What is vermiculite and where does it come from? Vermiculite is produced from ore mined throughout the world. In the United States, mines are located in Montana, South Carolina, and Virginia. When heated, the ore expands into a light, rather fluffy material, that is fire resistant, chemically inert, absorbent, light weight, and odorless.
Vermiculite from other sources is not known to be associated with any substantial adverse health effects [2, 3]; however, the vermiculite ore mined in Libby contained elongate mineral particles identified as a mixture of asbestiform amphiboles, including winchite, richterite, and tremolite asbestos [4].
Vermiculite ore—containing high concentrations of asbestos—was mined at Libby between 1923 and 1990, and accounted for most of the world’s vermiculite.
All vermiculite ores contain a range of other minerals that were formed along with the vermiculite in the rock. Vermiculite ores from some sources have been found to contain asbestos minerals but asbestos is not intrinsic to vermiculite and only a few ore bodies have been found to contain more than tiny trace amounts.
produced using vermiculite ore, particularly ore that originated from the Libby mine, may contain asbestos fibers. Today, vermiculite is mined at
Vermiculite and other ore bodies can contain a variety of associated minerals such as mica, quartz, feldspar, etc. The associated minerals are unique to a particular ...
Vermiculite is the mineralogical name given to hydrated laminar magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate that resembles mica in appearance. All vermiculite ores contain a range of other minerals that were formed along with the vermiculite in the rock.
Vermiculite ore--containing high concentrations of asbestos--was mined at Libby between 1923 and 1990, and accounted for most of the world's vermiculite. Mining, processing, or any disturbance of the contaminated vermiculite releases asbestos fibers into the air, which can lead to respiratory illnesses, including asbestosis.
Tremolite is just as toxic as chrysolite, if not more so. When shipments of the vermiculite ore left Libby, they were sent to at least twenty six regional plants across the country that produced insulation from the ore and sold it under the brand name Zonolite to uncounted numbers of contractors, builders and do-it-yourself homeowners.
More than one-quarter of tested workers at an Ohio manufacturing plant historically exposed to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore exhibited signs of scarring of the ...
A method of decreasing the expansion temperature and improving the expansion characteristics of vermiculite ore comprising subjecting vermiculite ore containing interlamellar cations to a potassium nitrate solution for a time interval sufficient to ion-exchange interlamellar cations within said ore with potassium ions.
Full-Text Paper (PDF): Exposure to Asbestos-Containing Vermiculite Ore and Respiratory Symptoms among Individuals Who Were Children While the Mine Was Active in Libby, Montana
However, this mica ore may contain asbestos. In a study of gardening products containing vermiculite, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found trace amounts of asbestos in 17 of 38 products tested (Sampling and Analysis of Consumer Garden Products that Contain Vermiculite, EPA, August 2000).
CONTAINING VERMICULITE from ... An ATSDR health consultation is a verbal or written response ... Vermiculite ores may also contain a range of other minerals ...
Vermiculite is the mineralogical name given to hydrated laminar magnesium-aluminum-ironsilicate which resembles mica in appearance. All vermiculite ores contain a range of other minerals that were formed along with the vermiculite in the rock.
vermiculite ore produced by the Libby Mine in Montana from the 1920's to 1990. It was sold as Zonolite® Attic Insulation and possibly other brands in Canada during that time. Vermiculite from the Libby Mine may contain asbestos. The Libby Mine supplied the majority of the world market in vermiculite-based insulation.
Vermiculite Vermiculite is a naturally forming mineral noted for its industrial uses. It resembles mica in appearance and vermiculite ores contain a number of other minerals formed with the rock and some formations can include asbestos.
Vermiculite and perlite come from different kinds of rocks. Perlite is a glassy volcanic rock, gray and with a pearly shine on the rock's surface. It consists mostly of silica and has water molecules trapped within it. Vermiculite comes from 19 varieties of micaceous minerals and the ores contain silica, alumina, iron oxides and magnesium oxide.
