Gilsonite or Uintaite is a mineral which is derived from Crude Oil after it has been passed through different layers of earth by pressure and time. (Please see “gilsonite” for more info)
Chemically, Gilsonite is considered a Hydrocarbon and it has several chemical compositions within including amounts of Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Sulfur and molecules of Asphaltenes and Maltenes. The natural impurity of material called Ash Content is calculated by heating under ASTM D-3174 to measure the value of the material specifications.
Physically, Natural bitumen is Black or Dark Grey coarse stone which will become Brownish after making into Gilsonite Powder.
Iranian Gilsonite is mined in three provinces in West of Iran near the Iraqi border which proves the existence of Gilsonite Veins in both countries. Iran Gilsonite quality can vary in a wide range, starting wish Ash content of 3% up to 30% from different mines, while the Sulfur content of Iran Gilsonite is hardly anything below 6%. Therefore Iranian natural bitumen is suitable for most but not all applications of Gilsonite including Oil Drilling, Oil Well Cementing and Bitumen Blending (in some cases foundry) and Not suitable for more delicate application such as Inks, Paints and Stains (Gilsonite Selects 325 required).
Iranian Gilsonite suppliers are mostly very small firms or sometimes single individuals (let’s call them mini-suppliers) who are dealing this special product without technical knowledge and capacity for pre-investment, making Gilsonite Made in Iran to be unstable in supply quantity and quality in many cases. Very few companies, including Zista Gilsonite have set up the proper infrastructure financially and technically to make a proper export of Iranian Gilsonite.
- At Zista Gilsonite we have taken the below steps to differentiate ourselves from these mini-suppliers of Iranian Gilsonite:
- Making upstream investment in Gilsonite Mining to make sure of having allocation of supply in all conditions
- Having Own Storage area to check the Gilsonite quality transported from mine, before packaging
- Setting up a research center for checking all necessary aspects of quality before shipping including Ash content, Solubility content (Bitumen Content) and Softening Point
- Advanced commercial solutions including complex payment and logistics systems to deliver cargoes inside the destination markets including CFR, DAP & DDP incoterms