What are the different types of Asbestos?

Asbestos is the general term used to refer to a group of fibrous minerals. All types of asbestos were once mined all over the world.

Quite a few…

Types of Asbestos

Asbestos is the general term used to refer to a group of fibrous minerals. These natural fibers include 6 types of asbestos: actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, tremolite (amphibole minerals), and chrysotile (serpentine mineral).

Serpentine

Serpentine asbestos fibers are long and curly. Globally, about 95% of asbestos mining produces the serpentine variety.

* Primarily, chrysotile is the most recognized form of serpentine asbestos.

Amphibole

Amphibole asbestos fibers are shorter and straighter than the serpentine form. Subsequently, amphibole fibers end up deeper in the airways and trapped inside tissue cells.

* Actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and tremolite are forms of amphibole fibers.

Colours of Asbestos

Raw Form

In its raw form, asbestos comes in several different colours. However, you probably won’t be able to determine a type of asbestos just by looking at it. When added to other products and construction materials (such as cement and bricks), the fibre’s colour is hidden.

Below, the list details which colour relates to each form of mineral fibre.