Basalt VESICULAR
Grade
Pick for lightweight cladding, landscaping, filter media and rustic finishes where low weight and texture beat strength.
Values for the VESICULAR condition
Other Basalt tempers and conditions
Basalt is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at Basalt.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VESICULARThis page gas-pored volcanic stone | Pick for lightweight cladding, landscaping, filter media and rustic finishes where low weight and texture beat strength. | — | 6 | — | — | 0.8 W/m·K |
DENSEDefault Dense basalt | Standard choice for paving, curbing, cladding and heavy-duty floors where strength and abrasion resistance matter. | — | 15 | — | — | 2 W/m·K |
As cast | Choose for abrasion liners in chutes, cyclones and slurry/pneumatic conveying pipes — hardest and strongest basalt form, but brittle and impact-sensitive. | — | 25 | — | — | 2 W/m·K |
What is Basalt VESICULAR?
Basalt VESICULAR is Basalt in the VESICULAR grade — pick for lightweight cladding, landscaping, filter media and rustic finishes where low weight and texture beat strength. Basalt VESICULAR has a tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi), weaker than 81% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.05% and the elastic modulus is 30 GPa (4.35 Msi). Basalt VESICULAR has a density of 2.4 g/cm³ (0.0867 lb/in³), heavier than 83% of natural material grades. It melts at 1,200°C (2,192 °F). DENSE is the default condition FabDigit quotes; VESICULAR is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 100% of natural material grades
- Low embodied carbon — 0.07 kg CO₂/kg, better than 98% of natural material grades
- Stiff — 30 GPa (4.35 Msi), better than 83% of natural material grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 0.8 MPa·√m (0.728 ksi·√in), better than 81% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.8 W/m·K (0.462 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 20/100, worse than 96% of natural material grades
- Limited ductility — 0.05%, worse than 94% of natural material grades
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 85% of natural material grades
- Heavy — 2.4 g/cm³ (0.0867 lb/in³), worse than 83% of natural material grades
Basalt VESICULAR properties
Typical room-temperature values for Basalt VESICULAR; 13 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Basalt reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical3
Basalt VESICULAR has a density of 2.4 g/cm³ (0.0867 lb/in³), heavier than 83% of natural material grades. It melts at 1,200°C (2,192 °F).
Mechanical12
Basalt VESICULAR has a tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi), weaker than 81% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.05% and the elastic modulus is 30 GPa (4.35 Msi).
Thermal5
Basalt VESICULAR is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 0.8 W/m·K (0.462 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 6.5 µm/m·K (3.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical1
Basalt VESICULAR has an electrical resistivity of 10,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), better than 78% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Basalt VESICULAR takes about 1 MJ of energy and emits 0.07 kg of CO₂ — less than 98% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability2
Basalt VESICULAR's machinability is poor (20/100, worse than 96% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Basalt VESICULAR
Is Basalt easy to machine?
Diamond blades, core bits and CNC stone routers with copious water only; carbide tooling dulls almost instantly and dry cutting risks silica dust and thermal cracking.
Can Basalt be welded?
Not weldable — joints are made with mechanical anchors, epoxy/polyester stone adhesive or cement mortar setting beds; cast basalt liners are bedded in putty and steel-clamped.
Can Basalt be formed, bent or molded?
Shaped by sawing, splitting/guillotining and profiling in the block state; cast basalt is melt-poured at ~1250–1400 °C into moulds and crystallised in an annealing tunnel over 20–30 h.
What surface finishes work on Basalt?
Common finishes are sawn, honed, flamed (bush-hammered), water-jet or polished; fine grain gives a uniform dark polish, and impregnating sealers are used to cut water absorption and iron staining.
Basalt chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| SiO2range defining a basic (mafic) rock | 45 – 52 | 49 |
| Al2O3 | 13 – 17 | 15 |
| FeO+Fe2O3total iron oxide | 8 – 14 | 11 |
| CaO | 8 – 12 | 10 |
| MgO | 4 – 10 | 7 |
| Na2O | 1.5 – 4 | 2.8 |
| K2O | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
| TiO2 | 0.8 – 2.5 | 1.5 |
| MnO | 0.1 – 0.25 | 0.15 |
| P2O5 | 0.1 – 0.5 | 0.25 |
| other oxides / LOIBalance: trace oxides and LOI; plagioclase+pyroxene±olivine+magnetite | balance | — |
Basalt VESICULAR — frequently asked
What is Basalt VESICULAR used for?
Basalt VESICULAR is typically used for paving stones and curbs, building facades, countertops and fiber production (basalt fiber). In short: highest abrasion resistance in stone; hardest stone to machine; melt-castable as wear liners.
What is the tensile strength of Basalt VESICULAR?
Basalt VESICULAR has a typical tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi) — weaker than 81% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Basalt VESICULAR easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (20/100, worse than 96% of natural material grades). Diamond blades, core bits and CNC stone routers with copious water only; carbide tooling dulls almost instantly and dry cutting risks silica dust and thermal cracking.
Can Basalt VESICULAR be welded?
Not weldable — joints are made with mechanical anchors, epoxy/polyester stone adhesive or cement mortar setting beds; cast basalt liners are bedded in putty and steel-clamped.
What surface finishes work on Basalt VESICULAR?
Common finishes are sawn, honed, flamed (bush-hammered), water-jet or polished; fine grain gives a uniform dark polish, and impregnating sealers are used to cut water absorption and iron staining.
Can Basalt VESICULAR be formed, bent or molded?
Shaped by sawing, splitting/guillotining and profiling in the block state; cast basalt is melt-poured at ~1250–1400 °C into moulds and crystallised in an annealing tunnel over 20–30 h.
What is the maximum service temperature of Basalt VESICULAR?
Basalt VESICULAR is rated for continuous use to about 500°C (932 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASTM C97/C97M — Absorption and Bulk Specific Gravity of Dimension Stone — ASTM (2018)
- ASTM C170/C170M — Compressive Strength of Dimension Stone — ASTM (2016)
- ASTM C99/C99M — Modulus of Rupture of Dimension Stone — ASTM (2018)
- EN 1469 — Natural stone products, slabs for cladding — CEN (2015)
- Handbook of Physical Properties of Rocks — CRC Press (1982)
- Rock Mechanics and Engineering — elastic constants and K_IC compilations (ISRM) — ISRM (2017)
- Cast basalt wear-protection liners (ABRESIST/Kalenborn-type) technical data — producer (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.