Asbestos Compounds

It is a natural fibrous mineral that is broken down into six chemical compounds starting with
actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite and tremolite.  The most commonly used in manufacturing is amosite and chrysotile.

Actinolite – tremolite are very similar minerals and are usually found combined in
nature.  Both have a high content of asbestos and are very dangerous to your health.  This highly toxic mineral is made up of moveable elastic fibers
that if come in contact with the mouth can cause asbestosis.  Several types of lung cancer including mesothelioma is formed in the lungs after ingesting
or breathing in the microscopic fibers contained in the mineral.  It can take 20 years or longer for the symptoms of these cancers to become
prevalent in the body.

Amosite – the second most dangerous asbestos known it is also called brown asbestos.  Amosite is the trade name for the mineral grunerite is a
fibrous mineral was mined extensively in South Africa.  Amosite is an amphibole which refers to the shape of the crystals that are long and
brittle.  This type of asbestos was used in the production on a variety of building materials including cement sheets.  This fiber was very versitle
and used in many building applications even floor and ceiling tile.  You may still find it in older buildings that have not been renovated.  Extreme
precautions have to be made to remove the material from a building.  Trained professionals with special equipment need to be contacted when this type of
asbestos is found in a building.

Anthophyllite a fibrous mineral usually brown or yellow in color mined and used in the United States in talcum powder.  Because of the wide
distribution of this product that was used throughout the US exposure to anthophyllite has touched millions of Americans.  This mineral was also
widely used in paint products sold by Glidden and sealent products.

Chrysotile this mineral is the most common found asbestos and the most widely used.  It can be contributed to 95% of the asbestos found in the
United States and therefore is a large contributor of the mesothelioma cancers found.  Chrysotile asbestos is a flexible it was used in the
manufacturing of fire retardant clothing, drapes, gloves and textile products.  This asbestos was used in the belts used in paper mills carrying
pulp.  This use created a lot of dust and has contributed to a large volume of mill employees contracting types of asbestos cancer.

Crocidolite belonging to the amphibole group this was the least used asbestos in the United States.  One of the most hazeroudous this blue
mineral was only mined in South Africa, Bolivia and Western Austrailia.  Findings show that workers from these mines had a higher risk of contracting
mestholioma cancer.

No longer mined this highly dangerous mineral did not have the heat resistant factors other amphibole group minerals had so was used primarily
in the manufacturing of asbestos cement products.

Tremolite most commonly found bound with actinolite this mineral is also found in the amphibole group of minerals.  Because of the heat
resistance and flexibility of the fibers this asbestos producing mineral was widely used throughout the United States.  A large group of companies
manufactured products made from this hazardous mineral.  Paints, sealants and plumbing, roofing materials all contained tremolite.

All six of these minerals are known to contain dangerous asbestos fibers that can be inhaled or ingested.  If exposed to any of these dangerous
minerals could make you susceptible to contracting a asbestos related diesease.