Black sand is a mottled, charcoal-colored block, very much like a darker form of sand.
Where Found
All worlds (even those created before version 1.4) can have black sand spawned in them. It appears in thin and intermittent lines through existing sand, both near bodies of water and in deserts.
It is best harvested using a spade or magnet (which has an odd, metallic "shing" sound associated with it), although there is no loss associated with using anything else. A gold tool may produce iron ore, magnets, black glass, or time crystals when black sand is harvested.
Alternately, black sand can be created with a press from one sand and three pig iron.
Like most blocks, black sand remains where it's placed even if all support under it is removed.
Black sand will function as regular sand for growing flax.
The relationship between iron ore and black sand is circular but inefficient. Three pig iron and one sand can be turned into one black sand, two black sand can be turned into one iron ore, and one iron ore with one crushed limestone can be turned into one pig iron. Completing this circle from black sand to black sand loses one sand, three crushed limestone, five black sand, and the required fuel.
