Not everything labeled “gilsonite” is Gilsonite® – here are the differences

August 7, 2019

There is only one source of Gilsonite®. If it doesn’t come from American Gilsonite Company, it isn’t Gilsonite®.
Gilsonite® is only found in our mines in the Uinta Basin of Northeastern Utah. Some companies claim to offer “gilsonite” from other parts of the world, but those products are simply misidentified to take advantage of Gilsonite® uintaite’s internationally recognized quality. Their performance is compromised due to inferior physical and chemical properties and lack of purity and consistency.

True Gilsonite® uintaite is the only additive that provides:

  • Lowest specific gravity, greatest strength and superior flexibility to inferior asphalt and asphalt-like materials
  • Product purity, with much lower content of inorganic or mineral material
  • Versatility and economy that make a superior additive
    – Less product is required, reducing costs
    – Also reduces the need and cost for additional additives
  • Greater environmental safety, minimizing HSE impact, promoting worker safety
    – OSHA classified as non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-mutagenic
    – Passed US Gulf of Mexico environmental tests for deep-water discharge

It’s easy to spot true Gilsonite® – and its superior advantages
It’s this simple: rub the product on a white porcelain tile. The purity of true Gilsonite® uintaite leaves a brown streak. Inferior asphalt and asphaltites leave a black streak.

True Gilsonite® even smells different – it smells like earth. Other products smell like hydrocarbons.

Pure performance and consistent quality
Gilsonite® uintaite, with its unique physical and chemical properties, only comes from one source. So the product is dependably consistent and remarkably pure. Other substitutes are contaminated with undesirable materials that can affect physical characteristics, mixability, the necessity of other additives that increase overall cost, and, ultimately, product performance. Notably, Gilsonite® is virtually sulphur-free, with less than 1% sulphur content. Substitutes exhibit up to 10 times that amount.

The strength, flexibility, extreme light weight and environmental safety of Gilsonite® uintaite make it a superior additive in a wide variety of applications. 

Properties Gilsonite® Glance Pitch Grahamite Natural Asphalt
Specific gravity @77°F 1.01-1.04 1.10-1.15 1.12-1.50 1.40-1.45
Softening point >300°F 270-375°F 350-600°F >250°F
Soluble in CS2 >99% >95% 45-100% 56-67%
Inorganic or mineral matter 0.3% 5% up to 50% 36.9%
Fixed carbon <20% 20-30% >30% 10.8-12%
Carbon content 89.28% 80.87% 86.56% 82.33%
Hydrogen content 8.66% 10.42% 8.68% 10.69%
Sulphur content <1% 9.52% 1.79% 6.56%

Remember, if it isn’t from American Gilsonite Company, it’s an inferior substitute.

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