Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals that share the same properties and characteristics:
- thin, fibrous crystals – known as “asbestiform habit” – that can readily separate
- resistant to heat, water, electricity & chemical corrosion.
Initially an asset to various industries with its remarkable heat/water resistant qualities and its ability to strengthen a variety of materials, it was widely used in construction dating back to the early 1800s.
Today, exposure to asbestos is a known cause of many life-threatening diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, all diseases with no known cure.
Even today, with all the advances that have been made, asbestos is still commonly found in properties across the world.
At JAX, we aim to ensure those in the construction industry and beyond remain compliant and, most importantly, safe when dealing with this hazardous and deadly material.
Types of Asbestos
There are six different types of recognized asbestos within 2 identified groups:
Serpentine Group
Chrysotile
- White in colour
- Found in serpentine rocks
- The most common type of commercially used asbestos
- More flexible than any amphibole asbestos
Amphibole Group
Amosite
- Brown in colour
- The second most common type of commercially used asbestos
- Banned in the UK in 1985
Crocidolite
- Blue in colour
- Harder and more brittle than other types of asbestos
- Considered the most dangerous form of commercially used asbestos
- Banned in the UK in 1985
Anthophyllite
- Also known as brown asbestos or azbolen asbestos
- Not often used in consumer products
- Traces can still be found in talcum products
Actinolite and Tremolite
- Rarely used commercially
- Not common in the UK
- Traces tended to be extracted when other minerals were being mined