Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in certain rock formations. It is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen and various other metals. This naturally occurring mineral may take the form of long, thin fibers where weathering, deterioration and disturbance cause the mineral to break down into microscopic fibers that are easily suspended in the air. So long as the naturally occurring material is not disturbed and released into the air, asbestos does not pose a threat. When airborne fibers are inhaled they resist the body’s natural defenses to fight off foreign objects and foreign asbestos fibers proceed to irritate tissues within the body. Asbestos is considered a carcinogen since it is a known cause of lung cancer, cancer of the linings of internal organs and other diseases that affect functioning of the lungs. The Environmental Protection Agency has compiled a listing of 324 known locations of naturally occurring asbestos in the Eastern US. The latest listing can be found in the 2005 US Geological Survey Report at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1189/pdf/Plate.pdf.

There are two primary forms of asbestos that differ based on their physical characteristics – serpentine fibers and amphiboles. Serpentine fibers are curly pliable fibers that develop in layers or tiers and are described as chrysotile. There are five types of amphiboles, which are thin rod-like fibers that develop into a chain-like structure. The five amphiboles include crocidolite, amosite, anthrophylite, tremolite and actinolyte Amphiboles are considered to be the most carcinogenic forms of asbestos fibers and serpentine fibers are the most widely used form of asbestos. Crocidolite fibers are considered to be the most carcinogenic of all of the amphiboles. However, all forms of asbestos fibers are associated with mesothelioma. When asbestos fibers are inhaled and the fibers stick to the mucus inside of air passages and are then coughed up or swallowed, the fibers are said to be cleared. Clearing can occur in the throat, nose, trachea or bronchi. It is believed that since long thin amphiboles would be hardest to clear, they may accumulate at the ends of airways and penetrate the pleural lining of the lungs or chest wall to damage the mesothelium cells of the pleura. Likewise, it is believed that clearing asbestos fibers is responsible to cause peritoneal mesothelioma. Chrysotile is also known as white asbestos since it is composed of curly white fibers. Chrysotile may be found around the globe. Amosite is known as brown asbestos. It is found in Africa and named as based on it origination, the Asbestos Mines of South Africa (AMOS). Crocidolite is known as blue asbestos. It is found in Africa and Australia. Asbestos is regulated in the US. Other naturally occurring asbestos-like minerals, such as richterite and winchite, that are not regulated, are known as as