Amazing Basalt: Benefits of Basalt and Volcanic Ash

This is a research article from our friend Kathleen Smith regarding the versatility and sustainability of basalt. Amazing information!--Lori

by Kathleen Smith
ksmith6831@aol.com

Basalt is an igneous rock that forms from the relatively rapid solidification of basaltic lavas and is one of the most common types of rock in the world. Minerals and trace elements in the ash cloud are extremely beneficial for the planet. The rocks themselves have the basic elements for life including carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen, only requiring water to complete the formula. It is high in silicates, iron, and magnesium.

The fertility of some of the world's richest and most productive farmland is due to the minerals produced by nearby volcanoes.

Basalt and volcanic ash can be used for healing the physical body, remediation of toxic waste, nontoxic ‘enlivened cements’, healing building materials, radiation shielding, etc.

The crystalline structures within basalt can be used for communicators/capacitors. The light emitting from the structures are an avenue for many 'out of the box’ developments - and the microbes within have a world all their own.

1. MEDICINAL PURPOSES (some)
Volcanic ash has 'anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti yeast and overall disinfectant qualities. It is high in sulphur, an active ingredient which not only helps the body to resist bacteria but actually destroys it. It disinfects the blood, stimulates bile secretion, aids the oxidation reaction in the body, and protects the protoplasm of cells for the synthesis of collagen'. Volcanic ash can provide a multitude of health and beauty benefits.

2. BASALT FIBERS
Basalt fibers spun from basalt rock are used as a fireproof textile in the aerospace and automotive industry and as a composite such as tripods.

3. VOLCANIC ASH/BASALT POWDER USED IN CEMENTS/CONCRETE
Fire resistant, high structural strength, non toxic, etc.

It has been estimated that 12% of the ozone and CO2 problems in the world are related to production of Portland cement.

4. REMINERALIZATION and FERTILIZATION of SOIL
Restores micro flora in the soil and re balances soil pH, etc. Volcanic soils are some of the richest on earth

5. REMEDIATION OF WASTE
Microorganisms living in the pores and crevices of dry basalt rock are able to reduce a toxic form of chromium, etc.

6. WATER
Technologies/processes that create mineral rich water from basalt

7. Zeolite - family of hydrous silicate live in the cavities of basalt
Zeolites can restore alkaline pH, detoxify heavy metals, clean up radioactivity at nuclear waste dumps and absorb huge amounts of gas. It would be an excellent rock powder to incorporate into manure piles to soak up ammonia.

Dr. Phil Callahan believed the crushing and grinding forces of the drifting continents caused great quantities of cosmic energy to be trapped within the minerals that make up stone and clay. One of the energies is the force called paramagnetism, which he says the ancients knew how to manipulate. Basalt is paramagnetic (exhibits paramagnetism) a form of magnetism that occurs only in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field.

The pre-Aztec Pyramid of the Sun outside of New Mexico, is built from volcanic rock and is highly paramagnetic. The Rosetta Stone was made of black basalt.

Basalts are the most productive aquifers of all volcanic rock types.

Rudolph Steiner believed there is rock powders that will pass on the subtle energies received from the cosmic bodies.

Transforming, innovative industries could be developed around volcanic ash and basalt rock.

To The Unfoldment: Kathleen Smith wrote this paper after the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull suggesting that many industries can be developed around volcanic ash following an eruption. She is an international networker/researcher who is involved in the development of centers/cities of light – sustainable communities – technologies – transformational healing – ancient architecture.

LINKS:
THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF IGNEOUS ACTIVITY
BENEFITS OF VOLCANOES
From Chernobyl to Japan: Treating Radiation Sickness with Rock Dust - Remineralize the Earth
Volcanic Ash Clay - Naturally Detoxify Your Skin
Volcanic ash may have helped ancient Roman complex to survive 3 quakes
Ultra high strength cement based materials by Densit - Densit® Cast Basalt
The Riddle of Ancient Roman Concrete, David Moore, PE
Basalt Fiber: Windgate Energy
Basaltec Ltée®: Basaltec Ltée is a natural basalt rock dust production company
Health Benefits of Volcanic Ash - What Are The Facts? - Natural Island Skin Care

Puyehue Volcano Erupts In Chile, Hundreds Evacuate

SANTIAGO, Chile — The Puyehue volcano in southern Chile erupted Saturday, sending a huge plume of smoke and ash into the sky and prompting officials to evacuate about 600 people living nearby. There were no reports of injuries. Authorities had put the area around the volcano on alert Saturday morning after a flurry of earthquakes, and the eruption began in the afternoon. The National Emergency Office said it recorded an average of 230 tremors an hour. On the other side of the Andes in Argentina, heavy ash fell on the city of San Carlos de Bariloche. Officials warned residents of the area around the city to take precautions against a possible prolonged ashfall. They urged people to stock up on food and water and to stay home. The volcano is nearly 500 miles (800 kilometers) south of Chile's national capital, Santiago.

