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home » What is Gilsonite?

write in 11 June 2022

reading time:7 min

Gilsonite or Asphaltum may be a natural asphalt resinous hydrocarbon found in western Iran on 1930. This natural asphaltite may be a hard hydrocarbon and is often known as a natural asphalt, asphaltite, uintaite, or asphaltum. Gilsonite is soluble in aromatic and aliphatic solvents, as well as petroleum asphalt.

Due to its unique compatibility, Gilsonite is frequently used to harden softer petroleum products. Gilsonite in mass may be a shiny, black substance similar in look to the mineral obsidian. It’s brittle and will be simply crushed into a dark brown powder.

Gilsonite is found below the earth’s surface in vertical veins or seams that are sometimes between 2 and 6 feet in width but are usually as wide as 28 feet. The veins are nearly parallel to each different and are oriented in a northwest to southeast direction. They extend many miles in length and as deep as 1500 feet.

The vein will show up on the surface as a thin outcropping and gradually widen as a result of it goes deeper. due to the narrow mining face, Gilsonite is mined nowadays, much like it was 50 or 100 years past. the primary difference is that modern miners use pneumatic chipping hammers and mechanical hoists.

 

Gilsonite History:

The mineral presently referred to as Gilsonite or Asphaltum was discovered within the early 1860’s, but it was not until the mid-1880s that Samuel H. Gilson began to promote it as a waterproof coating for wooden pilings, as an insulation for wire cable, and as a unique varnish. Gilson’s promotion of the ore was thus successful that, in 1888, he and a partner formed the first company to mine and market Gilsonite on a commercial scale. Originally, Gilsonite was sold as Selects and Fines; the low softening purpose ore with conchoidal fracture was referred to as Selects.

The higher softening purpose ore with a penciled structure was referred to as Fines. Selects commanded a higher the next worth than Fines as a result of its better purity, good solubility, and usefulness within the paint, stain, and varnish industries. Time and technology have changed this classification system.

Processing of Gilsonite presently removes most of the inert contaminants and newer, more powerful, solvents create the higher softening purpose grades additional interesting to the user. Today, Gilsonite is graded by softening purpose (a rough measure of solubility) and particle size. All grades carry a degree of quality far superior to those first small amounts of crude Gilsonite marketed within the 1880s.

Time and technology have modified this organisation. process of gilsonite currently removes most of the inert contaminants and newer, a lot of powerful, solvents create the upper softening purpose grades a lot of interesting to the user. Today, gilsonite is hierarchal by softening purpose (a rough live of solubility) and particle size. All grades carry a degree of quality so much superior to those initial little amounts of crude gilsonite marketed within the 1880’s.

Gilsonite Utah could be a black, brittle, lustrous mineral consisting of hydrocarbons, chiefly found within the Southwestern section of the us ,principally in Utah and Colorado.

Gilsonite especially that found within the utah Basin, Uintah County, State of utah, with a proper proportion of Utah Gilsonite, as conjointly found within the Uintah Basin of Utah and selected from the standpoint of physical characteristics which will effectively modify such characteristics of the natural tar sand, and that, by fine-sizing both such materials, preferably done therefore together so that the Gilsonite can alter the stickiness of the tar sand and the tar sand can alleviate the Gilsonite dust, a final product is obtained that’s actually superior to Trinidad Lake Asphalt as a natural additive composition for modifying a paving asphalt, especially the many kinds of refinery asphalt commonly used for paving purposes.

 

Gilsonite Countries

Gilsonite mines operate as an industrial minerals companies over the world and are the world’s primary miner and processor of uintaite, a variety of asphaltite, a specialty hydrocarbon which many countries markets to industrial customers under its registered trademark name Gilsonite.

gilsonite is a glossy, black, solid naturally occurring hydrocarbon similar in appearance to hard asphalt and is believed to be found in commercial quantities in USA, Iran, Colombia, Argentina and Albania.

Because of its unique chemical and physical properties, Gilsonite has been used in more than 160 products. The countries sell its products to customers in four primary markets:

 

Oil and gas

Inks and paints

Foundry and

Asphalt

Gilsonite Lab

Eagle petrochem Company is ion vendor of research institute of petroleum industry which is belonging to the minister of Petroleum.

