Bitumen is basically an inert material that must be heated or diluted to a point where it becomes workable for the production of materials for paving, roofing, and other applications.
bɪtˈuːmɛn ɪz bˈeɪsɪkli ɐn ɪnˈɜːt mətˈɪɹiəl ðæt mˈʌst biː hˈiːɾᵻd ɔːɹ daɪlˈuːɾᵻd tʊ ɐ pˈɔɪnt wˌɛɹ ɪt bɪkˌʌmz wˈɜːkəbəl fɚðə pɹədˈʌkʃən ʌv mətˈɪɹiəlz fɔːɹ pˈeɪvɪŋ, ɹˈuːfɪŋ, ænd ˈʌðɚɹ ˌæplɪkˈeɪʃənz.