Natural gift - basalt

Basaltic melt at the eruption An inert rock found worldwide, basalt is the generic term for solidified volcanic lava. Without the Volcano, we would not have our "BASALT" products. With these products and capabilities we are now ready to conquer the difficulties of the universe whether from temperature, chemistry or survival. The bi-products left us from the volcano are our future. Safe and abundant, basalt rock have long been known for its thermal properties, strength and durability. 1/3 of the Earth's crust consists of basalts and eruptive rock can be found worldwide. Basalt is single-component raw material, the concentrating, melting, and homogenization of which occurred as a result of old volcanic activity. Basalts has being laying for many millions years on the surface of the Earth. Basaltic breeds are ones of the strongest natural silicate breeds.

The interest for production of the continuous fibers has the stated main “long” rocks, including: andesites, andesite-basalts, diabases, dolerites, porphyries, gabbro-diabases, gabbros, amphibolites and others.

Selection of basalt breeds for the production of basalt fibers. Development Company.

It is worth noting that not every basalt deposit can be used as a source of basalt for production of staple thin and super thin basalt fiber, especially basalt continuous fiber. To produce basalt continuous fiber 9 … 21 microns (mm) in diameter and no less than 30 Km in length, raw basalt material with specified properties is required, so it is necessary to perform analysis for determining the properties of raw basalt materials supplied from different basalt deposits and pits.

To analyze and select basalt deposits, the specialists of BFM TD and "BFCM” develop the special procedure. This procedure was tested in the analysis and selection of basalt deposits in China, Russia, Ukraine, and other countries.

It is known characteristics of basaltic rocks, of which have already produced continuous fibers during a number of years.

Practical studies basalts have shown that in many countries there are deposits of required basalt. Company’s Specialists conducted work on the selection and study of basaltic rocks for the BCF production in Russia, Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ukraine. Deposits of basalt, suitable for the basalt fiber production are in some China Provinces, such as: Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Heylongjiang, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Guizhou, Guangdong Provinces, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the islands of Hainan and Taiwan.  In some industrial installation BCF has already been processed from some Chinese basalt.

A lot of research and basalt selection work has been done so far. The basalt rocks of only certain chemical and workable characteristics can be used for production of basalt fiber of necessary strength, chemical and thermal durability and electric insulating characteristics. Unfortunately, in the world companies have not being studying basalt rocks as a raw material for basalt fiber production so far. Basically, basalt was used only as a crushed stone for road construction, including railway embankments, road embankments, and concrete fillings. Cost of extraction of basalt raw material is very low.

Basalts are extracted by explosive way to the quarries and then it is crushed to the required fraction. Each basalt quarry can supply tens of million of tones of basalt rocks.

Mining of basalt in the quarry

Basalt quarry in mountains Basalt deposit and pit

The company's experts can make preliminary analysis and select the best basalt raw material for manufacturing of BCF, STBF, and Basalt scale using the special technique by the contractual agreement.

Basalt deposit in Iran Pillow basalt in Sultanate of Oman

BFMTD’s experts carry out selection of basalt samples from local basalt deposit, located close to the planned BCF production.

Briefly the essence of technique selection and study of basalts is to conduct:

•  Analysis of the structure of bedding of basalts and the geological characteristics of deposit, selection of basalt samples for research;
• A preliminary testing the samples of basalt. It is consist of their melting, study the nature of melting and evaluating the quality of the melt, receiving of the primary fibers, assessing the quality of primary fibers;
• At the preliminary studies stage, samples of basalts are evaluating on a five-mark scale. It is include the criteria of melting, the parameters of the basalt melts and capability to pulling single fibers from melt. Grades”3+” and more correspond to positive estimates. When a positive evaluation (grades”3”and more) a more advanced study of selected samples of basalt should be carry out. By results of these studies it is concluded that the possibility of BCF production;
• Producing experimental batch of  BCF at the experimental furnace or BCF-1 installation, improvement of technologies of making continuous fibers from basalt rocks;
• Assessment of the characteristics of experimental batches of BCF which are made from the basaltic rocks; the conclusion about the possibilities of BCF production and basalt fiber characteristics from the basalt raw materials;
• Development of Technological processing parameters and Technical standards for BCF production.

