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.
1) What is vermiculite? Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that expands when heated. Expanded vermiculite has unique and versatile characteristics; it is lightweight, provides energy savings when used as insulation, it is non-combustible, highly absorbent, pH neutral, inert, non-reactive to all but very strong acids and compressible.
Vermiculite is produced from ore mined throughout the world. In the United States, mines are located in Montana, South Carolina, and ia. When heated, the ore expands into a light, rather fluffy material, that is fire resistant, chemically inert, absorbent, light weight, and odorless. The absorbent properties of the ex-
Vermiculite deposits are associated with volcanic ultramafic rocks rich in magnesium silicate minerals, and flakes of the mineral range in color from black to shades of …
Do you manufacture products containing vermiculite? Yes. Do you supply equipment or materials, other than vermiculite ore and/or vermiculite concentrate, used in vermiculite industry? No. Are you engaged in the technical or scientific advancement of vermiculite and its uses? Yes.
When vermiculite (Zonolite ore) is disturbed it can release billions of asbestos fibers into the air which increases the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases. If the area containing the vermiculite is avoided and left undisturbed, then risk of exposure to asbestos fibers is decreased.
Lump of vermiculite ore, screened vermiculite, exfoliated vermiculite (Picture courtesy of Palabora Europe) Vermiculite is a hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate mineral which resembles mica in appearance. It is found in various parts of the world including Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Kenya, Russia, South Africa, Uganda, USA and Zimbabwe. ...
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 …
Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that has gained significant attention due to its unique properties and various applications. It is a hydrated, laminar, and micaceous mineral belonging to the phyllosilicate group. Vermiculite has a layered structure, similar to mica, and it can expand or exfoliate when heated, making it a valuable material in a range of industries.
Vermiculite, when subjected to heat, exfoliates to form elongated concertina like particles which are lightweight, incombustible, compressible, highly absorbent, and non-reactive. Exfoliated vermiculite particles can have high cation …
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2020, a U.S. exfoliating plant in Florida closed, while another in New Mexico ceased producing exfoliated vermiculite. Exploration and development of vermiculite deposits containing medium, large, and premium (coarser) grades (greater than 5-millimeter particle size) are likely to continue (mostly in China and South Africa) because of the higher
Vermiculite ore containing hazardous Libby asbestos was processed in Northeast Minneapolis from 1938-1989. This page contains information about the vermiculite, ways people were exposed, potential health …
W.R. Grace acquired Zonolite in 1963 and operated the vermiculite mine until Sept. 1990. The Montana Supreme Court's ruling noted that the vermiculite "contained a significant amount of amphibole asbestos" and that ore processing "released dust containing fine asbestos fibers into the air." Ore concentrate was loaded on BNSF railcars.
Vinikoor LC, Larson TC, Bateson TF, et al. Exposure to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore and respiratory symptoms among individuals who were children while the mine was active in Libby, Montana. Environ Health Perspect. 2010;118:1033–1128. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0901680. This is the first study to examine health outcomes among Libby residents who ...
Dry the exfoliated product either on a hotplate or in an oven. 8.3.6 Soil Samples Containing Crude Vermiculite Ore Soil samples containing crude (unexfoliated) vermiculite ore probably also contain organic constituents which need to be removed prior to analysis. Exfoliation in a muffle furnace is the optimum approach, because in one operation ...
Join TVA Mining Membership: US $6,010. A Mining Member shall be a person, firm, organization or corporation which is producing more than 10,000 tonnes per year of vermiculite concentrate and is. Actively engaged in the mining of vermiculite ore and/or the production of vermiculite concentrate, or; A sales agent or broker of a person, firm, organization or corporation which …
Vermiculite comprises a group of hydrated, laminar magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate minerals resembling mica. They are secondary minerals, typically altered biotite, iron-rich phlogopite or other micas or clay-like minerals that are themselves sometimes alteration products of amphibole, chlorite, olivine and pyroxene. Vermiculite deposits are associated with volcanic ultramafic …
Technically, vermiculite is a hydrated magnesium iron aluminium silicate mineral in the form of shiny flakes, which are usually golden brown to blackish in colour. Vermiculite is expanded …
the patent discloses that the dispersions can be prepared by treating vermiculite crystal with a solution containing a cation which can diffuse between the interlayers of the crystal's mineral structure and cause gross swelling in a direction normal to the main cleavage plane of the layer during immersion in water, immersing the treated vermiculite in water and permitting the …
Vermiculite deposits are associated with volcanic ultramafic rocks rich in magnesium silicate minerals, and flakes of the mineral range in color from black to shades of brown and …
Exposure to asbestos-containing vermiculite ore and respiratory symptoms among individuals who were children while the mine was active in Libby, Montana. Lisa C Vinikoor, Theodore C Larson, Thomas F Bateson, Linda Birnbaum ... Respiratory symptoms were associated with other vermiculite exposures as well, and the number and frequency of these ...
