Naturally occurring asbestos in eastern Australia: a review of geological occurrence,disturbance and mesothelioma risk |
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Authors: | Marc Hendrickx |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia |
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Abstract: | Potential asbestos-bearing rocks account for about 0.2% of the land area of eastern Australia. The main mode of occurrence
is as narrow cross fibre and slip fibre veins of chrysotile asbestos in serpentinised ophiolite complexes along the boundaries
of major tectonic domains. Smaller deposits of chrysotile and amphibole asbestos occur in metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic
rocks associated with the Macquarie Volcanic Arc in New South Wales. Amphibole asbestos is also known from Proterozoic and
Palaeozoic amphibolite and from Devonian basalt. Natural asbestos-bearing materials in eastern Australia have been disturbed
by mining, road construction, agriculture and forestry, urban development and through natural weathering processes. Persons
most at risk of potential exposure to asbestos from natural sources include: farmers who work or live in areas where asbestos-bearing
materials may be routinely disturbed by agricultural activities; construction workers involved in large-scale earthwork projects
in areas underlain by asbestos-bearing rocks; and quarry workers who unwittingly disturb asbestos-bearing materials. Government
authorities and private enterprise need to take geological factors into account to reduce the likelihood of unplanned disturbance
of natural asbestos-bearing materials.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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Keywords: | Geoscience and health Naturally occurring asbestos Australia Chrysotile Tremolite Mesothelioma |
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