Eruption of Puyehue volcano (Chile) : Bariloche (Argentina) is getting ash showers. A very good video from the Chile newspaper La Tercera. It shows the foggy atmosphere in Bariloche where the lights have to burn also during the day...UPDATE : We have searched a few good pictures / videos to show our readers how the volcano looks like. This climbers video (in fact a series of pictures) gives a good impression of the volcano complex.

Oxygen Free Oceans Wrought Changes on Early Earth

by Joshua Hill

Geologists at the University of California, Riverside, have discovered chemical evidence that indicates Earth’s ancient oceans were not only oxygen-free, but also contained large quantities of hydrogen sulphide in some areas.

“We are the first to show that ample hydrogen sulfide in the ocean was possible this early in Earth’s history,” said Timothy Lyons, a professor of biogeochemistry and the senior investigator in the study, which appears in the February issue of Geology. “This surprising finding adds to growing evidence showing that ancient ocean chemistry was far more complex than previously imagined and likely influenced life’s evolution on Earth in unexpected ways – such as, by delaying the appearance and proliferation of some key groups of organisms.”

Hydrogen sulphide traditionally was believed to arise as a result of a process which saw oxygen weathering rocks, resulting in sulphate, which in turn was washed into the oceans where bacteria then convert the sulphate into hydrogen sulphide. Read More

Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption

7.2 magnitude quake hits near Solomon Islands
Sydney, Australia (AP)- The Solomon Islands archipelago in the Pacific was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake today, less than an hour after a 6.5-magnitude temblor triggered a warning of possible local tsunamis.The quake hit at 9:36 a.m. local time about 103 kilometers (64 miles) south-southeast of Gizo, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The earthquake was 30.5 kilometers deep. Read Entire Article

Colombian volcano erupts, evacuation ordered
BOGOTA (Reuters) - The Galeras volcano in southern Colombia erupted on Saturday, shooting rock and ash and prompting authorities to order the evacuation of about 8,000 people. Read Entire Article

Philippine volcano gets louder, could erupt soon

LEGAZPI, Philippines — Philippine troops on Monday pressed the last 3,000 villagers who have refused to heed government warnings to leave the danger zone around a volcano that experts say is ready to erupt. Tens of thousands of people have already been evacuated from the foothills of Mayon, which on Monday emitted lava fountains, powerful booming noises and other signs of an approaching eruption. But authorities are having trouble keeping villagers away from their homes and farms, said Gov. Joey Salceda. Read Entire Article

Did volcanoes kill the dinosaurs?

Since 1980, scientists have believed a meteorite impact in the Yucatan caused a mass extinction of species, including the dinosaurs. But geologist Gerta Keller of Princeton disagrees.
Gerta Keller: This impact didn’t cause any species extinctions.
According to 20 years of research by Keller and her team, this impact happened 300 thousand years after the dinosaurs disappeared. Keller believes that — instead of a space rock — volcanoes might have killed the dinosaurs.
Gerta Keller: Now we find that the other catastrophe, which is Deccan Volcanism, which has not had much attention paid to it, may be the real culprit.
She’s talking about volcanic eruptions on India’s Deccan plateau between 63 and 67 million years ago. The volcanoes spewed huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air. Keller’s team studied geologic core samples from the area. With each subsequent volcanic flow, Keller said, less evidence of life appears within the cores.

Program #5715 of the Earth & Sky Radio Series with hosts Deborah Byrd, Joel Block,Lindsay Patterson and Jorge Salazar.

Which is the bigger polluter – humans or volcanoes?

"Scientists Hugh Corr and David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey believe that volcanoes underneath Antarctica may be melting the continent’s ice sheets from below, just as warming air temperatures from human-induced emissions erode them from above."

According to the US Geological Survey, all the world’s volcanoes – on land and undersea – generate about 200 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, while our automotive and industrial activities create some 24 billion tons of CO2 emissions every year worldwide. Those facts speak for themselves: Greenhouse gas emissions from volcanoes are less than 1 percent of those generated by today’s human endeavors.
Another indication that human emissions dwarf those of volcanoes is the fact that atmospheric CO2 levels, as measured by sampling stations around the world set up by the federally funded Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, have gone up consistently year after year regardless of whether or not there were major volcanic eruptions in specific years.

