Actinolite Asbestos

Actinolite Asbestos

Actinolite is an amphibole, or a straight, needle-like mineral that is generally dark in color. This mineral is also considered to be a type of fibrous mineral used in industrial and manufacturing processes known as asbestos.

Actinolite (pronounced ak-TIN-uh-lyte) can appear in multiple forms such as dense and compact or brittle and fibrous, along with different colors, including white, gray, brown or green. The mineral’s name stems from the Greek “aktinos,” meaning “ray” or “beam,” stemming from its radiating fibrous form. Actinolite is made up of other minerals and substances such as:

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Silicon
• Oxygen
• Hydrogen
• The Industrial Uses of Actinolite

There are six main types of asbestos, and amphiboles are one of the most common forms. Amphiboles are a curlier, or serpentine, variety. Because amphiboles tend to be more brittle than serpentine asbestos, they’re used less often in manufacturing. Actinolite’s internal composition is very similar to other asbestos forms such as tremolite and anthophyllite.

Actinolite is typically used with the similar mineral vermiculite, which expands when heated. Vermiculite and actinolite make for an effective, light-weight insulation material. Other common uses for actinolite and vermiculite include:

• Insulation material
• Gardening
• Concrete materials used in construction
• Structural fire-proofing

How Does Actinolite Affect Our Health?

Today, healthcare and government organizations recognize the dangers of asbestos exposure, as actinolite may still be present in buildings, homes or other locations that were constructed before asbestos was considered to be a hazardous material.

This material has been found in products such as:

• Paints
• Sealants
• Drywall
• Joint compounds
• Children's toys

Individuals may have been unknowingly exposed to this material.

Regardless of the type, asbestos is classified by healthcare groups as a human carcinogen, or a cancer-causing agent. According to the Environmental Working Group, each year more than 10,000 deaths occur in the U.S. due to asbestos.

When inhaled or ingested, the microscopic actinolite asbestos fibers may become lodged into the lining of the lungs, stomach or heart. These fibers are very difficult to expel and can eventually lead to cellular damage. Over time, this can result in increased risks for respiratory and lung conditions including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Contact with Actinolite

In April 2002, about 30,000 cubic yards of rock that contained asbestos were dumped in a residential area. The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission ordered that the dumping be stopped and the material be removed.

The materials had been dumped by a local university, Stevens Institute of Technology. A New Jerfsey engineering firm tested for asbestos content and found that 10 percent was actinolite. Not only was this much more than reported by the university, but it far exceeded accepted safety standards.

Anthophyllite Asbestos

Anthophyllite Asbestos

Similar to other asbestos types, anthophyllite asbestos is a mineral known to causemesothelioma cancer. However, most studies indicate the risk of developing mesothelioma from anthophyllite exposure is much less than it is from exposure to other types of asbestos.

Although it took much longer for anthophyllite to be recognized as a mesothelioma risk than it did for amosite, chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos, there is a clear connection from exposure to it and to the development of mesothelioma.

In one 1989 study, 19 cases of mesothelioma were analyzed in Finland. Of the 19 cases, six were found to be predominantly affected by anthophyllite asbestos fibers.

Another study from 1994 reported four cases of mesothelioma among 999 miners of anthophyllite. The latency period for mesothelioma development ranged from 39 to 58 years, and the length of exposures varied from 13 years to 31 years. The miners who were diagnosed also had asbestosis and were smokers or former smokers.

Uses of Anthophyllite

Anthophyllite is one of the rarest types of asbestos and does not have a long history of commercial use. The mining of this mineral began in Finland in 1890. Since then, smaller deposits were mined in the southern states of North Carolina and Georgia.

While considered to be among the noncommercial types of asbestos, anthophyllite has been used in products containing minerals such as vermiculite and talc.

Talc plays a part in anthophyllite development. When anthophyllite forms because of the presence of sustained high temperatures, talc destabilizes and falls apart. Traces of anthophyllite may be present in talc and related products such as talcum powder.

Tremolite Asbestos

Tremolite Asbestos

Tremolite is considered to be a major health risk and is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the six officially recognized types of asbestos. It is considered an amphibole, a mineral group characterized by separable fibers that are thin, long and straight.

Tremolite fibers have been useful for commercial products because they are strong, flexible, heat-resistant, and can be spun and woven into cloth. However, many people exposed to products containing tremolite developed lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma later in life.

In one study conducted in 1988, miners and millers from the Thetford Mines in Quebec, Canada, were evaluated for the presence of asbestos-related diseases. The study revealed that high tremolite fiber concentrations were present in those who developed mesothelioma.

Uses of Tremolite

PaintsTremolite was used in a variety of commercial and industrial products because of its ability to insulate and fireproof materials. Some of the more common products that contained tremolite included:

• Sealants
• Insulation
• Roofing materials
• Plumbing materials

Tremolite contains calcium, magnesium, silicon, hydrogen and oxygen. The mineral can be brown, gray, white or green and may appear to be transparent.

Minerals That Contain Tremolite

Rarely mined on its own, tremolite is often found in large amounts of other minerals such as talc and vermiculite. Researchers found that talc miners and millers experience higher risks for developing lung cancer and other respiratory conditions. When these minerals are used for industrial purposes, exposure to asbestos becomes a concern.

Talc

Talc is the softest known mineral on earth and is used for myriad industrial purposes including chalk, paints, rubber, cosmetics, ceramics and pharmaceuticals (for lung function). Most famously, this mineral is used for making talcum powder. Since 1973, U.S. laws require all commercial talcum products be asbestos-free.

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a mineral that expands when heated, a process called “exfoliation” or “popping." This process forms a light-weight material used for industrial purposes including insulation, packing materials and soil improvement. Becausevermiculite can contain large amounts of tremolite, exposure may increase a person’s risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.

This health risk is illustrated by the mining and milling operations in Libby, Montana, one of the United States’ largest sources of vermiculite. The tremolite-contaminated vermiculite at Libby was sold as Zolonite attic insulation, which the EPA estimates could be in millions of American homes. Because more than 70 percent of the vermiculite sold in the United States between 1919 and 1990 came from Libby, professionals recommend treating all vermiculite insulation as if it were contaminated with tremolite.

From 1923 to 1990, miners and millers of vermiculite were found to have higher incidences of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.