Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals that can only be identified under a microscope. It is mined in much the same way that other minerals, such as iron, lead, and copper, are. Asbestos is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various other metal cations (positively charged ions).

There are many varieties of asbestos. The three most common are chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite. Chrysotile fibers are flexible and shaped like cylinders, and often arranged in bundle-like structures. Amosite and crocidolite fibers are like tiny needles.

Asbestos was discovered in 4000 BC. Then, asbestos was used for wicks in lamps and candles. The substance was known as "asbestos", meaning inextinguishable or unquenchable.

The first commercial asbestos mine (a chrysotile mine) opened in Quebec, Canada, in the 1870’s

Dealing with cases individually could cost automakers hundreds of millions of dollars in legal costs and expose them to one hundred billion dollars in damage claims. Automakers have sought to have the cases moved to federal bankruptcy court, where parts maker Federal Mogul is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after it became the target of asbestos cases. Plaintiff lawyers handling the cases have moved from suing bankrupt parts companies to the automakers. The automakers are fighting together, represented by Chicago attorney David Bernick. Following the Supreme Court ruling, he hopes to get a state judge to hear arguments that there is no scientific evidence linking asbestos brake pads and cancer.

Evidence suggests that cancers in the esophagus, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon and kidney may be caused by ingesting asbestos. For more information on asbestos-related cancers, contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

People who work in asbestos mines, asbestos mills and factories, and shipyards that use asbestos, as well as people who manufacture and install asbestos insulation, have an increased risk of mesothelioma. People who live with asbestos workers, near asbestos mining areas, near asbestos product factories or near shipyards where use of asbestos has produced large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers, are also at risk.

More than 3,000 products in use today contain asbestos. Most of these are materials used in heat and acoustic insulation, fireproofing, roofing, and in flooring. The amount of asbestos in these products varies from as little as one percent to as much as 100 percent. Many older plastic and paper products, brake linings, floor tiles, and textile products contain asbestos, as do many other heavy industrial products, such as sealants, cement pipes, cement sheets, and insulation. In 1989, the final Asbestos Ban and Phase-out Rule prohibited the manufacturer from the processing and the importing of most asbestos products. Also, it eventually will ban 94 percent of the asbestos used in the United States.

Asbestosis is a serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease. Inhaled asbestos fibers aggravate lung tissues, which cause them to scar. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. In its advanced stages, the disease may cause cardiac failure.

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