Asbestos in Vermiculite - History ... to Contain Vermiculite! ... Vermiculite Ore Photo courtesy of mesotheliomasymptoms .
Vermiculite ores from some sources are associated with the presence of some asbestiform minerals, however, asbestos though is not intrinsic to vermiculite. A mine near Libby, Montana, was a major source of vermiculite sold in the U.S.
Products made from vermiculite ore produced by the Libby Mine were not widely used after the mid-1980's and have not been on the market in Canada since 1990. While not all vermiculite insulation contains amphibole asbestos fibres, it is reasonable to assume that older vermiculite-based insulation may contain these fibres.
Vermiculite ore from Libby has been shown to contain high levels of asbestos, which could have become airborne and inhaled when used in manufacturing. Vermiculite is widely used in a variety of applications, including insulation, packing materials, construction materials and gardening products.
Oct 08, 2012· Vermiculite ore was mined in Libby, Montana from the early 1920's until the mine closed in 1990. It was distributed, mostly for commercial purposes, around the United States and abroad. During the time the Libby, Montana mine was in operation, it produced over 70% of the vermiculite sold in the United States (4).
The vermiculite ore, as mined, is associated with other minerals and undesirables. The crude vermiculite ore normally contains about 15 to 30 weight percent commercially desired vermiculite. This crude ore is beneficiated by various known surface chemistry techniques to separate the gangue from the expandable material.
"Vermiculite ores often contain a range of other minerals including, in some cases, asbestos. Asbestos is not a major contaminant, ...
More than one-quarter of tested workers at an Ohio manufacturing plant historically exposed to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore exhibited signs of scarring of the ...
Distribution of Libby Asbestos What is EPA doing to determine if processing plants around the United States that accepted vermiculite ore from the Libby site are contaminated? EPA is examining processing facilities which may have been recipients of asbestos-containing vermiculite ore from the Libby mine.
New Asbestos Testing Method For Vermiculite Accurate And Cost-Effective ... and this vermiculite ore was ... confirming that the vermiculite contains no ...
Over 70% of vermiculite ore mined worldwide came from the Libby, Montana mine. The ore from this mine also included a natural deposit of amphibole/tremolite asbestos. Much of the vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos fibers are invisible to the eye and can only be professionally detected.
Asbestos Analysis of Vermiculite and Vermiculite ... Vermiculite Ore ... Vermiculite Containing Materials.
Vermiculite Ore Containing Vermiculite | Article about Vermiculite by The Free Dictionary Vermiculite ore--containing high concentrations of asbestos--was mined at Libby between 1923 and 1990, and accounted for most of the world's vermiculite.
Vermiculite ores from some sources were even found to contain asbestos minerals but asbestos is not intrinsic to vermiculite and only a few ore bodies have been found to contain more than tiny trace amounts.
Vermiculite ore deposits may also contain a variety of other materials such as mica, quartz, and feldspar. These deposits vary from one mining location to another. During the manufacturing process, some of these materials may pose potential health hazards to …
Approximately one million homes in the United States contain vermiculite attic insulation. One of the major past sources of this vermiculite was commercially produced vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana, containing trace levels of asbestiform amphibole, which is known to cause asbestos-related diseases.
All vermiculite ores contain a range of other minerals that were formed along with the vermiculite in the rock. Vermiculite ores from some sources have been found to …
Workers Exposed To Libby Vermiculite Ore Have High Rate Of Chest Wall Abnormalities Date: July 10, 2005 Source: University of Cincinnati Summary: More than one-quarter of tested workers at an Ohio manufacturing plant historically exposed to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore exhibited signs of scarring of the chest wall lining, or …
Although not all vermiculite contains asbestos, some products were made with vermiculite that contained asbestos until the early 1990s. Vermiculite mines throughout the world are now regularly tested for it and are supposed to sell products that contain no asbestos.
SAN DIEGO — More than one-quarter of tested workers at an Ohio manufacturing plant historically exposed to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore exhibited signs of scarring of the chest wall lining, a study by researchers from the University of Cincinnati has found.
