Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which is composed of millions of microscopic fibers. Asbestos appears in different types and colors, including blue, brown, white and green. There are six different types of asbestos: Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite. Chysotile or serpentine asbestos, because of its serpent-like appearance, is the most common form and makes up approximately 95% of all asbestos that was used commercially. Asbestos is heat resistant and indestructible. These properties made it useful to the United States Military, despite the hazards and risks of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases later in life. In the mid-19th Century, manufacturers and companies realized the properties of asbestos could be useful because it is heat resistant, indestructible, and increases the tensile strength of certain products when included in the manufacturing process. The discovery of these useful properties resulted in asbestos being used in many building products.