Photos of Analysis of the Process of Melting Basalts at the determining the suitability of the basalts for production of basalt fiber.

Basalt melts in a crucible of the laboratory furnace. The temperature is 13600С Coarse basalt fiber produced from basalt samplePrimary filament produced at the BCF-1 installation

The select of basalts on the degree of suitability for fibers production and especially continuous fibers is an important and responsible task. The quality and characteristics of BCF and productivity of bushing assemblies depend on the proper choice of basalt raw material. The special burners, laboratory and pilot furnaces are using at the performing of these tests.

These works include the following:

• Search fields of basaltic rocks, which are most suitable for the BCF production (based on the companies experience for choice of basalt raw materials for the BCF production). Selection of basalt samples from several fields (according to the technique selection of Companies);
• Conducting primary research and testing of the basaltic melt, an assessment of their workability, quality assessment of primary fibers;
• Execution a more advanced study of selected samples of basalt, which had a positive evaluation (grade"3+" and more) according preliminary testing;
• Produce the pilot batch of BCF at the experimental furnace and at the BCF-1 installation; improvement of workability technologies of continuous fibers from basalt rocks;
• Estimate of strength and elastic properties, thermal and chemical resistance and other indexes of BCF.  

In the process our specialists will provide the information required to search of basaltic rocks which are suitable for fiber production.  Company gives assurance that the selected basalts are suitable for BCF industrial production only after completion of the effort on the search and implementation of a complex of works on the study and testing of basalts.

More information see article “Researching of melting process and workability characteristics of basalt melts at the basalt continuous fiber production”.

Relevance search and use of deposits of basaltic rocks

Дробленый базальт на складе завода БНВFind deposit of basaltic rocks, suitable for the production of continuous fibers, more preferably for the country than the deposits of precious metals. Basalt deposit guarantee production of materials based on fibers for basic industries, energy, construction, road building, provide solution of energy saving, creating a new jobs and increase export capacity. Fibers from basalt breeds possess high natural initial durability and are stable against corrosions environment, they have good electric insulating properties.

Crushed basalt fraction of 5-20mm at the BCF plant

Therefore basalt fibers have high initial toughness, steadfastness to influence of corrosive environments (solutions of salts, acids, alkalis), have high a thermal stability, is warm also sound-insulating performances, a low hygroscopicity. It determines high service performance of materials from basalt fibers: high quality, durability and steadfastness at influence of natural factors, heats, corrosive environments, and steadfastness to influence of vibrations, absolute incombustibility that is expedient distinguishes these materials from glass and mineral fibers. Therefore, basalt fibers have bright prospect of application in various industries.

Basalt fiber based materials are made from nature environmentally appropriate raw material. The main power inputs, including: primary fusion, enrichment and homogenization of basalt breeds were made by ancient volcano. Application of basalts can significantly reduce the energy used to produce structural and reinforcing materials. Basalts are the basis for the creation of an entire industry. Besides the source of raw materials for manufacture of materials and articles from basalt is accessible and practically is not limited.  Basalt deposits for the BCF production are a national treasure!

There are some types of Basalt Fibers:

• Basalt Continuous Fibers (BCF) diameter 6 ~ 21 microns, and length of 40~60 km;
• Super Thin Basalt Fibers, or basalt wool (STBF): diameter 1~3 microns, average length of fibers is 50 mm;
• Thin Staple Basalt Fibers (TBF): diameter 6~12 microns, with average length of fibers is 30~60 mm;
• Basalt scale, made from basalt breeds (BSc): thickness 2~5 microns, area 0.5~4 mm2

Various basalt materials and products are making on the basis of basalt fibers, such as: nets for building, geo grids, mesh for road construction, fabrics, mats, reinforcing and composite materials of various shape and others;

Due to combination of these properties and performances materials from basalt fibers have advanced application in different industries and construction is unusual broad.