Crucible (Ex Nihilo)

The Crucible is an Ex Nihilo block used to dissolve solids into liquids. It requires a heat source to be placed below it, and melts Stones into Lava or Snow into Water.

Recipe
The Crucible is first crafted as an Unfired Crucible, which must then be cooked in a Furnace.

Usage
To use the crucible, place it above any heat source (lava, fire, a lit furnace, or even a torch). Right-click with an eligible block to place that block into the Crucible, then wait for it to melt. Different heat sources will melt blocks at different speeds (see tables below). The most efficient heat source by far, easily obtained by placing a crucible over burning Netherrack. However, if Thermal Expansion is installed, Liquid Pyrotheum can be used as an even more powerful heat source.

The Crucible works well with mass-smelting operations as furnaces can also accept lava as fuel, and also works well for mods that use coal-driven machines without having the need to constantly resupply from underground sources. Liquids can be drained with Fluid Pipes or Fluiducts, which can then be used for any number of purposes. Their relatively cheap production cost makes them an excellent source of lava at any stage of production, and using large numbers of crucibles and cobblestone generators is a viable method of lava production for use with Magmatic Dynamo or other energy producers that use Lava as fuel.