BackgroundLibby, Montana, was home to the largest vermiculite ore mine in the United States. The processing, use, and transport of the ore, which was contaminated with amphibole asbestos, led to generalized contamination of the community. The mine closed in 1990.ObjectivesWe examined the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in 2000–2001 and their …
Vermiculite, in ore concentrate and exfoliated state, may contain small quantities of crystalline silica, as quartz. This is usually only present as non-respirable particles but ... Some countries will even require any material containing more than 0.1% crystalline silica to be labelled as a carcinogen. Information given in this booklet is only ...
&EPA EPA910-R-01-002 United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 10,1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101-1128 Feasibility for Identifying Mineralogical and Geochemical Tracers for Vermiculite Ore Deposits February, 2001 Prepared By David Frank and Lorraine Edmond U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Assessment Region 10
vermiculite ore (an asbestos-containing mineral) at sites across the United States. These sites were identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as having possibly received vermiculite from a mine in Libby, Montana. Specifically, the purpose of these health
ATSDR issued cooperative agreements to select state public health agencies to conduct health statistics reviews related to potential human exposure to contaminated vermiculite ore (an asbestos-containing mineral) at sites across the United States.
Libby, Montana, was home to the largest vermiculite ore mine in the United States. The processing, use, and transport of the ore, which was contaminated with amphibole asbestos, led to generalized ...
Strategy for Further Assessment of Vermiculite Ore Asbestos Sites September 30, 2008 I. Background : The Agency is committed to developing a strategy by the end of FY08 for conducting further assessments of vermiculite ore asbestos sites: "We agree it would be prudent to take another look at the completed site assessments
Vermiculite ore mined near Libby, Montana was contaminated with ... When working with asbestos, including asbestos-containing vermiculite, the goal at a minimum is to reduce asbestos exposure to below the OSHA 8-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure limit of 0.1 fiber/cm . To ensure this
Actively engaged in the mining of vermiculite ore and/or the production of vermiculite concentrate, or 3. A sales agent or broker of a person, firm, organization or corporation which qualifies as, but is not, a Mining Member ... Actively engaged in the manufacture of products containing vermiculite, or 3. A mining company that produces 10,000 ...
Vermiculite deposits are associated with volcanic ultramafic rocks rich in magnesium silicate minerals, and flakes of the mineral range in color from black to shades of brown and yellow. …
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is addressing public health concerns regarding a fibrous amphibole that occurs in vermiculite ore in the Libby, Montana, area. Scientists agree that exposure to this mineral increased the risk of nonmalignant respiratory and pleural disorders, lung cancer, and mesothelioma in groups of people who worked in the now …
BACKGROUND: Libby, Montana, was home to the largest vermiculite ore mine in the United States. The processing, use, and transport of the ore, which was contaminated with amphibole asbestos, led to generalized contamination of the community. The mine closed in 1990.
Flakes of raw vermiculite concentrate are micaceous in appearance and contain interlayer water in their structure. When the flakes are heated rapidly to a temperature above 870 degrees …
Some previously marketed asbestos-containing products, such as amphibole-contaminated vermiculite insulation, remain in many homes and other buildings in the United States. ... Vermiculite contaminated with asbestos was produced as late as 1990 from a mine near Libby, Montana. The mined vermiculite ore contained amphibole asbestos. It was ...
Vermiculite ore deposits, like most other rocks, contain an assemblage of other minerals besides the vermiculite (Addison and Davies 1990). There may be major components such as feldspars, pyroxenes, amphiboles, carbonates, and quartz, as well as minor components such as phosphates, iron oxides, titanium oxides and zircon (Atkinson et al 1982).