There are many national and international specifications and tests stipulated by various authorities, contracts and building regulations around the world. we try to offer as many as we can, while accepting that we cannot offer all things to all of our stakeholders everywhere, given the limited volumes per location. We offer:

Analysis of commercial bulk Gilsonite to ASTM, ISO, EN, and similar specifications

Gilsonite is included in a very category of solid bitumen’s called asphaltites. Gilsonite deposits are set in eastern Utah within the USA they’re different from different asphaltites because of their:

 

High Asphaltene Content

High Solubility in Organic Solvents

High Purity and Consistent Properties

High Molecular Weight

High Nitrogen Content

 

The precursor of Gilsonite is believed to be kerogen from the green river formation deep below the Uintah Basin in eastern Utah. mild thermal reductive degradation of this kerogen and subsequent fractionation because it was geologically squeezed to the surface are believed to be responsible for the formation of the unique deposits we mine these days.

Gilsoniteis on the market in several grades categorized by softening purpose. The softening purpose is employed as an approximate guide to melt viscosity and behavior in solution. The chemical differences are small between Gilsonite grades, with only subtle variations in average molecular weight and asphaltene/resin-oil ratios.

 

Element Analysis

1

Carbon

84

ASTM-D5291

2

Hydrogen

7.1

ASTM-D5291

3

Nitrogen

0.6

ASTM-D5291

4

Oxygen

3.1

ASTM-D5291

5

Sulphur

5.2

Leco(s)Analyzer

 

Aliphatic carbon

Aromatic carbon 31.2

H/C atomic ratio wt% 2.4

 

Gilsonite Physical Specification

Gilsonite natural asphalt (asphaltite) additive is a mineral bitumen hydrocarbon in granular form. Its particle size varies between – 4 and -200 It is effective at bottom hole temperatures (BHTs) between 60and 230F (16 and 110C). Typical additive concentrations range from -5 to -50 lb/ of cement mud.

 

The low specific gravity of Gilsonite powder helps improve its ability to control lost circulation. However, this feature can also cause the additive to separate to the top of thin slurries and slurries containing dispersants. Adding 2% or more bentonite to the slurry will help prevent separation.

 

Gilsonite Chemical Composition

The environmental granular asphalt which sizes are of 0.1/40MM This recycled granular asphalt is mostly used for new roads layers and finished lines our products are backed by the European union certificates with an SGS report on each shipment.

 

Gilsonite Primary Use

This type of granulate is used for stabilizing roads (second layers) and also for the first layer, mixed with cement (2%). Bitumen emulsion (2%) or any other binding.

As a result, the roads can be constructed at less cost and these roads are less harmful to the environment and much more durable.

 

Product Details Asphalt Granular

We sell asphalt granular 0.1/40 also known as bitumen asphalt. our products has oeso international disposal code; GG 160 and eural code.170302

Chemical composition (pak)50 benzo (A)pyreen (confirmed by evoa) this asphalt granular is a green-list disposal composition product.

 

Gilsonite General Solubility

Gilsonite products are readily soluble without heating in aromatic solvents (Benzene, Toluene, Xylene) and in most chlorinated solvents.

 

It also soluble without heating in Aliphatic and low aromatic solvents (VMP and other Naphtha, Ink Oils and Mineral Spirits), but Mixing time is longer. Without heating, the pulverized grade is recommended. Gilsonite has the Limited solubility in most alcohols and ketones.

 

Gilsonite Friendly to Water

Water-based Gilsonite is natural bitumen environmentally safe and specially formulated to protect hole shale water base drilling.

The drilling fluid serves a number of functions including taking heat away from the drill bit and facilitating the return of drill cuttings to the surface. There are three main types of drilling mud, including Gilsonite muds.

 

The present invention deals with the consequences of using water-based drilling Gilsonite muds. When the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud in the wellbore exceeds the inwardly acting pressure of the surrounding formation, the drilling mud is forced into the surrounding formation through the walls of the wellbore.

 

In many applications the drilling Gilsonite mud is intended to be deposited in and/or on the wellbore wall, forming so-called filter cake which, amongst other things, helps to limit the invasion of formation fluids into the wellbore; reduces the risk of the wellbore collapsing during drilling; and resists the escape of drilling fluids into the formation.

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