Asbestos ( ass-BES-təs, az-, -toss) is a group of naturally occurring, fibrous silicate minerals, used for thousands of years to create flexible objects that resist fire, such as fireproof fabrics, but are now known to be toxic and carcinogenic. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre (particulate with length substantially greater than width) being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion an...
