Clay

Clay is a basic solid resource found in Oxygen Not Included. It occurs naturally in the Swamp Biome and is also produced as an industrial byproduct. Clay is used directly as a construction and planting material and is a feedstock for ceramic production.

Clay can be obtained by digging Swamp Biome deposits and is produced by Deodorizers as a secondary output. A deodorizer reaction that converts polluted oxygen and granular solids into clean oxygen and clay follows the stoichiometry: 100 g/s Polluted Oxygen + 133.33 g/s Sand or Regolith → 90 g/s Oxygen + 143.33 g/s Clay, making Deodorizers a continuous source of Clay when supplied with the required inputs.

Clay is used in several buildings and crafting recipes. It is required as building material for Planter Boxes and Farm Tiles (each consumes 100 kg of Clay when built) and for Algae Terrariums (requires 400 kg). In the Kiln, Clay is combined with Coal to fabricate Ceramic following the crafting recipe: 100 kg Clay + 25 kg Coal → 100 kg Ceramic. Certain critters interact with Clay as part of their metabolism: Hatches will eat Clay and excrete Coal, providing a biological loop between Clay and fuel resources.

Practical notes and interactions:

• Clay is a solid and counts toward storage and material overlays; treat it like other mined minerals when planning storage or transport.
• Use Deodorizers placed near Sand or Regolith and polluted oxygen flows to produce a steady stream of Clay if natural deposits are scarce.
• Converting Clay into Ceramic via the Kiln requires Coal; balance fuel supply and Clay input to sustain ceramic production.
• Because Planter Boxes and Farm Tiles each require 100 kg of Clay, early farms can quickly consume natural Clay deposits—prioritize either conservation or establishing deodorizer production.
• Hatches provide a renewable loop: feed Hatches Clay to obtain Coal. This can be integrated with Kiln and coal generators but requires managing critter housing and food.
• Clay produced or mined must be routed into appropriate storages or directly fed to fabricators and construction sites to avoid clutter and pathing issues.

Clay’s role sits between raw construction/soil needs and mid-tier manufacturing through ceramic. Properly exploiting Deodorizers and critter cycles lets a colony convert pollution streams and biological behavior into a reliable Clay supply for farming, construction, and Ceramic fabrication.