Crocidolite Asbestos. So, What is this Stuff?

Let’s talk Crocidolite Asbestos, otherwise known as Blue Asbestos or, if mined in South Africa, Cape Asbestos. This is the most dangerous of all the asbestos and is currently not mined anywhere in the world. Even though it was only a small amount of the asbestos mined and sold, studies show that Crocidolite Asbestos is so hazardous that it may be responsible for more illnesses and deaths than any other type of asbestos. There are those professionals who consider Crocidolite the “world’s most dangerous mineral.” https://www.mining-technology.com/features/featurethe-11-most-dangerous-minerals-4256873/.

Of course, you can still buy it on Etsy, https://www.etsy.com/market/crocidolite_crystal , EBay (just search for Crocidolite), and it is readily available on Pinterest:

Yea, really.

Don’t worry about it if it has become Tiger’s Eye. In that situation, the Crocidolite has been completely replaced by Quartz.

As background, Crocidolite is the name proposed in 1831 for what was then thought to be a distinct mineral. In modern times, it is the trade designation for a specific type of amphibole asbestos composed of the mineral riebeckite. A succinct discussion about Crocidolite Asbestos and the other forms of asbestos is contained in Asbestos and Other Fiberous Materials published in 1988. Please let me know if you have an interest in this book and I can lend you my copy.

Crocidolite Asbestos is so dangerous because its needle-like fibers are the strongest of all asbestos fibers with a texture that makes them easily inhalable. The fibers are extremely flexible including the ability to bend more than ninety degrees. They have a fine texture and generally appear naturally in long, straight bundles. They also have a high resistance to acids.

Crocidolite Asbestos is only found occurring naturally in a few locations. The major commercial source was South Africa where it was found in ironstone. It was also mined in Western Australia and Bolivia. Crocidolite Asbestos was used less than other types of asbestos in commercial products because it was found to be much less heat resistant.

As for those uses, Crocidolite became common in pipe insulation, rope lagging, and thermal insulation, especially in industrial facilities. It was also used to insulate steam engines and as a component in spray-on coatings, plastics, and cement products. As an oddity, it was also used in Kent Micronite filters between 1952 and 1956 to decrease the health risks of smoking. Also, large lumps of Crocidolite Asbestos rock were used as building materials for fencing. Unfortunately, its peeling over time can be quite a significant health hazard.

In one of the worst exposures to Crocidolite Asbestos, over 2,000 miners and residents of Wittenoom in Western Australia (north of Perth) have died to date of asbestos related diseases from crocidolite mining and processing. If you want to see the details, the following URL discusses what happened. https://www.asbestosdiseases.org.au/asbestos-info/the-wittenoom-tragedy/#:~:text=Approximately%2013%2C000%20non%2Dworkers%20resided,have%20died%20from%20Asbestos%20Diseases.

So, what should you do if your older home might have Crocidolite Asbestos in your water pipe insulation or elsewhere? https://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/newsroom/blogs/press-release-adao-confirms-asbestos-in-water-main-in-houston-texas/. First, don’t touch it. It is only dangerous if the fibers are airborne or what we call friable. Next, take pictures and send them to an asbestos trained expert in your venue. Based on those pictures and the expert’s advice, you should be able to either put your mind at ease or come up with an action plan.

Let me know what you think of this Blog either by leaving me a comment or by emailing me at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com.