Amphibole asbestos · Green
Actinolite - Green amphibole asbestos
Actinolite is a calcium- and iron-rich mineral of the amphibole group. Its structure is similar to that of tremolite, and the two are often hard to tell apart. Actinolite was not used commercially as asbestos, but it occurs as a contaminant and as a natural mineral.
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Mineral group
Amphibole
Colour
Green
Formula
Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Risk level
High
Characteristics
- ✓Straight fibres
- ✓Calcium- and iron-rich amphibole
- ✓Greenish colour
- ✓No commercial use of its own
Historical uses
- •No commercial use of its own
- •Can occur as a contaminant in other asbestos products
- •As a natural mineral in rock
Where can actinolite be found?
- •Rock and soil associated with mining
- •As a contaminant in other asbestos products
Actinolite in older buildings
Actinolite occurs mainly as a natural mineral and as a contaminant in other asbestos products. It was not a significant commercial type of asbestos in building materials.
Ban
All use of asbestos has been banned throughout the EU since 1 January 2005 (Directive 1999/77/EC). Many member states banned it earlier; the exact year depends on your country.
Health risk
High. As an amphibole asbestos, actinolite causes the same diseases as other amphibole types. The risk of exposure is nevertheless lower, because it was not used on a large scale.
Do you suspect actinolite in your material?
Order an asbestos analysis – we identify all six types of asbestos with the JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope.