A sbestos is a term used for the fibrous forms of several naturally-occurring minerals. All asbestos deposits originate from cystallisation of molten rock which, on cooling, produces the various types of fibrous forms. It is usually found as thin veins, up to a few inches thick, between layers of the parent rock, which may be in non-fibrous or crystalline form.
Asbestos types
There are two varieties of asbestos: amphibole and serpentine.
Amphibole include:
- Crocidolite (often referred to as ‘blue asbestos’)
- Amosite (often referred to as ‘brown asbestos’)
- Anthophyllite
- Tremolite
- Actinolite
Serpentine that include:
- Chrysotile (often referred to as ‘white asbestos)
