Natural gift - basalt

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 has long been known for its thermal properties, strength and durability. 1/3 of the Earth's crust consists of basalts & eruptive rock can be found worldwide. Primary fusion, enrichment and homogenization of basalt breeds were made by nature. Basalts has being laying for many millions years on the surface of the Earth. Basalt breeds are one of the strongest natural silicate breeds.  The interest for production of the continuous fibers has the stated main basaltic rocks, including: andesite, andesite-basalt, diabase, dolerites, porphyries, gabbro - diabase, gabbro, amphibolites and others.

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

It is well known that not everyone type of basalt is suitable for production of basalt fibers, and the more for continuous fiber production. "BFCMTD" and "BF&CM” Companies was developed and used a special technique to select the basaltic rocks, suitable for the production of continuous fibers.  The companies have special knowledge and possess a big practical experience in selection of basalt breeds from which basalt fibers are made.

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 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.  In China Province: Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Heylongjiang, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Guizhou, Guangdong Provinces, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the island of Hainan & Taiwan have deposits of basalt, suitable for the basalt fiber production.            In some industrial installation BCF has already been processed from some Chinese basalt.

A lot of research & basalt selection work has been done so far. The basalt rocks with only certain chemical & workable characteristics can be used for production of basalt fiber with necessary strength, chemical & 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.

For basalt raw materials which are available for basalt fiber production, especially BCF production (the length of fiber must be 40-60 kilometers) are demanded a quality specifications.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.

 

                      Basalt quarry                                            Crushed basalt

Under contractual agreement the "BFCMTD"'s and "BF&CM”'s experts can make preliminary analysis and select the best basalt raw material for manufacturing of BCF, STBF, Bscale according the special technique.

Briefly the essence of technique of selection and study of basalts is to conduct the works, listed below:

- 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;

- Evaluate samples of basalts according to preliminary studies on a five-mark system. It is include the criteria of melting, the parameters of the melts and capability of pulling from melt a single fibers);

- When a positive evaluation (mark 3 and above) we carry out a more advanced study of selected samples of basalt. By results of these studies it is concluded that the possibility of BCF production;

- Produce the pilot batch of  BCF in the experimental furnace or BCF-1 installation, improvement of technologies of making continuous fibers from basalt rocks;

- Assessment of the characteristics of pilot 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.

The select of basalts on the degree of suitability for fibers production and especially continuous fibers is an important and responsible task. BF&CM's and BF CMTD's specialists can to perform these works using special burners, laboratory and pilot furnaces.                                                                              The quality & characteristics of BCF, and productivity of bushings are depend on the proper choice of basalt raw material. The works for select of Basalt raw materials for BCF production are performed by Companies experts under an agreement.  These works include:

 -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 (mark is "3" and above) according preliminary testing;

-produce the pilot batch of BCF in the experimental furnace & in 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 BCF production.  Company gives assurance that the selected basalts are suitable for BCF industrial production only after completion of the objective search and implementation of a complex works on the study and testing of basalts.                  

Relevance search and use of deposits of basaltic rocks  Importance of basalt materials applications

Find 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.  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 items from basalt is accessible and practically is not limited.                                  Basalt deposits for BCF production is a national treasure!

                                 There are some versions of Basalt Fibers:

• Basalt Continuous Fibers (BCF): diameter 6 ~ 21 microns, length 40~60 km;

• Super Thin Basalt Fibers, or basalt wool (STBF): diameter 1~3 microns, average length of fibers 50 mm;

• Thin Staple Basalt Fibers (TBF): diameter 6~12 microns, with average length of fibers 30~60 mm;

• Basalt scales, made of basalt breeds (BSc): thickness 2~5 microns, area 0.5~4 mm2

 On the basis of basalt fibers are making many basalt materials & products: nets for building, geogrids, fabrics & tapes, mats, composite materials 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.

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