesting

All rock requires a pickaxe to mine.

Collecting Small Stones

Small stones are found lying on the ground throughout the world and can be picked up. Boulders are larger stones lying on the ground and can be hit with just about anything to break them into small stones. Breaking a stone block using a pickaxe or an ore blasting bomb drops small stones.

When a large amount of stones is needed (i.e., to create paths ), boulders can be found in large numbers in areas made up of mostly rock and gravel. A short harvest can reward over a thousand stones.

Relieving Stone Blocks

One of the optimal ways to mine full rocks.

Solid stone blocks can be collected through a process called "relieving". To relieve a stone block, break the stone blocks connected to each face of the stone block, such that all six faces of the cube are adjacent to air. Currently, stones do not obey gravity.
There is a tutorial video found further down , showing how to use the pattern shown to the right effectively in-game.

Usage

Rock

Rock can be polished with a hammer and chisel for building. Polished rock can be broken down further into slabs and bricks, which can be used to make stone ashlar blocks. Halite, Obsidian, Scoria, Travertine and Tuff cannot be polished. Rock is also used to craft the anchor for a sailboat .

A few important items can only be crafted with Andesite, Basalt, Granite, or Peridotite rock:

• The quern is used for grinding materials into powder, such as producing lime or grinding grain into flour .
• The pulverizer is used for pounding materials too hard to grind, such as quartz , cinnabar , or alum . Harder materials require higher tiers of pounder caps.
• The stone coffin and lid for steel making .

Stones

Stones can be used to craft cobblestone , stone path , and other blocks . Halite, Obsidian, Scoria, Travertine and Tuff cannot be made into cobblestone.

Andesite, Basalt, Chert, Granite, and Peridotite stones can be knapped to create tools.

Chalk and Limestone stones may be used as pigment for writing.

Some stones can be converted to useful powders by grinding them in the quern. Grinding Chalk, Limestone, or Marble stones creates lime for leather working or creating quicklime for mortar or plaster . Grinding Halite produces two salt for preserving food and making cheese .

Crushing Bauxite stones in a pulverizer with pounder caps of at least tier 2 creates crushed bauxite, which is used to make refractory bricks , which are required to produce steel . They can also be used in a beehive kiln , to provide much higher durability than fire clay bricks.

Stone Type and Use Chart

Volcanic stones
Stone Type	Cobble?	Brick?	Tool?	Quern?
Basalt	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️

Sedimentary stones
Stone Type	Cobble?	Brick?	Tool?	Quern?
Bauxite	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Chalk	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Chert	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌
Claystone	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Conglomerate	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Limestone	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Sandstone	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Shale	✔️	✔️	❌	❌

Metamorphic stones
Stone Type	Cobble?	Brick?	Tool?	Quern?
Phyllite	✔️	✔️	❌	❌
Slate	✔️	✔️	❌	❌

Igneous stones
Stone Type	Cobble?	Brick?	Tool?	Quern?
Andesite	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Basalt	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Granite	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Kimberlite	✔️	❌	❌	❌
Peridotite	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Scoria	❌	❌	❌	❌
Tuff	❌	❌	❌	❌

Special stones
Stone Type	Cobble?	Brick?	Tool?	Quern?
Halite	❌	❌	❌	❌
Marble	✔️	❌	❌	❌
Obsidian	❌	❌	✔️	❌
Suevite	✔️	❌	❌	❌
Travertine	❌	✔️	❌	❌

Gallery

Rock materials

Name	Rock	Stone	Cobblestone	Polished	Gravel	Sand	Type
Andesite							Igneous
Basalt							Igneous - Volcanic
Bauxite							Sedimentary
Chalk							Sedimentary
Chert							Sedimentary
Claystone							Sedimentary
Conglomerate							Sedimentary
Granite							Igneous
Halite			n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Special
Kimberlite					n/a	n/a	Igneous
Limestone							Sedimentary
Marble (Green)					n/a	n/a	Metamorphic - Special
Marble (Red)					n/a	n/a	Metamorphic - Special
Marble (White)					n/a	n/a	Metamorphic - Special
Obsidian			n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Igneous - Special
Peridotite							Igneous
Phyllite							Metamorphic
Sandstone							Sedimentary
Scoria			n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Igneous
Shale							Sedimentary
Slate							Metamorphic
Suevite					n/a	n/a	Special
Travertine			n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Special
Tuff			n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Igneous

Video Tutorials

voiceless explanation of how to best farm whole stone blocks	tutorial on a block extraction pattern