Mineral base oil – classic base for lubricants
Mineral base oil is a base oil obtained from crude oil, which is produced by physical-chemical refinery processes such as distillation and dewaxing. It forms the basis for many engine oils, gear oils and industrial lubricants – especially in areas where cost-efficient standard solutions are sufficient.
What are the strengths of mineral base oils – and where are their limitations?
Mineral oils are robust, readily available and still reliable in many applications. However, they exhibit greater molecular dispersion than synthetic oils, which can lead to fluctuating viscosity, lower oxidation stability and shorter change intervals. They therefore reach their limits in applications with high temperatures, long running times or modern engines.
BASINOL uses mineral base oils in selected product lines, especially in the field of industrial lubricants, classic vehicle oils or customer-specific special applications where mineral properties are desired.
What is the difference between mineral base oils and synthetic or hydrocracked oils?
Mineral oils are obtained from crude oil by distillation and filtration, while synthetic base oils (e.g. PAO) consist of chemically defined molecular chains. Hydrocracked base oils (HC oils) are in between – they are of mineral origin but chemically refined.
Mineral oils usually contain more impurities, are less resistant to ageing and offer less protection at extreme temperatures – but offer a good price-performance ratio for standard applications.
For which applications are mineral base oils still useful?
They are ideal for older vehicles, stationary machines, units with low thermal loads or classic industrial lubricants. They are also frequently used in lubricating greases or temporary protective oils. If there is no extreme temperature or load profile, mineral oil-based lubricants are an economically sensible solution.
How can I tell whether an oil is mineral-based?
This is usually stated in the product’s data sheet or technical data sheet. Engine oils are often labeled “mineral” or “mineral oil-based”. In the API classification, mineral base oils belong to group I or II. BASINOL labels its products clearly and transparently – so that you always know which base is used.
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