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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{unreferenced|date=March 2008}} |
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The '''Asphalt''' industry in Trinidad is located at the ] at the town of La Brea in southwestern Trinidad and it has gained a reputation for itself as the world's largest deposit. The Pitch Lake is considered a ] and attracts about 20,000 visitors annually. It is also mined for asphalt which is exported for high-quality road construction. |
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{{R cat shell| |
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==Origin & Deposits== |
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{{R to related topic}} |
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{{R with history}} |
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], according to ] speaking on March 22, 1595 is most excellent gold. The asphalt industry is the second most important mining activity after petroleum. The industry is a government-owned state enterprise. This natural deposit of asphalt or ] is of volcanic origin. The lake covers about 46 ] and is reported to be 76 ] deep with a maximum of 87 ] in the center. Deposits are estimated to be 6.1 million tonnes. The deposits occur in a syncline less than one ] from the sea. |
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}} |
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==Composition & Structure== |
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] is found in ]s or in ]s where oxidization of ] takes place. It is ] or ] in color due to its hydro-carbon composition and comprises ], ] and ]. It is made up of an ] of mineral ]s and ]. |
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==Uses== |
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Asphalt has practical advantages in that it is elastic and can be used in several ways: |
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*Use as an anti-corrosive agent for underwater ] ]s and for ] works as the lining of ]s and in fittings. |
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*Use in chemical and oil resistant flooring and as insulating compounds for ] and ] industries. |
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*Use as a binder or ] in road construction & paving of airports; water proofing floorings; making battery casings, brake linings & metal coatings. |
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==Mining== |
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] is dug manually and mechanically by tractors. After it is excavated, asphalt comes up slowly to the surface. ] operations begun since 1815 and continuous exploration has led to the surface level dropping by 9.1 ]. It is decreasing at a rate of 155 ] ]. The asphalt is taken by trucks to ]s which are on the incline. They are pulled by ]s up to a ] to be treated into dried asphalt and asphalt cement for ]. |
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==Refining & Transport to Port== |
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The asphalt is dumped into one of six ]s and boiled or heated for 24 hours to produce the dried asphalt for export. In this way, water and gas are removed. This leaves it free from ] which accounts for 30% of the weight. Asphalt cement is made by adding bituminous oil. |
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Containers are loaded at filling sites. A tramway or ] takes the products to the pier at Brighton for export. The entire operation is streamlined. |
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==Exports== |
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Trinidad has long been an exporter of refined asphalt or epure. Some of the importing countries include ], ], ] and ]. Exports, however, have declined considerably in recent years due to a factor of the increasing use of refinery ] in road making all over the world. |
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==Employment== |
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The industry provides jobs for about 600 workers. There are those who are engaged in the mining and processing operations and those engaged in ] services as ]s, ]s and payroll clerks. Some of the workers include ] and ] operators, rakers, trestlemen, still men, container staffers and shipping workers. |
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] |
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