Bitumen trading

Bitumen 50/70 (EN 12591) – wholesale purchase and export

Le bitume 50/70 est le grade de pénétration de référence pour les routes en Europe. C’est celui que demandent les cahiers des charges français, belges et roumains, parce qu’il est défini par la norme européenne EN 12591. E-Station le source auprès de son réseau de raffineries de la région du Kurdistan irakien (Erbil et Souleymanieh) et le livre en vrac ou conditionné aux entreprises de travaux publics, centrales d’enrobage et importateurs. Chaque lot est accompagné de sa fiche technique, de sa fiche de sécurité et de son certificat d’origine. C’est un grade de pénétration courant du bitume (asphalt).

Technical specifications (EN 12591)

The “50/70” refers to the penetration: a standardised needle sinks between 50 and 70 tenths of a millimetre into the product at 25 °C. All the values below are measured according to the European (EN) test methods.

Characteristic	Test method	Min.	Max.
Penetration at 25 °C (100 g, 5 s), 0.1 mm	EN 1426	50	70
Softening point, °C	EN 1427	46	54
Flash point, °C	EN ISO 2592	230	—
Solubility in trichloroethylene, %	EN 12592	99,0	—
Penetration index	Annexe A	−1,5	+0,7
Dynamic viscosity, Pa·s	EN 12596	145	—
Fraass breaking point, °C	EN 12593	—	−8
Kinematic viscosity at 135 °C, mm²/s	EN 12595	295	—

Resistance to hardening after RTFOT (163 °C), according to EN 12607-1:

Characteristic	Min.	Max.
Retained penetration, %	50	—
Increase in softening point, °C	—	11
Change in mass (absolute value), %	—	0,5

These are the EN 12591 normative requirements. The actual batch results appear on the technical data sheet supplied with each order.

50/70 or 60/70? How to choose

The two grades overlap almost entirely on penetration. The real difference is not the hardness, it is the standard cited in your specifications. The 50/70 falls under the European standard EN 12591; the 60/70 under the American standard ASTM D946, used in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. If your buyer is in Europe, ask for the 50/70. If they work under an ASTM reference, it is the bitumen 60/70. We supply both.

Applications

The 50/70 is used mainly to produce hot-mix asphalt for base and wearing courses: urban roads, secondary roads, motorways, airport runways, industrial platforms. It performs well under heavy traffic in temperate European climates. It is also found in waterproofing membranes and as a base for emulsions.

Packaging and delivery

We deliver bitumen 50/70 in the following forms:

• ✓Heated bulk, in tanker truck or iso-tank
• ✓Metal drums from 150 to 220 kg
• ✓Jumbo bags / meltable bags of 1 tonne, or flexitank

Minimum order quantity: 500 MT. Ex works port or refinery. Incoterms offered: EXW, FOB, CIF. We tailor the logistics solution to your destination and your project schedule.

Origin and traceability

Our bitumen comes from a network of refineries in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Working with several sources rather than a single one allows us to sustain volumes and ensure continuity of supply, even if there is a disruption at one site. Unlike the offers of unclear origin found on many marketplaces, every shipment is documented: batch technical data sheet, safety data sheet (SDS), declaration of performance and certificate of origin.

50/70 bitumen price

The price follows the petroleum-derivatives market and varies according to volume, packaging and destination. We therefore do not apply a fixed rate: send us your request with the grade, quantity, port of destination and desired Incoterm, and you will receive a firm quote within 48 hours. See also our page Buying bitumen: logistics and Incoterms and our guide Choosing the right bitumen grade.

Frequently asked questions