Asbestos is a group of naturally occuring mineral silicates.
Asbestos minerals crystallize into narrow parallel bundles which are composed of many thin fibers. Some of the notable properties of asbestos are resistance to heat, resistance to chemical attack, high tensile strength and a tendency to be divided lengthwise into fine fibers. Use of asbestos on a large scale began in the early 1900s and continued until it was banned in the late 1970s. Because of the physical properties of asbestos, it worked very well as part of insulation, roofing, flooring and ceiling materials, etc. Asbestos was also used in the lining of car brakes.