What is Gilsonite? | Characteristics, properties and application of mineral bitumen
What is Gilsonite? | Characteristics, properties and application of mineral bitumen Gilsonite or asphalt is a black mineral with high viscosity, whose structure consists of dissolved solid hydrocarbons. Bitumen is commonly found in mines. The melting temperature of this mineral solid is relatively high, and its main sources in the United States are in the states of Colorado and Utah. Although the main sources of mineral bitumen are related to the American region, recently other sources have been discovered in countries such as Colombia and Iran, from which a significant amount of this mineral is extracted. Gilsonite or mineral bitumen, which is extracted from underground mines, is similar to the mineral obsidian, black in color and shiny in appearance. This compound was discovered in the 1860s and about 25 years later was marketed by a man named Samuel Gilson as a varnish, electrical insulator and a waterproofing compound. A look at history This mineral, now known as "Gilsonite&
