The generic name "asbestos" belongs to a group of minerals called "asbestiform" minerals. Asbestos is a fibrous material which is mined from serpentine rock. Basically, rock was mined and crushed. When the rock was crushed, fibrous stands of asbestos were extracted from the rock. The strands where put in bags and shipped to manufacturing facilities were the asbestos was used as an ingredient in insulation and other materials. The three most commonly used forms of asbestos in product manufacturing were chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite.
Although asbestos products have not been used in construction since approximately 1975, the products in place present a clear danger to individuals involved in repair work and the demolition of structures containing asbestos products.
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The Role of Asbestos in Mesothelioma