By Thomas Ajava
Asbestos is a material that has been fleshed out in millions of pages of documentation. It is both a wonder material on the positive side and a killer on the negative. From the positive perspective, it is much sought after because it is extremely heat and fire resistant. This makes it a great material for products in areas where these issues are a concern. Examples would be ship engine compartments, oil refineries and even fire proof clothing.
Vermiculite is a naturally occurring material that is somewhat similar to asbestos in its properties. It appears in a mica type form and is heat and fire resistant. When exposed to heat, it tends to expand between eight and 20 times its original size. Given this, it has long been used in insulation in homes, but is also used as filler in gardens and the like.
The question that causes so much confusion is whether vermiculite is dangerous like asbestos. The answer is both yes and no. Sitting on its own, in its pure form, vermiculite is not dangerous. It does not have fibers like asbestos and has not been shown to cause Mesothelioma or any other cancer.
So, what is the big deal then? Well, here is where things get a bit strange. Most vermiculite that was mined from 1920 through 1990 came for the famous Libby mine. Why is the Libby mine famous? It is the poster child asbestos mine. It turns out the mine contains both asbestos and vermiculite veins. Mined together, investigations have found that the vermiculate became contaminated with asbestos. This means the vast majority of vermiculite used in the 50 year period the mine was tapped carried essentially the same dangers as asbestos.
The primary area of concern in most situations is vermiculite insulation in homes and buildings. If your property has it, you should get testing done. If there is asbestos in your vermiculite, you are living in an extremely risky place, need to get out and see a doctor as soon as possible.
Thomas Ajava writes about asbestos and vermiculite and other Mesothelioma issues for MesotheliomaAttorneyAssistance.com.
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