Rock of ages

摘要

Spewed by erupting volcanoes millions of years ago, solidified lava—called basalt rock—turns out to be an excellent raw material for making effective fireproof fabrics and barriers, insulation materials, and reinforcement agents. Basalt continuous filament (BCF) is a fiber produced by melting the stone at temperatures above 1,400 degrees C and extruding it as a continuous strand of uniform diameter. BCF manufacturers sell rovings, twisted yarns, and woven and nonwoven materials. Some of the many products made with the fiber include fire barriers and fireproof clothing; acoustic barriers; reinforcement rods for concrete; car interior panels, seats and dashboards; heat shields; and filler material for mufflers. BCF is considered an environmentally safe and relatively inexpensive alternative to materials such as asbestos and glass filament products like fiberglass. Since large deposits of the igneous rock exist around the world, manufacturers say they are poised for global expansion into a number of different industries.