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Asbestos is a
catch-all term for a variety of different minerals which have a wide
range of uses. The word "asbestos"
is derived from Greek words meaning "not extinguishable"; asbestos is
extremely resistant to fire and heat.
All forms of asbestos
are fibrous, meaning that asbestos strands can be extracted from the
rock and woven and spun much like cotton or other conventional fabrics.
In addition to being fireproof and weavable into cloth, asbestos is an
outstanding insulator, has high tensile strength, and is chemically
stable. The combination of these unusual properties led to the use of
asbestos in an enormous variety of household and industrial
applications from ancient times; asbestos has been in use for more than
two thousand years.
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