Read Entire Article

Mount Redoubt Volcano highlights danger of the Ring of Fire

"Taking things in another direction, the recent outbreaks of volcanoes and earthquakes have been seen by many as signs of major Earth changes predicted by various prophecies."

by Patricia Phillips, Space News Examiner

Scientists continue to monitor Alaska's volatile Mount Redoubt Volcano, expected to erupt at just about any time. There's been no increase in activity this morning, according to the monitors at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Reader Janet Martin Dobler asked: "Am I the only one noticing a pattern of volcanic eruptions around the globe?"
That's a topic that invites both scientific research and also less-traditional approaches to "what in the heck is going on around here"? Janet, years ago I tracked links between earthquakes and volcanoes around the world. The synopsis of this very informal look: sometimes if a volcano or earthquake occurred at Point A, then one would occur at Point B on roughly the other side of the globe.

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Dome collapses at Montserrat volcano; ash blasts into stratosphere

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Volcano monitors say the Caribbean's Montserrat volcano has blasted a column of ash some 12 kilometres high into the sky.
The director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory says last night's collapse of a dome at the crater sent bursts of volcanic material sweeping down into the island's abandoned former capital of Plymouth and the sea.
The town was buried in a 1997 eruption that killed 19 people on the tiny Caribbean island.
Roderick Stewart says last night's the collapse occurred on the west side of the Soufriere Hills volcano.
The volcano spewed columns of ash thousands of metres into the sky over the weekend. It became active in 1995 and forced the departure of half of the island's inhabitants.

Two Alaskan Volcanoes Erupt, One In Chile Being Watched

Two volcanoes in Alaska are still erupting, while one in Chile that erupted on Saturday has stopped, although another one threatens to erupt again.
In Alaska both Mount Cleveland and the Okmok volcano are erupting, but seismic activity at the Okmok decreased Sunday after more activity was recorded beginning on Friday. While in Chile, the Llaima volcano erupted on Saturday, then stopped, while the Chaitén volcano there could be ready to erupt again.
Okmok is located on Umnak Island.
The United States National Weather Service on Sunday issued a 24-hour ash-fall advisory, which expires at noon Monday, for Umnak Island and the southwest part of Unalaska Island.
In Chile, authorities issued a state of alert for villages near the 9,400-foot Llaima volcano. It is one of Chile's most active and since 1640 it has had 38 large eruptions. Chaitén had a major eruption on May 2, forcing the evacuation of nearby villagers who still haven't returned.
Llaima is located 400 miles south of Santiago. Chaitén is located 745 miles south of Santiago.

Icelandic Volcanoes Help Researchers Understand Potential Effects Of Eruptions

ScienceDaily (July 17, 2008) — For the first time, researchers have taken a detailed look at what lies beneath all of Iceland’s volcanoes – and found a world far more complex than they ever imagined.

They mapped an elaborate maze of magma chambers - work that could one day help scientists better understand how earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in Iceland and elsewhere in the world.
Knowing where magma chambers are located is a key first step to understanding the chemical composition of the molten rock that is flowing within them - and of the gases that are released when a volcano erupts, explained Daniel Kelley, doctoral student in earth sciences at Ohio State University.
Kelley and Michael Barton, professor of earth sciences at Ohio State, have determined that the volcanoes in Iceland are likely to have explosive eruptions that shoot debris far into the atmosphere. That’s because the magma moves very quickly to the surface from deep within the magma chambers. Fast-moving magma propels sulfur and ash out of a volcano and high into the atmosphere, where it can spread around the planet.

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Volcanoes erupting beneath Arctic ice

Seafloor unexpectedly active, but scientists see no connection to ice loss

New evidence deep beneath the Arctic ice suggests that a series of underwater volcanoes have erupted in violent explosions in the past decade.
Hidden 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) beneath the Arctic surface, the volcanoes can range up to more than a mile (2 kilometers) in diameter and a few hundred yards (meters) tall. They formed along the Gakkel Ridge, a lengthy crack in the ocean crust where two rocky plates are spreading apart, pulling new melted rock to the surface.

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N.M. Tech team studying lightning at Chilean volcano

SOCORRO, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Tech scientists are in Chile, working to track lightning in an ash plume from the Chaiten volcano, which began erupting May 2 after thousands of years of silence.
"Our business is studying thunderstorms and how they produce lightning," Tech physics professor Paul Krehbiel said. "Volcanoes do the same thing, in essence. We call it a dirty thunderstorm because the plume is full of dirt, rock, ash and other particles."
Tech scientists will study the path of lightning in the plume to gain understanding of how electrical activity is transmitted from the Earth into the atmosphere.

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Chile volcano fires ash 20 miles high

Thousands are ordered to evacuate
BY EDUARDO GALLARDO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANTIAGO, Chile -- The long-dormant Chaiten volcano blasted ash 20 miles into the Andean sky Tuesday, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and fouling a huge stretch of South America.

The thick column of ash blew eastward for hundreds of miles to the Atlantic Ocean, and schools and a regional airport had to close. Citizens of Chile and Argentina were advised to wear masks to avoid breathing the fallout.

The 5-day-old eruption of the volcano in southern Chile is the first in at least 9,000 years, according to volcanologists at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

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