In Hawaiian legend, it is said that these fibers are strands of hair from the goddess Pele. Despite the dangers of handling mineral wool, it’s an incredibly important material for a vast number of applications. Insulation is one of the most important functions of mineral wool, but it has many properties that make it a fantastic building material. Basalt wool is naturally fire retardant, requiring temperatures of more than 1,500 degrees Celsius in order to melt. The process to create basalt fibers is effectively the same process that goes into creating basalt to begin with.