Obsidian mining - advices please :)

[heptagonrus]

So guys, here is a little puzzle for you Maybe you could give some ideas please?

I was mining obsidian in a big lava lake and since obsidian rocks are quite useless atm, I wanted to maximize raw obsidian block output. Still haven't invented a good approach.
Too much basalt and obsidian rocks.

Basics:

• When lava is touched by water from top, it turns into obsidian.
• When lava is touched by water from side, it turns into basalt.

My current approach:

If you cover all lava with water, so an obsidian layer is created on top,
and break one obsidian block, a well will be created down to the bottom, with sides made of basalt and all center blocks dropped as raw obsidian.
Because as soon as an obsiddian block is created at the bottom of the well, it drops as an item, because there are no ajancent blocks around it.

So if you make the next well shifting e.g. two blocks left and one block forward, you get the tightest pattern to create wells. Still basalt:obsidian ratio is 4:1
And all the natural cave forms, e.g. wall's roundness,  are worsening the output.

Good thing is you mine very little, if you don't want basalt. And the method is quite safe even if lava damage will be added.

I tried to make usual checkerboard walls, but water is too tricky, constantly getting to lava from sides and making basalt.

Any experience or ideas how to increase raw obsidian output?

[copygirl]

Step 1: Solidify all lava into obsidian.
Step 2: Lower the (placed) water source(s) one level.
Step 3: Dig out a checkerboard pattern. Lava isn't a solid block, so it allows the obsidian to pop off.
Repeat steps 1 to 3 as much as you want or until you get it all.
Step 4: Abuse lack of game features. Lava doesn't destroy blocks or damage you at the moment. Feel free to swim in the lava for the blocks that fell inside.

This seems to work for me. Unsure what the process would look like once Lava is more dangerous. Many of the drops would likely drop inside before you can pick them up.

[Stroam]

I want water to turn into deadly steam on lava contact.

[heptagonrus]

5 hours ago, copygirl said:

Step 1: Solidify all lava into obsidian.
Step 2: Lower the (placed) water source(s) one level.
Step 3: Dig out a checkerboard pattern. Lava isn't a solid block, so it allows the obsidian to pop off.
Repeat steps 1 to 3 as much as you want or until you get it all.
Step 4: Abuse lack of game features. Lava doesn't destroy blocks or damage you at the moment. Feel free to swim in the lava for the blocks that fell inside.

This seems to work for me. Unsure what the process would look like once Lava is more dangerous. Many of the drops would likely drop inside before you can pick them up.

I don't understand Step 2 here. I think I actually need to remove all water sources completely before starting checkerboarding. Otherwise any water meeting lava will create a well.
And this removal process will take quite a time

So yeah, your process seems great, will try, thanks! I guess when lava will be damaging player, I can just do it in sections, to get to the bottom quicker. Some loss into basalt, but much less than now.

But if lava will destroy obsidian drops, that would be kinda impossible to mine obsidian

If someone wants to mine obsidian on the official server, can use my mine, iirc the lake is quite big, mostly covered with stone fron top, so I ined only part of it.
A bit messy tho, my first try. Careful tho, the area is heavily wolfed.