TRINIDAD AND BERMUDEZ ASPHALTS 35 



Bitumen sol. in CS 2 99.9 per cent. 



Bitumen insol. in 88° naphtha 8.3 per cent. 



Loss 5 hours 325° F. (20 grams) 24.6 per cent. 



Condition of residue Fluid 



Paraffine None 



Viscosity— Engler— 212° F.— 50 c.c 34.5 sec. 



Engler Distillation 



Below 302° F 4.43 per cent. 



302-520° F 20.74 per cent. 



Besidue above 520° F 74.53 per cent. 



Loss .30 per cent. 



100.00 



This petroleum is truly asphaltic and carries no solid or heavy 

 liquid paraffine hydrocarbons. It is distinguished by the fact that it 

 yields a high percentage of light distillates or " tops " for an oil of 

 such low gravity. The intermediate distillates, those of the lubricating 

 type, are small in amount, while the residue is truly asphaltic resembling 

 that found in the lake deposit, but of course free from mineral matter and 

 water. On this account the oil is peculiarly adaptable to road surfacing 

 work, the light oil carrying the heavier asphaltic portion into the sur- 

 face and afterwards, on its evaporation under the sun, leaving it there in a 

 most desirable form as a binding agent. If the lighter fraction or 

 " tops " are removed, we have at once an asphaltic oil which is of the 

 most desirable character for hot application, and has the following 

 characteristics : 



Specific gravity at 60° F 994 



Beaume at 60° F. . . 10.8° 



Flash— open cup 200° F. 



Bitumen sol. in CS 3 99.9 per cent. 



Bitumen insol. in 88° naphtha 10.8 per cent. 



Loss 5 hours 325° F. (20 grams) 17.5 per cent. 



Condition of residue Fluid 



Paraffine None 



Viscosity— Engler— 212° F— 50 c.c 102.2 sec. 



■*&■' 



The oil is further distinguished by the fact that it carries a very 

 considerable percentage of sulphur, in the neighborhood of 3 per cent, 

 and it is evident that the sulphur found in the Trinidad crude asphalt 

 is derived, at least in part, from this source. Owing to the presence of 

 this sulphur the oil possesses those desirable characteristics, as a road 

 oil, which the refined Trinidad asphalt possesses as a paving material, 

 and it is for this reason that a road carpet prepared with this liquid 

 asphalt does not become unpleasantly soft when exposed to the sun. 



(To be concluded) 



