Serpentine asbestos · White
Chrysotile - White asbestos (serpentine group)
Chrysotile, or white asbestos, is a mineral of the serpentine group. It is by far the most common type of asbestos – more than 95% of the world’s asbestos production has been chrysotile. The fibres are curled, flexible and relatively short.
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Mineral group
Serpentine
Colour
White
Formula
Mg₃(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄
Risk level
Moderate
Characteristics
- ✓Curly fibres
- ✓Flexible and heat-resistant
- ✓Only slightly soluble in acid
- ✓Chemically a hydrated magnesium silicate
Historical uses
- •Asbestos cement (Eternit boards, roofing sheets, pipes)
- •Roofing felt and bitumen products
- •Floor tile adhesive and vinyl tiles
- •Fillers and surface compounds
- •Insulation in electrical equipment
- •Brake pads and clutch surfaces
Where can Chrysotile be found?
- •Old asbestos cement boards in façades
- •Tile adhesives and floor compounds, 1950–1994
- •Pipe insulation and packings
- •Roofing sheets and eaves
Chrysotile in Finland
Chrysotile is the most common type of asbestos in older Finnish buildings. It was imported from Canada and Russia. Asbestos cement products (for example Eternit roofing sheets) were made mainly with chrysotile.
Ban
Banned in Finland in 1994. All use was prohibited under the asbestos legislation.
Health risk
The health risk from chrysotile is lower than from amphibole asbestos (amosite, crocidolite). All types of asbestos are nevertheless carcinogenic and can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Chrysotile dissolves in the lungs over time, whereas amphibole asbestos persists in tissue for a long time.
Do you suspect Chrysotile in your material?
Order an asbestos analysis – we identify all six types of asbestos with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope.