Where Does Asbestos Come From? Baltimore mesothelioma lawyers
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials for insulation. Asbestos has also been used as a fire retardant. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistant properties, asbestos has been used for a wide range of manufactured products, most of which have to do with building (shingles for roofs, tiles for ceilings and floors, paper products and cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and various coatings used in the manufacture of goods.
In ancient Greek civilization, asbestos was a fairly well known substance, and it was noted that those who worked frequently with asbestos developed lung damage as a result of asbestos exposure. The Persians believed that asbestos was the fur of a never before seen animal called a salamander that lived in the midst of fire, thus giving the material its fire-resistant properties.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance that is obtained from the soil through open pit mining and is mined as a rock-like ore. Asbestos is still mined throughout many parts of the world in large, modernized open pit mines.
Types of Asbestos
The U.S. Bureau of Mines has named more than 100 mineral fibers as "asbestos-like" fibers, but only six are recognized by the U.S. government:
- Tremolite
- Actinolite
- Anthophyllite
- Chrysotile
- Amosite
- Crocidolite
Each of these minerals is categorized into two groups, serpentine and amphibole. Chrysotile asbestos is the only member of the serpentine group; the others are in the amphibole group. The difference between these two groups has to do with the physical components of the asbestos fibers. The serpentine group is made up of minerals that have a layered form and curly fibers, and the amphibole group contains minerals that have straight fibers with a chain-like structure.
You should meet with your attorney during a no-cost consultation. You should ask about the lawyer's contingency fee and make sure there are no "hidden" fees for which you will be responsible. A good mesothelioma attorney will not be paid unless your case is won.
If you have been exposed to asbestos and suffer from mesothelioma, please visit the website of Baltimore mesothelioma lawyers Parker, Dumler & Kiely LLP today.
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If you have been exposed to asbestos and suffer from mesothelioma, please visit the website of Baltimore mesothelioma lawyers Parker, Dumler & Kiely LLP today.