Continuous　basalt　fiber　(CBF)　is　a　new　type　of　performance　outstanding　inorganic　nonmetallic　material.　In　comparison　with　carbon　fibers,　basalt　fibers　exhibit　greater　failure　strain　as　well　as　better　impact　and　fire　resistance　with　less　poisonous　fumes　and　50%　cost　reduction.　It　is　also　known　that　basalt　fibers　display　higher　mechanical　properties,　better　chemical　stability　and　superior　thermal　and　electrical　insulation　as　compared　with　glass　fibers.　Basalt　fiber　has　been　widely　used　as　a　reinforcing　composite　material　for　construction　industry　and　for　preparation　of　polymer　matrix　composites.　As　high-performance　low-cost　reinforcements,　basalt　fibers　should　have　a　great　potential　for　strengthening　metal　matrix　com-　posites　(MMCs)　and　reducing　their　preparation　cost.　However,　so　far,　few　reports　focused　on　the　investigation　on　metal　matrix　composites　reinforced　by　continuous　basalt　fibers,　especially　for　lack　of　feasible　fabrication　technologies.　Thus,　in　the　present　work,　two-dimensional　continuous　basalt　fiber　cloth　and　Al-　12Si　alloys　foils　were　selected　as　raw　materials　and　alternately　stacked　to　obtain　a　sandwiched　structure.　Subsequently,　vacuum　pressure　infiltration　was　utilized　to　fabricate　aluminum　matrix　composites　reinforced　by　continuous　basalt　fibers　(CBF/Al)　with　volume　fraction　of　65%　successfully.　Influence　of　infiltration　parameters　on　microstructure　evolution　of　resulting　aluminum　matrix　composites　was　investigated　and　formation　mechanism　of　multi-　layered　structure　of　CBF/Al　composite　was　clarified.　Moreover,　mechanical　properties　of　the　multi-layered　CBF/Al　composite　were　evaluated.　The　results　showed　that　when　the　infiltration　parameters　were　660℃,　10　MPa　and　10　min,　fully　dense　CBF/Al　composite　could　be　achieved　and　the　novel　composite　displayed　a　unique　multi-layered　structure,　namely　continuous　basalt　fibers　in　forms　of　cruciform　crossing　distributed　within　aluminum　alloys　matrix.　It　is　noteworthy　that　no　obvious　chemical　reaction　happened　between　continuous　basalt　fibers　and　Al-12Si　alloys,　and　sound　metallurgical　bonding　interface　between　them　was　obtained　due　to　the　interdiffusion　of　Al　and　Si　elements.　Unfortunately,　mechanical　properties　of　multi-layered　CBF/Al　composite　did　not　reach　a　desired　level,　which　was　attributed　to　(i)　decreasing　of　effective　load-carrying　capacity　due　to　the　imperfect　distribution　manner　of　continuous　basalt　fibers　and　(ii)　deteriorating　of　intrinsic　mechanical　properties　at　high　temperature.　©　All　right　reserved.