The Unfortunate History of "The Miracle Mineral" - Asbestos

Flexibility, durability and the ability to withstand high amounts of heat made Asbestos known as the 'Miracle Mineral' in Ancient Greece. Used for a wide variety of purposes such as funeral outfits for cremation of their kings to everyday household items such as wicks for oil lamps, 'asbestos' itself was a Greek word meaning 'inextinguishable'. Even in the ancient times, this highly valuable substance came to be known as dangerous to the human lungs and was only handled in it's raw form by slaves.

Even in ancient times, the Greeks recognized that asbestos was dangerous; slaves who worked with the material experienced damage to their lungs. Over the years, asbestos was made into cloths that wowed the guests of royal Persian and Chinese households.

Beginning with the industrial revolution in the mid-nineteenth century, asbestos became a popular source of insulation due to its fire retardant properties. In 1879, the first asbestos mine opened up in the Appalachian region of Quebec. Well into the twentieth century, asbestos was used as a fire-retardant coating in a wide variety of places, from inside drywall to roofing and lawn furniture.

But by the early twentieth century, the medical profession was already beginning to wonder about safety hazards related to the popular insulation, and in 1906 doctors recorded the first documented death from asbestos. Yet, due to corporate business interests, the governments of the world were very slow to stop the production of asbestos. Even thought for decades the American government was aware of the health risks associated with the use of asbestos, it wasn't until the late 1970s that this information came to the publics attention.

What Exactly Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a silicate mineral that occurs naturally and consists of long, stringy crystal fibres. Asbestos fibres when inhaled can cause serious damage to the lungs and in cases, can lead to mesothelioma (a form of lung cancer that is a result from asbestos exposure), or other forms of caner of the lung, as well as a chronic inflammatory condition of the lungs called 'Asbestosis'.

Much thinner than the human hair, the individual fibres of asbestos easily become airborne and find their way into human lungs, eyes, and skin. Without a doubt, extended exposure to this substance leads to serious health risks.

Asbestos in Australia -

In Australia during the post-war period of 1945 to 1980, asbestos was used heavily in construction, shipyards, and power stations. It was also mined in Australia and exported around the world. Although the dangers of the material were already known, it took until the mid-1970s for the use of asbestos to slow down. Today, people exposed to asbestos in Australia thirty or forty years previously are suing mining companies and other industries for asbestos-related illnesses.

Asbestos Removal in Brisbane -

Asbestos removal in Brisbane is big business: several asbestos companies offering Brisbane Asbestos Removal exist to remove asbestos from homes, buildings, and especially asbestos removal from roofs, where asbestos in home construction was concentrated. Roof replacement in Brisbane should be only ever handled by a licensed, fully certified company. Consider that asbestos removal and Brisbane roofing replacement due to asbestos can put families at risk if they are not properly handled, so finding an asbestos removal Brisbane company that is qualified to do this job is of prime importance. As asbestos was a common substance used in roofing, it vital that companies chosen for all roof replacement work should he thoroughly investigated prior to hiring.


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