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We will never hopefully ever permit commercial smelting.
It’s doubtful we ever will, as there are no deposits of metals on the Big Island other than abandoned cars & trucks. Smelting is the process of separating metal from ore.
Melting basalt, which is a mineral, would require a furnace, or heat source like HELCO uses in generating electricity, or PGV, and sugar mills, pineapple processing plants, etc. Did you know Maui Pine even had their own can making factory and label printing shop? The state of Hawaii allows a gas refinery in Honolulu. Numerous nuclear power plants float in and around Pearl Harbor on subs and ships.
Melting rocks is small fishes compared to most of that.
"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde
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Seriously, guys, why are you even debating this???
There is no way in hell, given Hawaii's energy costs, that commercial melting of basalts could even come close to being economically viable. It would be far cheaper to ship container loads of basalt to the mainland on (mostly empty) cargo ships than it would be to ship the needed fuel to Hawaii to melt that basalt...
I was talking to an engineer about a prospective project over here and he asked me what we pay for electrical power - when I told him, he about choked and then told me that, where they are located, they pay 5 cents per kwh...
And, even if that disparity wasn't so great, why would anyone want to ship basalt to the mainland when Washington, Oregon, and Idaho have more basalt on the surface of those states than Hawaii has sitting in the middle of the Pacific...
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Seriously, guys, why are you even debating this???
You’re right, under current conditions it’s probably not economically viable. But see my post at the bottom of page two which suggests it could happen, at some point in the future should shipping costs or technology change. Discoveries can happen in a Eureka! moment, with applications following at lightning speed.
The initial post noted (and linked) that this project is a means developing a basalt construction capability on Mars. Where presumably costs for electricity may even exceed those of a HELCO customer.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
In other words .. Further research needed.
Until then lets wait and hope for a magical unicorn to show us how to get (cheap) power from rainbows.
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hope for a magical unicorn
Like state licensed marijuana dispensaries, truthful council members, Constitutional Amendments that actually provide funding for school keiki (not just pretend they would), housing for people affected by the lava flow, anti-astronomy protestors who accept donations that will fund a program of grants and scholarships for island students (where do those donations go?), county council representatives who are elected for a specific job but don't bother to show up for work except when it's time to collect a paycheck...
In other words .. Further research needed.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Focus solar energy with a tracking mirror array. There's no need to convert it to electricity first. Interesting research project, at least.
Advanced technologies won't solve the underlying problem: it's just too expensive to do much of anything in Hawaii. We can't even feed ourselves.
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Electricity more expensive on mars than here? Must be a typo
HPP
HPP
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A study on the feasibility for basalt fiber production on Big Island found it could generate a profit, and provide good paying jobs. From the Star Advertiser story:
Lava rock could lay foundation for basalt industry
A production plant on Hawaii island costing $78 million could generate an average annual profit of $15 million over 30 years and employ 81 people earning $75,000 on average, said the analysis by California-based consulting firm SMA Inc.
“Hawaii County is an ideal location for a basalt fiber manufacturing plant due to the ease of access to basalt and desire from the Hawaiian government to develop the nascent industry.
The company said that even with Hawaii’s high costs for labor, materials and energy, a plant could generate about $33 million in revenue and $15 million in profit annually over the long term.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/12/2...c1522314a4
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The company said that even with Hawaii’s high costs for labor, materials and energy, a plant could generate about $33 million in revenue and $15 million in profit annually over the long term.
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Did they forget Hawaii's taxes on that profit?
quote:
Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge
A study on the feasibility for basalt fiber production on Big Island found it could generate a profit, and provide good paying jobs. From the Star Advertiser story:
Lava rock could lay foundation for basalt industry
I have some background in construction during summers in HS and college, and learned a while back about basalt re-bar. Re-bar, in case you don't know, is the steel rod put in concrete whose high tensile strength compliments concrete's high compressive strength.
It has several advantages over steel including light weight, non-conductive and non-corrosive.
Too bad it is "sacred" and can't be used. Oh well!!!
Speaking Truth to Lies / Facts to Ignorance
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