Naturally Occurring Asbestos in France: Geological Mapping, Mineral Characterization, and Technical Developments

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
Florence Cagnard ◽  
Didier Lahondère
Keyword(s):  
Analysis Data ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
National Agency ◽  
Natural Materials ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
Regulatory Changes ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
Geological Units

ABSTRACT In France, asbestos was banned by national decree (no. 96-1133) in 1996. The regulatory texts and standards adopted to implement this ban are concerned primarily with asbestos-containing manufactured products and are difficult to apply to asbestos-bearing natural materials (i.e., rocks and soils). Considering problems related to asbestos-bearing natural materials, the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Energy has mandated the French Geological Survey to map locations where asbestos-bearing rocks are found. Mapping was prioritized to geological domains where naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) was predictable (e.g., the Western Alps and Corsica). These studies integrated field expertise, sampling, and laboratory analysis data to characterize the potential of geological units to contain NOA. Additionally, studies were conducted on geological formations exploited to produce aggregates. These studies were focused on quarries excavating massive, basic or ultrabasic rocks likely to contain NOA and quarries mining alluvium likely to contain asbestos-bearing rock pebbles. These studies highlight the difficulty of establishing robust analytical procedures for natural materials. The distinction between cleavage fragments (resulting from the fragmentation of non-asbestos particles) and proper asbestos fibers is particularly problematic for laboratories. Thus, a recent study by the National Agency for Health Safety, Food, Environment, and Work recommends applying the asbestos regulation to elongated mineral particles (length/depth > 3:1, length > 5 μm, depth < 3 μm) with chemical composition corresponding to one of the five regulated amphibole species regardless of their mode of crystallization (asbestiform or non-asbestiform). The upcoming regulatory changes are part of a decree published in 2017, including the prior identification of asbestos in natural soils or rocks likely to be impacted by ground-disturbing construction activities. Specific protocols will be defined for sampling, analysis, and characterization of natural materials that may contain asbestos.

Naturally Occurring Asbestos in France: A Technical and Regulatory Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erell Léocat
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
Fiber Morphology ◽  
National Agency ◽  
Regulatory Review ◽  
Air Filter ◽  
Road Base ◽  
Mineral Particles ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos

ABSTRACT Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) has been a well-known issue within rock quarries for a long time. In France, the subject has recently become more controversial, particularly since 2013. In fact, some mineral fibers with the chemical composition of regulated asbestos (i.e., actinolite) have been discovered in road-base aggregates and associated air filter samples. The main problem concerns the determination of the asbestiform versus non-asbestiform character of such mineral particles. The in-force standard based on the morphological identification of a fiber does not allow one to make this distinction. Presently, in France, the asbestos analysis of building material is based on a “yes” or “no” result. This method has limitations for analyzing NOA, as NOA may be present in lower concentrations in natural materials, especially in road-base aggregates. The health effects of the non-asbestiform particles, also called “cleavage fragments,” with fiber morphology are not well established. The French government mandated the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety to conduct a review on the “state of the art” concerning the cleavage fragment issue. The conclusions of the report highlight the fact that elongate mineral particles (EMPs) are up for debate and address remaining questions concerning this subject. The next fundamental step is to secure agreement on the terminology of EMPs with the aim of comparing the studies in different disciplines.

Impacts of land use on spatial distribution of mortality rates of cancers caused by naturally occurring asbestos

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 516-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binggan Wei ◽  
Xianjie Jia ◽  
Bixiong Ye ◽  
Jiangping Yu ◽  
Biao Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos

scholarly journals Impact of Naturally Occurring Asbestos on Asbestos Ban: Regulations and Experience of the Republic of Korea

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 742
Author(s):  
Jiwoon Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
Mineral Particles ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
The Future ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
The Republic

This review examined the main issues debated in Korea regarding the production and use of materials containing naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) as impurities, and investigated the impacts of these debates on the asbestos ban, as well as the future implications. In Korea, incidents associated with the production and use of NOA-contaminated talc powders, construction rocks, serpentinites, and dolomite rocks raised public concern and led to accelerating the ban on asbestos. The main controversies concern policies on appropriate asbestos content limits, whether materials containing a trace amount of NOA should be banned, and the control of materials with high human exposure risk. To address recurring controversies, the implementation of preventive measures to manage elongated mineral particles and the use of transmission electron microscopy for more sensitive analysis need to be discussed, along with reaching social agreement on the controversial policies. To minimize the potential exposure to asbestos that may occur during the production and use of industrial minerals in the future, it is necessary to apply occupational exposure control measures and monitor the health effects of the relevant population groups. These national policies on NOA should be prepared based on close collaboration and discussion with policymakers, industry stakeholders, and related academic experts.

