Asbestos is a term describing six fibrous silicates (one serpentine, five amphiboles) that form bundles of long and thin fibers. These materials have been (and still are) used industrially, now banned in many countries for their dangerousness. They are initially obtained by extraction in mines, i.e., asbestos initially results from a natural process. The term “naturally occurring asbestos” refers to fibrous
minerals found in certain rocks or soil due to natural geological processes. X-ray mapping and compositional analysis with EPMA enable to determine the nature and distribution of amphiboles.
Recorded on a SXFive at Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) and Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans (ISTO), Orléans France.
Image courtesy of Guillaume Wille.