In a world where the focus is on sustainability and environmental protection, natural materials are, of course, in high demand, and this also applies to basalt fibers. This volcanic rock contains a variety of different minerals and is widely available. More than 40% of the earth's crust is made from this gray, natural, fossil material. The processing of basalt into fibers has been re-searched since the 1960s, but it is only now on the verge of being used on an industrial scale. In fact, the basalt fiber sector is about to take off. A huge application potential is opening up to use basalt fibers in various industrial sectors - from the automotive sector, through machine building and the construction industry, to the textile industry. © 2019 Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH. All rights reserved.