Difference between bitumen and tar

What is bitumen?

Bitumen is a mixture of usually liquid organic substances consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons. It also occurs in solid form as in the case of the mineral gilsonite. Additionally, bitumen is sometimes referred to as asphalt in the United States. Bitumen tends to be dark in color, viscous and forms near oil and coal deposits.

Formation of bitumen

Bitumen usually forms in environments with abundant algae, plants and other organic substances. For this reason, it typically forms under the same conditions as oil and coal, particularly in lakes, swamps and high-vegetation areas where plant matter can be preserved in mud deposits which are altered due to heat and pressure. that are buried. The main geological source of bitumen is organic shale. A known place where bitumen is coming out of the ground is the land that contains the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.

It is also possible that bitumen forms in the hydrothermal vents. The veins of the mineral gilsonite have been found in rocks from hydrothermal environments. An example of this would be the Uinta Basin of Utah.

Uses of bitumen

Bitumen has been known and used since ancient times. It was used to build roads, waterproof boats, and build walls and buildings. Its first use was probably as a sealing agent for baskets and boats. Bitumen has also become indirectly important to paleontology and archeology due to places like the La Brea Tar Pits where animals have been trapped and preserved in bitumen or asphalt for tens of thousands of years. The La Brea Tar pits contain a detailed account of the natural history of the Los Angeles Basin dating back 38,000 years. gilsonite has also been used for medicinal purposes. There is evidence that bitumen or asphalt from the Dead Sea area has been used to treat skin diseases.

What is Tar ??

Tar is a viscous black liquid made of hydrocarbons that can be formed in a variety of ways. For this reason, the chemical composition of tar varies, although it is always made up of organic matter of some kind. It has many uses as a waterproofing and sealing agent. It is also used for many medicinal purposes.

Tar formation

Tar can form in a variety of ways and tar will have different properties depending on how it forms. Two common types are coal tar and wood tar.gilsonite Coal tar is distilled from petroleum and coal sources, while wood tar is obtained from vegetation through a similar distillation process.

Coal tar

Coal or petroleum tar consists of hydrocarbons that occur geologically in association with coal and oil deposits. This tar used in road construction. In addition, it also has medical properties and has been used to treat psoriasis. Because it has a high benzene content, however, it is also considered a carcinogen.

Wood tar

Wood tar is derived from various parts of trees through the same distillation methods used to make coal tar.gilsonite The two-products of the process that creates wood tar are turpentine and charcoal. Wood tar is produced through the destructive distillation process. Wood tar has been used in Northern Europe for thousands of years to waterproof boats, among others. It also has important medical applications since it is microbicidal.

General uses of tar

Tar has many uses as a sealing agent. It is used for sealing boats and roof tiles. It is also used in the mummification process. Wood tar is used to seal the interiors of buildings. Additionally, it is used as a flavoring in candy and food, as well as a scent for various purposes including sauna due to its pleasant smell.gilsonite Wood tar has also been used in cosmetics.asiagilsonite Coal tar on the other hand is considered a hazardous material due to its association with carcinogens such as benzene and is mainly used in road construction.