Types of asbestos
Six asbestos minerals – types, properties and health risks
Asbestos is a collective term for six different mineral fibres. They fall into two main groups: serpentine asbestos (chrysotile) and amphibole asbestos (amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite). All of them cause cancer, but their properties and risks differ considerably.
Serpentine asbestos
Only one asbestos mineral belongs to the serpentine group – chrysotile. Its fibres are curly and flexible. Historically it was by far the most common type of asbestos.
Amphibole asbestos
Asbestos from the amphibole group has straight, stiff fibres. It is generally considered more hazardous to health than chrysotile, because the fibres stay in the lungs for a long time.
Amosite
BrownBrown asbestos (grunerite)
Amosite, also called brown asbestos, is an iron-rich mineral of the amphibole group. The fibres are straight, stiff and long. Amosite was mi…
Risk level: High
Crocidolite
BlueBlue asbestos (riebeckite)
Crocidolite, also called blue asbestos, is a sodium- and iron-rich mineral of the amphibole group. The fibres are very thin and straight. It…
Risk level: Very high
Anthophyllite
Greyish whiteGrey-white amphibole asbestos
Anthophyllite is a magnesium-rich mineral of the amphibole group. The fibres are straight and stiff. Anthophyllite asbestos is rare worldwid…
Risk level: High
Tremolite
White to greyWhite-grey amphibole asbestos
Tremolite is a calcium-rich mineral of the amphibole group. It was generally not used commercially, but it occurs as a contaminant in chryso…
Risk level: High
Actinolite
GreenGreen 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 …
Risk level: High
How is the type of asbestos identified?
Identifying the type of asbestos requires laboratory analysis. The fibres cannot be told apart with the naked eye. Semlab uses a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope, which identifies all six asbestos types through chemical elemental analysis. The analysis follows ISO 22262-1.
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We identify all six asbestos types with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope.