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Mineral Facts and Problems
by the Staff of the Bureau of Mines

United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1956

This book contains 9 pages about ASBESTOS, written by Oliver Bowles, Commodity-Industry Analyst, Bureau of Mines

Asbestos Sub-headings:
Summary
Characteristics and Sources
Geology
Mining
Milling
Reserves
Uses
Production, Consumption, and Foreign Trade
Self-Sufficiency
Prices
Tariff
Research
Outlook
Problems
- Search for Domestic Sources of Supply
- Development of Substitutions for Asbestos
- Synthesis
- The Problem of Low-Iron Chrysotile
- Problems in Utilization of Chrysotile
- Substitutes for Amosite
- Substitutes for Crocidolite
- Development of New Uses For Tremolite and Anthophyllite
- Statistical and Other Informational Services

Tables
1- World production of asbestos, unmanufactured, by principle countries, 1949-53, in metric tons
2- Production of Asbestos in leading countries, in short tons, 1949-53
3- United States consumption and imports of asbestos, 1949-53, in short tons
4- Special grades of asbestos imported for consumption, 1949-53, short tons

EXCERPTS

USES

"Canadian group 4, or sometimes longer grades, as well as African amosite, is used extensively for making 85-percent magnesia block and pipe insulation consisting of about 85 percent basic magnesium carbonate and 15 percent asbestos.  Canadian group 5 is suitable for asbestos paper and millboard manufacture.  Such products are made on standard papermaking machines. An important use of asbestos paper is for making so-called air-cell pipe coverings.  The shortest fibers are used for boiler and roofing cements and as filler in asphalt floor tile and various other products."

"Amosite is used for felted lagging for high-temperature insulation, as a loosely compacted covering for marine turbines, jet engines and similar applications; and as a constituent of 85-percent magnesia and lightweight, fireproof partition board."

"Long-fiber crocidolite (blue asbestos) is woven into fabrics used for locomotive-boiler lagging (in Great Britain) and for acid-resistant packings and gaskets. The principal use of the shorter blue fibers is in making asbestos-cement pipe. Bolivian blue asbestos is used for making gas-mask filters."

"The amphibole fibers (tremolite and anthophyllite) are used for chemical-resistant filters, as welding-rod coatings, and as fillers in various products."

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OUTLOOK

"Asbestos is widely used in industry in such products as friction materials, pipe covering, packings, and gaskets.  The building industry also provides a large market for asbestos-cement products (roofing and sliding), floor tile, and insulation."

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Under the RESEARCH subheading, the following Companies are Mentioned:

Johns-Manville Company  - mentions that they manufacture low-iron Quinterra paper from purfied short-fiber Canadian chyrysotile, and that it is marketed for electrical insulation

Raybestos-Manhatten Inc  - is producing Novabestos paper and tapes

Naval Research Laboratory - has done experimental work on the possible use of a papermaker's Vortrap to remove iron from Canadian chrysotile.
Bueau of Mines also doing research.

"The Department of Defense has developed fiber-glass gas mask filters that have been accepted widely as substitutes for those of Bolivian blue asbestos."

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This book also covers many other minerals, including: Aluminum & bauxite, Anthracite, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Bituminous coal, Boron, Bromine, Cadmium, Cement, Cesium, Chromium, Clays, Cobalt, Columbium and tantalum, Copper, Corundum, Diamonds, Diatomite, Feldspar, Ferroalloys, Fluorine, Gallium, Garnet, Gem Stones, Germanium, Gold, Graphite, Gypsum, Helium, Indium, Iodine, Iron, Jewel bearings, Kyanite, Lead, Lignite and peat, Lime, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Mica.... and many others.. Book is over 1000 pages!

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BOOK CONDITION:  Good. Wear and fading/discoloration to covers.  Owner stamp to several pages.  Spine is faded.  Book hinges have been repaired. There are stamps of the minerals which have been applied to many of the sections (primarily in margins - not obscuring any of the text).  Binding is good. Underlining to a few sections.
Mineral Facts and Problems
by the Staff of the Bureau of Mines
$175