Chrysotile Asbestos Ore, Lowell, Vermont
The chrysotile fibers can be seen over the top of the
underlying antigorite Substrate. Both fo these minerals are
chemically identical but their crystal habits vary. Both minerals belong to the same
mineral family, Serpentines.
Macrophotograph
Definition/Function:
Chrysotile asbestos is the fibrous form of the mineral lizardite of the serpentine group
of minerals. Its chemical
formula is Mg3[Si2O5](OH)4 with some Fe2+
substituting for Mg. The amount of iron substitution affects the refractive
indices and the birefringence. This is the most common form of asbestos used
commercially, comprising about 93% of all
the asbestos mined. It is also the least hazardous of the asbestos minerals. It is the
most flexible of the asbestos
minerals and is the one typically used in making asbestos cloth and asbestos paper.
Significance in the Environment:
Characteristic Features:
Associated Particles:
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