Asbestos is the name for a group of natural minerals that separate into strong, very fine fibers.
A typical asbestos fiber is 1,200 times smaller than a strand of human hair. The fibers are heat-resistant and extremely durable. These qualities once made asbestos very useful in construction and industry. Asbestos fibers were generally mixed with a material that bound them together so they easily could be used in many different products. Of the many varieties of asbestos, the three most common are chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite.