Serpentine And Amphibole Asbestos, Asbestos Fibres And Human Health Chrysotile Information Center

The different kinds of amphibole asbestos all have needle like fibers that develop in a chain like formation.

John mayer and cazzie david. They are asbestos amphibole and asbestos serpentine. Studies show that crocidolite is so hazardous it may be responsible for more illnesses and deaths than any other type of asbestos. Asbestos can be divided into two basic groups serpentine and amphibole which differ in their physical characteristics.

To reduce dangerous exposure to the dust leave serpentine outcroppings undisturbed. This is in part due to it being the most commonly occurring type of asbestos but also that is it more flexible than amphibole types due to its wavy nature making it easier to be woven into textiles and sheets of materials. Crocidolite asbestos also known as blue asbestos is considered the most hazardous type of asbestos in the amphibole family.

The main chemical physical and technological properties of the commercial chrysotile amosite and crocidolite asbestos minerals are ilustrated in table 72. While the different types of amphibole asbestos are used less commonly than serpentine asbestos some research suggests that it takes less exposure to amphibole asbestos to make someone sick. As long as the asbestos fibers remain stabilized in the rock they pose no hazard.

According to studies it takes less exposure to amphibole types of asbestos to cause cancer especially compared to serpentine cancer. Chrysotile asbestos is obtained from serpentinite rocks which are found commonly throughout the world. Amosite is in fact an acronym for asbestos mines of south africa.

The term amphibole asbestos refers to the remaining five types of the mineral differentiated from chrysotile which falls into the serpentine class. All the more reason to leave them alone and just admire both the beautiful rocks and the diverse native wildflowers that thrive on the soil created by this distinctly californian. This is due to the different structure of the fibres that are easier to become airborne.

Which is more common. Serpentine asbestos develops in a layered or tiered form whereas amphibole asbestos has a chain like structure. Both serpentine and amphibole asbestos minerals display outstanding properties which have been exploited for the development of building materials.

These other five types of asbestos that have been identified and mined commercially include amosite a trade name name given to brown asbestos that is found in south african mines. This type of asbestos has been used more than any other as it is more flexible than any of the amphibole class asbestos and can be spun and woven into a fabric. The one category of serpentine asbestos chrysotile accounts for roughly 95 percent of all us asbestos.

Crocidolite is made up of extremely fine sharp fibers that are particularly easy to inhale. Chrysotile appears under the microscope as a white fibre. They are categorized as such due to the way in which they form.