The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-07-03
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n Fibrous structure is one Of the mos
J useful properties of matter. and ma
teriaI possessing II was employed D.,
p man in his earliest steps toward civil
p Iuzation in making parts OF his weap-
ons Of defense as well as his appare
land habitation. He used both animal
and vegetable hbers. and their utiliza-
Ition today forms the basis OF many OF
the most important industies of man.
kind Rut these organic Gbers are
leasily destroyed. they are ephemcral.
The United states Geological Survey
has just published an advance chapter
from contributions 20 Economic Ge-
loloey. 1910" on the important ashes
Itos deposits IN the United States by
IL. :. Diuer. According 20 Mr. Dnler.
lasbestos is one of the most important
minerals 40 human welfare. The dis
'coyery OF mineral fiber in asbestos,
which is ordinarily understandable. be-
longs 10 a comparatively late period
Iof civilization although asbestos was
fused in the ancien, pyre 10 preserve
/ the royal ashes Charlemagne is said
] 10 have had q table cloth made of as
bestos and used 10 clean il by throwing
| il into the fire 10 consume the dirt.
thus Illustrating in a spectacular man
ner one OF the most important proper
ties Of this mineral.
Most Useful Fireproofing.
The best grade Of asbestos is beau
tiful silky fiber with a high degree of
nexibuity. elasticity and tensile
strength. II can be spun into thread
$50 enc as 10 run 225 yards TO the
ounce. and IL is incombustible as well
as nonoonductor of heat and elastic
ity and resistant To tho action of most
ordinary acids its field of application
is large. The possibilities of the use
fuIuess of asbestos are far from being
fully appreciated not only by the gen
eral public but 10y manufacturers In
search OF material for special pur-
poses 20 which asbestos may we'll be
applied.
Perhaps the most general use is To
make hreproof cloth for theatcr cur
tains. In Germany it is used for fire.
mems clothing. Everywhere I'm cold !
countries it is extensively employed |
for furnace. oiler. and pipe covering to
prevent loss of heat. Asbestos is a |
good insulator and whether steam or
electricity is used for power asbestos
is one Of the most important elements
IN the harness.
Asbestos OF Commerce.
The asbestos of commerce Includes !
hbrous minerals of several species, but |
an may be- Included under amphibole |
ana serpentine. Fibrous amphibole is |
properly called asbestos. fbrous SER
pentine is ohrysotilc and the espe-
cially fine silky form of both amphi-
hole and serpentinc is known as ami |
anthus. but in the trade all are includ- |
ed under the general term asbestos |
Like auriterous quartz and the ores |
of other precious metals, asbestos gem
orally forms veins but in some places |
where IL is of low grade it makes up
the whole mass of the country rock.
There are three types Of asbestos
cross fiber. slip fiber. and mass fiber
distinguished by the form of aggre-
cation
The most valuable asbestos fiber oc-
ours in cross-hber veins. The fiber
runs directly across the vein from side
TO side. It's length is thus limited by
the width Of the vein and ranges from
one sixteenth of an inch to inches
For the most part the veins of ashes
tos separate easily from the country
rock and when broken across expose
the beautiful white fuzzy asbestos fiber
with the sheen of silk. The highest
grade Of asbestos. about an inch in
length, Is common i'm the eastern pro-
yinccs Of Canada but has not yet been
produced in the United States 1t is
worth about 1915 ton. The lower
grades, ranging from 800 down to less
than SO a ton, are much the more
abundant in all asbestos fields.
slip fiber occurs along slipping
planes or faults and shows the direc-
ton of the motion. Most of the slip
fiber asbestos is of low grade.
Source OF Asbestos.
All asbestos is of secondary origin,
and it may be derived by alteration
from a variety of rocks generally rich
In oiivine or pyroxene. Some of it,
however is derived from impure lime
stone. Rocks originally rich in Divine
are by far the most important source.
They alter 10 serpentine and under ia
vorable conditions give rise To ashes
t"s. The purer the serpentine the
more likely il 81 10 contain asbestos,
especially 1t the serpentine has been
greatly fractured and intruded by
granite bikes, as in the vicinity of
| ThctfOrd Canada Rocks and condi-