BITUMEN, or ASPHALTUM. (Bitume, Fr. Erdpech, Germ.) A black substance found in the earth, externally not dissimilar to pit-coal. It is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, like organic bodies; but its origin is unknown. It has not been observed among the primitive or older strata, but only in the secondary and alluvial formations. It constitutes sometimes considerable beds, as in the isle of Trinidad, where it occurs over an extensive district, in scattered masses. The greater part of the asphaltum to be met with in commerce comes from the Dead Sea, on whose shores it is cast up and gathered; whence it has got the name of Jewish bitumen. In its black colour and fracture it resembles ordinary pitch. By friction it affords negative electricity. Its average density is 1·16. It melts at the temperature of boiling water, kindles very readily at the flame, burns brightly with a thick smoke, and leaves little ashes. Distilled by itself, it yields a peculiar bituminous oil, very little water, some combustible gases, and traces of ammonia. It leaves about one third of its weight of charcoal after combustion, and ashes, containing silica, alumina, oxide of iron, sometimes a little lime, and oxide of manganese. According to John, asphaltum may be decomposed, by different solvents, into three distinct substances. Water dissolves nothing; alcohol (anhydrous) dissolves out a yellow resin equal to 5 per cent. of the weight of the asphaltum; that resin is soluble in dilute alcohol and in ether. The portion not soluble in the alcohol gives up a brown resin to ether, amounting to 70 per cent. of the weight of the asphaltum. On evaporating off the ether, the resin remains of a brownish-black colour, which dissolves readily in the volatile oils and in the oil of petroleum. The portion of asphaltum which does not dissolve in ether is very soluble in oil of turpentine, and in oil of petroleum; but less so in oil of lavender. These three resinous principles dissolve all together by digestion in the oils of anise, rosemary, turpentine, olive, hemp-seed, nut, and linseed. Caustic potash dissolves a notable quantity of asphaltum; but carbonate of potash has no effect upon it.
Asphaltum enters into the composition of hydraulic cements, and into that of black varnishes, called japans, for coating iron trays, &c. A similar varnish may be prepared by dissolving 12 parts of fused amber, 2 parts of rosin, and 2 parts of asphaltum, in 6 parts of linseed oil varnish, to which 12 parts of oil of turpentine have been added.
There is a kind of bitumen found at Aniches, in France, in the department of the north, which is black, very fusible, and soft. It burns with flame. Alcohol, ether, and oil of turpentine extract from it a fatty substance, which may be saponified with alkalis.
The bitumen of Murindò, near Choco, in Columbia, is of a brownish-black colour, soft, and has an earthy fracture. It has an acrid taste, burns with a smell of vanilla, and is said to contain a large quantity of benzoic acid. It appears to be the result of the decomposition of trees containing benzoin.
Asphaltum occurs abundantly at the surface of the salt lake Asphaltites, in Judea, produced from springs in the neighbourhood; it is floated down, gathers consistence, and accumulates upon the surface of the lake; the winds drive it on the shores, and the inhabitants collect it for sale. Its inspissation diffuses a disagreeable smell in the air of that region, which is supposed by the natives to be powerful enough to kill birds when they attempt to fly across the lake.
But probably the most remarkable locality of asphaltum in the world is the entire basin, or rather plain of it, in the island of Trinidad, called the Tar Lake. It lies on the highest land in the island, and emits a strong smell, sensible at ten miles’ distance. Its first appearance is that of a lake of water, but, when viewed more nearly, it seems to be a surface of glass. In hot weather its surface liquifies to the depth of an inch, and it cannot then be walked upon. It is of a circular form, about three miles in circumference, and of a depth not ascertained. Large fissures frequently open and close up in it, whence the pitch has been supposed to float upon a body of water. The soil, for a considerable distance round it, consists of cinders and burnt earth, and presents in many points indications of convulsions by subterranean fire. In several parts of the neighbouring woods, there are round holes and fissures in the ground, containing liquid bitumen to the depth of two inches.
Mr. Hatchett examined some specimens from Trinidad, and concluded that what had been heretofore supposed to be a pure mineral pitch was in reality only a porous stone of the argillaceous kind, much impregnated with bitumen.
These various bitumens belong exclusively to the secondary and tertiary geological formations, and are not found among primitive rocks, except very rarely in veins. They occur most generally in calcareous, argillaceous, and sandy strata, and also in volcanic districts. Petroleum frequently floats on the waters which issue from the volcanic mountains, or which lie at their base; even the sea is at times covered with it near the volcanic islands of Cape Verd. Mr. Breislak observed a petroleum spring rising from the bottom of the sea near the southern base of Vesuvius.
The substance with which bitumen seems to have the most constant and most remarkable relations, is sea-salt; so that almost all the countries most abundant in petroleum, as Italy, Transylvania, Persia, the environs of Babylon, the region of the Dead Sea, &c., contain salt mines, or lakes, or exhibit saline efflorescences. Iron pyrites is often impregnated with petroleum, or contains a bituminous nucleus.