Also: basalt fibre, basalt rock
Basalt is a common volcanic rock. Melted and drawn, it becomes basalt fibre, used like glass fibre to reinforce concrete and plastics. Crushed or in place, it is studied for locking away carbon dioxide as stable carbonate minerals. Evidence on spreading basalt dust on farmland (enhanced weathering) is mixed so far: a multi-year US field trial estimated meaningful carbon removal and higher crop yields, while a short pot study detected weathering but no measurable carbon gain. Results vary by soil, time span and how removal is measured.
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A broad review of basalt fibre and the composite materials made with it.
As reported in: Fiore, Scalici, Di Bella et al. (2015). A review on basalt fibre and its composites. Composites Part B: Engineering. doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.12.034
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A 99-day pot (mesocosm) experiment growing potatoes in alkaline soil with basalt powder: the basalt measurably weathered, but no significant gain in stored inorganic carbon was detected in that time; heavy-metal risk was also assessed.
Built / tested: soil mesocosm trials
As reported in: Vienne, Poblador, Portillo-Estrada et al. (2022). Enhanced Weathering Using Basalt Rock Powder: Carbon Sequestration, Co-benefits and Risks in a Mesocosm Study With Solanum tuberosum. Frontiers in Climate. doi:10.3389/fclim.2022.869456
High-temperature, high-pressure lab experiments found olivine inside whole basalt converted to carbonate far more than a pure olivine sample did, suggesting tests on pure olivine may underestimate how much CO2 basalt can mineralise.
As reported in: Sissmann, Brunet, Martinez et al. (2014). Enhanced Olivine Carbonation within a Basalt as Compared to Single-Phase Experiments: Reevaluating the Potential of CO 2 Mineral Sequestration. Environmental Science & Technology. doi:10.1021/es405508a
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Crushed basalt was spread yearly on a maize–soybean farm for four years; carbon removal was estimated from calcium and magnesium lost from the rock (not measured directly), and crop yields rose about 12–16% with no rise in trace metals in grain.
Built / tested: field-scale trial plots
As reported in: Beerling, Epihov, Kantola et al. (2024). Enhanced weathering in the US Corn Belt delivers carbon removal with agronomic benefits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.2319436121
Characterised basalt fibre sheets as a material for strengthening concrete structures.
Built / tested: basalt fibre sheet test specimens
As reported in: Sim, Park, Moon (2005). Characteristics of basalt fiber as a strengthening material for concrete structures. Composites Part B: Engineering. doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2005.02.002
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Compared concrete reinforced with basalt fibres against glass fibres in mechanical and fracture tests.
Built / tested: fibre-reinforced concrete specimens
As reported in: Kizilkanat, Kabay, Akyüncü et al. (2015). Mechanical properties and fracture behavior of basalt and glass fiber reinforced concrete: An experimental study. Construction and Building Materials. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.10.006
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Full-scale load tests on concrete beams reinforced with basalt fibre composite bars, compared with steel-reinforced beams.
Built / tested: reinforced concrete beams
As reported in: Duic, Kenno, Das (2018). Performance of concrete beams reinforced with basalt fibre composite rebar. Construction and Building Materials. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.04.208
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Measured fracture toughness of cement-free geopolymer concrete with added basalt fibres.
Built / tested: geopolymer concrete samples
As reported in: Dias, Thaumaturgo (2005). Fracture toughness of geopolymeric concretes reinforced with basalt fibers. Cement and Concrete Composites. doi:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.02.044
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Compared how basalt- and glass-fibre epoxy composites degrade when soaked in seawater.
Built / tested: composite test panels
As reported in: Wei, Cao, Song (2011). Degradation of basalt fibre and glass fibre/epoxy resin composites in seawater. Corrosion Science. doi:10.1016/j.corsci.2010.09.053
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