Overview of Naturally Occurring Asbestos in California and Southwestern Nevada

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
R. Mark Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
North American ◽  
Volcanic Belt ◽  
Island Arc ◽  
North American Plate ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Rock Types ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos

ABSTRACT Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) is being discovered in a widening array of geologic environments. The complex geology of the state of California is an excellent example of the variety of geologic environments and rock types that contain NOA. Notably, the majority of California rocks were emplaced during a continental collision of eastward-subducting oceanic and island arc terranes (Pacific and Farallon plates) with the westward continental margin of the North American plate between 65 and 150 MY BP. This collision and accompanying accretion of oceanic and island arc material from the Pacific plate onto the North American plate, as well as the thermal events caused by emplacement of the large volcanic belt that became today's Sierra Nevada mountain range, are the principal processes that produced the rocks where the majority of NOA-bearing units have been identified.

scholarly journals Geological Map of a Treasure Chest of Geodiversity: The Lavagnina Lakes Area (Alessandria, Italy)

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Scarsi ◽  
Laura Crispini ◽  
Cristina Malatesta ◽  
Chiara Spagnolo ◽  
Giovanni Capponi
Keyword(s):  
Gold Mineralization ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Natural Park ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Geological Map ◽  
Nw Italy ◽  
Treasure Chest

The aim of this work is to present a new georeferenced geological map of an area in the Ligurian Western Alps (Lavagnina Lakes area) that includes both a unique geodiversity and great biodiversity, a peculiar geological heritage, and cultural features. The study area is located in the northern part of the Capanne di Marcarolo Regional Natural Park, occurring in the southern Piedmont Region (Alessandria, NW Italy) and close to the suburbs of Genoa. This area has been studied by multi-disciplinary scientific researchers who, so far, have focused their attention on the occurrence of alkaline springs and investigation of different endemic floral species. Moreover, in the past, the Lavagnina Lakes area has been exploited due to the presence of gold mineralization, and several mining records are still visible. We performed detailed geological mapping at a 1:10,000 scale, and collected data that were later integrated into a digital GIS map. The database associated with the map contains information that may be interesting from different points of view: (i) scientific research; (ii) outreach and dissemination activities; and (iii) geotourism (i.e., trail networks and panoramic viewpoints). The area represents a section of the Jurassic Piedmont Ligurian oceanic lithosphere, showing several geologic processes on different scales, such as the serpentinization process and intense and widespread carbonation of ultramafic rocks; the area is, moreover, characterized by fault systems showing paleoseismic structures. Beyond scientific research activities (i.e., geology, geoarchaeology, and mining archaeology), the area can also be promoted for geotourism, outreach and dissemination activities, field trips for schools, and gold panning activities. Hence, our new digital map and our 3D model could be a useful tool to illustrate the main characteristics of the area, leading a non-expert public to explore different geological features in a relatively “small” area. In this way, our map could help to improve geotourism, be used as a tool for educational activities, and, finally, could also help the Capanne di Marcarolo Regional Natural Park to be recognized as a geopark.

Naturally occurring asbestos in an alpine ophiolitic complex (northern Corsica, France)

2019 ◽  
Vol 78 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier Lahondère ◽  
Florence Cagnard ◽  
Guillaume Wille ◽  
Jéromine Duron
Keyword(s):  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
Ophiolitic Complex

scholarly journals Naturally Occurring Asbestos in Argentina: A Compilation of Case Studies

2018 ◽  
pp. 169-174
Author(s):  
Lescano Leticia ◽  
Locati Francisco ◽  
Marfil Silvina ◽  
Sfragulla Jorge ◽  
Bonalumi Aldo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos

Does Exposure to Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) During Dam Construction Increase Mesothelioma Risk?

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Construction Project ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Dam Construction ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Mineral Fibers ◽  
Mineral Particles ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
Compare And Contrast

ABSTRACT The Calaveras Dam Replacement Project, a major construction project completed in 2019, involved hundreds of workers using heavy earth-moving equipment and mining operations, including blasting, drilling, rock crushing, and other operations designed to move millions of cubic yards of earth. Much of the material was composed of serpentinite, blueschist, and other rocks that contain chrysotile and a variety of amphibole minerals, including glaucophane, winchite, actinolite, tremolite, and other asbestos-related amphiboles. This article explores the unique characteristics of the blueschist that required extensive protective measures to be undertaken by the contractor to protect workers and surrounding sensitive receptors. This article will provide an overall summary of the dimensional characteristics of the airborne blueschist elongate mineral particles encountered during construction activities to compare and contrast current understanding of cleavage fragments versus asbestiform mineral fibers.

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