Riebeckite var. Crocidolite Asbestos (Richard Rossi Coll.)

Item Description

Striking, chatoyant dense band of blue-gray crocidolite asbestos fibers occurring as a fracture filling parallel to the sedimentary layers. The fibers grew perpendicular to the bedding planes, with a sharp contact. Crocidolite is fibrous Riebeckite, an Amphibole Supergroup species and is recognized as the most harmful and carcinogenic of all asbestos minerals. It has a deceptively captivating appearance, as you can see. Specimens are rare from this abandoned asbestos mining area, closed since about 1966. This is a very rich and showy example. Ex Richard Rossi Collection. Richard is a Senior Fellow of the Mineralogical Record.