Basalt aggregates are primarily composed of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, iron oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide (with trace amounts of potassium oxide and sodium oxide), with silicon dioxide accounting for approximately 45% to 50%. Basalt is commonly found in black, dark brown, or olive green hues. It boasts excellent compressive and flexural strength, good wear resistance, and low water absorption rates, making it an ideal decorative building material. Basalt aggregates are used in the construction of roads, railways, and airport runways due to their high compressive strength, low crushing value, strong corrosion resistance, and asphalt adhesion. Basalt exhibits advantages such as wear resistance, low water absorption, poor electrical conductivity, high compressive strength, low crushing value, strong corrosion resistance, and good asphalt adhesion, and is internationally recognized as a solid foundation for the development of railway and road transportation.
Basalt has a wide range of applications, extending beyond the construction industry. It is an excellent raw material for producing "cast stone." After melting, casting, crystallization treatment, and annealing processes, it can form an alloy steel that is both hard and wear-resistant, and offers superior corrosion resistance compared to lead and rubber. Basalt can also act as a "lubricant" in a cast steel process, extending the lifespan of the cast film. Furthermore, basalt can be drawn into glass fibers, and the resulting basalt glass fiber fabric is more alkali-resistant and has better high-temperature resistance than standard glass fiber fabric.
