What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mineral that is mined from rock and is found in many countries. It has unusual qualities in that it can withstand high temperatures, is very durable and is resistant to heat and chemical attack.

There are two main types of asbestos fibres:-

Serpentine fibres. These include chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos pictured left) and are the softest asbestos fibres. They are curly and flexible and are less fibrogenic than other types of asbestos.

Amphibole fibres. These include Crocidolite (blue asbestos) and Amosite (brown asbestos pictured right). They are needle-like and stiff. Blue asbestos is the most dangerous type of asbestos, it is resistant to destruction by the body's defence cells and the fibres can remain in the lung.