It's believes that asbestos has been used by humans for over four thousand years. Marco Polo described coming across a material that didn't burn in Siberia in the 1200s, and which the locals said they mined from rocks. In the modern age, the material was used for all kinds of purposes, but mainly in insulation. It properties were remarkable, but in the twentieth century scientists discovered that it came at a high price. Asbestos is highly toxic, and causes several fatal diseases.
Serpentine asbestos refers to asbestos mined from serpentinite rocks. This is commonly known as white asbestos, or chrysotile. It is made up of curly fibres which make it less potentially deadly than other types, though still carcinogenic. It was very commonly used in buildings, as well as ship building and insulation in industrial processes. This type accounts for most of the asbestos that is unearthed today, and in very special circumstances it's still legal to use in the Europe and the US.
The rest of the asbestos groups come from amphibole rocks. These have both trade names and common names. Brown asbestos - trade name 'amosite' - was commonly used as a fire retardant lining in different processes. This made it useful in the steel industry, where much still remains in buildings and transport equipment today. Its name comes from 'Asbestos Mines of South-Africa.' All amphibole asbestos has sharp fibres which are more dangerous when inhaled than serpentine asbestos.
Often regarded as the most deadly type of asbestos, blue asbestos, or crocidolite was less commonly used. Although having said that, it did appear in some very dangerous places indeed. As recently as the 1950s, cigarette companies thought it was a good idea to use it in their filters, due to its flame resistant properties. It was actually regarded as healthier cigarette at the time, which just goes to show how ignorant people were to the dangers of this material.
The three remaining forms of commonly occurring asbestos are tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite, although these were all less used in manufacturing.
Serpentine asbestos refers to asbestos mined from serpentinite rocks. This is commonly known as white asbestos, or chrysotile. It is made up of curly fibres which make it less potentially deadly than other types, though still carcinogenic. It was very commonly used in buildings, as well as ship building and insulation in industrial processes. This type accounts for most of the asbestos that is unearthed today, and in very special circumstances it's still legal to use in the Europe and the US.
The rest of the asbestos groups come from amphibole rocks. These have both trade names and common names. Brown asbestos - trade name 'amosite' - was commonly used as a fire retardant lining in different processes. This made it useful in the steel industry, where much still remains in buildings and transport equipment today. Its name comes from 'Asbestos Mines of South-Africa.' All amphibole asbestos has sharp fibres which are more dangerous when inhaled than serpentine asbestos.
Often regarded as the most deadly type of asbestos, blue asbestos, or crocidolite was less commonly used. Although having said that, it did appear in some very dangerous places indeed. As recently as the 1950s, cigarette companies thought it was a good idea to use it in their filters, due to its flame resistant properties. It was actually regarded as healthier cigarette at the time, which just goes to show how ignorant people were to the dangers of this material.
The three remaining forms of commonly occurring asbestos are tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite, although these were all less used in manufacturing.
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