Damascus - Basalt stone is used in many of the modern industrial and construction applications and its distinguished fibers would make it one of the raw materials demanded by the global markets.
Basalt fiber industry is different from that of glass fiber with regard to the chemical composition where radial energy doesn't penetrate through basalt smelters and its products, said Engineer Mazyad sharaf.
Basalt stone contains huge amounts of iron oxides and melting this stone doesn't require drying it up or cooling it. It is a natural raw material with a homogeneous structure that doesn't need any additional chemical materials for producing fibers.
One of the most important practical applications of basalt fibers products is basalt bars which can be used as a substitute for iron and fiberglass in construction, concrete industry, and other industries.
Basalt stone that has a light weight, lower cost and chemical resistance is also used in clothes and basalt cloth industry that is used in producing synthetic materials and high-quality products which insulate power and resist fire in addition to car, refrigerator and solar power cell industries and others.
Basalt pipes are lighter than the mineral ones and a study on basalt samples in Syria showed that they don't have any industrial impact in addition to the fact that some of the Syrian samples were more suitable for fiber industry than the Russian basalt.
Basalt stone spreads over a large area in Syria and it appeared in different geological phases. It mainly spreads over the southern, central and coastal regions, Aleppo governorate and to the north-east of Syria.
By Ruaa AL-Jazaeri/Kh.Aridi
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2009
