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Tremolite-contaminated vermiculite mining dust

Mineral and fibrous dust encountered during vermiculite mining and milling where tremolite-actinolite contamination is present.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

asbestos-fiber exposure concernoccupational respiratory diseasepleural disease concernlung cancer concernmesothelioma concern

Evidence

A NIOSH-indexed exposure study of vermiculite miners and millers in Libby, Montana estimated occupational tremolite and actinolite fiber exposures from air and bulk samples collected over multiple decades.

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What health effects are caused by uncontaminated vermiculite? · 1
Based on available information, there is no clear evidence that dust from vermiculite itself causes any serious health effects. ... The observed health effects associated with asbestos-contaminated vermiculite can be attributed to contaminant fibers, rather than to vermiculite itself.
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page 1 · What is vermiculite?; What are the health effects caused by asbestos? · 1
Vermiculite ore mined near Libby, Montana, was contaminated with asbestos and asbestos-like fibers. Workplace exposure to these fibers caused a serious health problem in local miners and millers, as well as some downstream workers.

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