Asbestos Amosite
Amosite asbestos is also called brown asbestos, or more technically, grunerite. The term "amosite" is a trade name, a conversion of the business name "Asbestos Mines of South Africa (AMOS)," where much of this type of asbestos was obtained. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), amosite is the second most commonly used mineral type of asbestos in the U.S. (after chrysotile or "serpentine" asbestos).
Amosite and Cancer
As a form of asbestos, amosite has caused many cases of cancer (including mesothelioma) in people of many countries, but especially near the amosite mines in South Africa, the world's main commercial source of amosite. The workers who mined and processed amosite have cancer rates far worse than those of the general population.
Asbestos Amosite in the U.S.
Any amosite mineral asbestos used in the U.S. is most likely from the amosite mines in Transvaal, South Africa. Amosite asbestos was used mostly in thermal insulation products and building products such as:
- ceiling tiles
- roof tiles
- floor tiles
- plumbing insulation
- insulation board
- chemical insulation
- gaskets, lagging
- cement sheet
- electrical and telecommunication insulation
Amosite Inhalation
The fibers of amosite are long and thin, and they can be broken into smaller, needle-like pieces. Fragments of amosite fibers are sometimes identified in building materials. As with other types of asbestos (there are six types in all), amosite is less of a danger when it is "trapped" in place in a product. It is when the amosite is being installed, removed or manipulated — or when its fibers are released into the air because of deterioration or damage — that the human beings in the area are vulnerable to asbestos inhalation.
Learn More about Amosite Exposure
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a disease that may be due to amosite exposure, you may qualify to recover monetary compensation for damages including medical expenses, necessary long term treatment programs, lost wages and emotional pain and suffering. To schedule a free consultation with an asbestos attorney to learn more about your legal rights, contact Mesothelioma Treatment Centers today. We can also provide you general with resources and information about amosite and other forms of asbestos.



