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The word ASBESTOS is Greek. The 'a' stands for 'not' and 'sbestos' stands for 'extinguishable' . The first recorder use of the word asbestos was by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD; although the substance itself was known as early as the 2nd century BC. The Romans made cremation cloths and wicks from it, and centuries later, Marco Polo noted its usefulness as cloth. Naturally forming, Asbestos is the fibrous form of several minerals and hydrous silicates of magnesium and is mostly found underground. What Is Asbestos? How Is It Used? Blue or Brown? Chrysotile Amosite Health Issues What Is Asbestos?     * Resistant to Chemicals * Heat Resistant * Low Thermal Conductivity * Flexible * High Tensile Strength * Cheap & Readily available It is obtainable by various mining methods, the most common of which being open-pit mining. Only about 6 percent of the mined ore actually contains usable fibres. Asbestos was, and in some parts of the world, still is, commercially mined for its extremely useful physical properties. How Is It Used? The fibres are separated from the ore by crushing, air suction, and vibrating screens, and in the process, are sorted into different lengths or grades. The most widely used method of grading, the Quebec Standard Test Method, divides the fibres into 7 groups, the longest in group one and the shortest, called milled asbestos, in group seven. The length of the fibres, as well as the chemical composition of the ore, determines the kind of product that can be made from the asbestos. The longer fibres have been used in fabrics, commonly with cotton or rayon, and the shorter ones for moulded goods, such as pipes and gaskets. Asbestos fibres can be bonded, moulded or woven into various fabrics and textiles. Coupled with the fact it’s both non-flammable and a notoriously poor heat conductor, has meant asbestos has been widely used to make insulation products such as hot-water piping, and fireproof products such as protective clothing for fire fighters. Indeed, even today, despite huge technological advances, Asbestos remains one of the most effective forms of fire protection known to man. Widely used, asbestos was often mixed with other materials in what we today refer to as asbestos containing materials (ACM's). Blue or Brown? Asbestos falls into one of two principal classes, either amphiboles or serpentines, the former being of relatively minor importance. From the 6 main types of asbestos existing, in the UK , in addition to Chrysotile, we’ve mainly used two amphibole types, Crocidolite and Amosite, more commonly known as ‘blue’ asbestos and ‘brown’ asbestos respectively. The colour prefix refers to its raw state and it is very hard for the naked eye to detect the colour when it is in an ACM. Crocidolite was primarily mined in South Africa but was also commercially mined in Australia . In its raw state, the fibres are very dark in appearance and when processed appear a distinctive blue. Commonly used as sprayed insulation, Crocidolite is seen as one of the most deadly forms of Asbestos. Chrysotile     Chrysotile, commonly known as ‘white’ asbestos, is a member of the group of minerals comprising the serpentine class, and constitutes about 95% of the world supply of asbestos, of which 3/4 is mined in Quebec . Other large deposits exist in South Africa . In the United States , California , Vermont and Arizona are the leading asbestos producing states; however, the majority of United States deposits are of no commercial value. In its raw natural state, Chrysotile is cream, white or pale green in appearance and its soft curly fibres when processed make it ideal for spinning and weaving. Chrysotile asbestos was the most commonly used form within the UK , often incorporated in materials such as Asbestos Cement (AC) and various papers.   Amosite     Amosite, the most common member of the amphibole group was commercially mined in South Africa . When raw, the fibres are brown or black and when processed, appear to be grey or brown. Typical applications for brown asbestos were pipe lagging or mixed as Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB). Left: Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB)   Health Issues These were the 3 main types of asbestos used within ACM's, which were, in turn, because of their seemingly advantageous properties, widely used in the construction industry as part of the construction and refurbishment of buildings. ACM's undoubtedly performed well, but intrinsically created a potentially fatal problem. The dust kills! The dust is microscopic. When asbestos is disturbed, these microscopic fibres are exposed into the atmosphere, and by definition, the air that we breathe in. Due to its tremendous resilience against chemical attack, our bodies cannot repel or expel these fibres. Our natural defences cannot dissolve them and so the fibres reside in our breathing organs often causing cancers of the lung, mesotholemia, asbestosis and various other asbestos related diseases, most of which are incurable. That's why it is now banned in the UK and to keep the air safe to breath, we need to locate where it is and properly and professionally manage it For All Your Demolition Needs We Recommend - Contract Crushers