Blue asbestos ?

It should most certainly not have been included in a rock collection without notification (if that is what the specimen actually is). It may also not be allowed to be brought onto the grounds of a government school or workplace, depending on the particular state government's asbestos policy. I work at a state school where some of the older buildings contain asbestos sheeting and whenever they are inadvertently damaged there is hell to pay, classes being shifted to other buildings etc until the spot is cleaned up and re-sealed. A student also found a piece of unusual looking material on the ground near where we had two new buildings put in. His father took it to the lab at the alumina plant and they confirmed it was asbestos containing material, accidentally brought in with the fill for the new buildings. The area can now not be disturbed by mowing as it likely contains more and they simply keep dumping loads of bark chip over the area.

I agree that the degree of risk is somewhat overblown and asbestos-related lung disease really only likely for those working with asbestos containing material ie cutting and abrading it. However, we should err on the side of caution - a long journey in a container of rock specimens may have abraded some of it and left a bunch of loose micro fibres with the specimens. Maybe give the whole collection and container they came in a wash?

Wishfull, do you know where the rock kit originally came from? Some countries are still using asbestos in building materials just as we did decades ago.

This is a very Sore point with me..... People who think Asbestos is Cool and 'It wont Kill Ya' Tell that to the 15 Funerals that I have been to from this SH#$ and the 10000 Workers who will Die in the next 10yrs..... 8.( 8.(

Asbestosis or Any Asbestos Related Diseases can take up to 70yrs or more for the Exposure to show it's Ugly head.... You should have Yearly X-rays Moneybox.... There is NO SAFE EXPOSURE level for Asbestos... 1 fibre into your Lungs and it sits there forever...

That's why Mostly Old People have Asbestos related Diseases..... I was exposed in 1989 and 3 yrs ago they said I Had it(Asbestosis).... Thank God they were Wrong.... If they were correct I would have been one of very Few 'Young-ones' to Die from it.. And im over 45..... A very Scary /Upsetting time...

Wishfull, Contact WorkCover/Worksafe Government Department in your State about ''Your Purchase''. ASAP.... They Will test said sample and take Action where Needed....
The Poor Workers who cut/packed/handled/ that crap.... They wouldn't even know where/when they were Exposed...Like most unfortunately.....

If you think Dying from Cancer is bad.... This is 10 times Worse....... 8.( My apologies if the above offends anyone...

LoneWolf..

Yes LoneWolf it's always in the back of you mind. I used to cart asbestos from the mine at Barraba in NSW to CSR in Sydney. Going down the steep hill to the mine all the trees were white from the dust. Then when they loaded the bags onto the trailer dust was going everywhere. Then we had to tarp it down and pull the tarps off again at the other end. The same tarps were used for following loads of different products for the return trip to Brisbane of freight heading to Melbourne. No safety procedures at all.

Back when I was 16, 30 odd years ago, I worked as a laborer for a small time builder. On one job, the owner wanted a new roof fitted to his shed but did not want asbestos sheeting. But my boss bought the asbestos corrugated sheeting anyway. Apart from this not being what the client wanted, my employer found a problem with the sheeting.

On each corner was stamped 'Warning Asbestos'. But nether the less he found a solution. I had to cut each corner off all the sheets with the angle grinder. Every time I now read these stories I think of that job.

The Good OL Days ... they call that.... My Father used to pull out Asbestos Matting and have a sleep on it at Lunchtime.... I was So surprised when he Died he didn't have it.... It only takes one Fibre to enter Deep in your Lung..... My 'Concern' is the unlimited number of Home Renovators that have no idea what will hit them in their Later stage of Life...

Old Fibreglass Bats are another major concern due to the small size of their Particles. Only a micron or two difference from Asbestos... These have now been Increased after a report in the 90s in the US ... Findings were, 87% of Retired ex Boral workers who manufactured the Fibreglass, Died from Lung-Related Diseases...

If I was you Moneybox I would be having X-rays yearly.... And the Missus too... After all, She Did the Washing of your Work Clothes.......
There was a Song about this Sh#$ Mineral..

Blue Sky Mining.... Midnight Oil.... Oh so true...

Wishfull, I will run down Your main street naked if that isn't Asbestos...

LoneWolf....

Food for Thought for Everyone exposed... and sounds like a few of us have... :N:
Make sure you have Documented Evidence of your Past Employment if You Think you have been exposed..... My Second place of call after my First Diagnosis with my Dr was a Lawyer.(Union Advice)... If the Diagnosis was Correct, I was up for a $3.5m payout due to Negligence of Australia's Biggest Builder.... No good to me... I would be Dead... But at least My Family would have been taken care of... :/

LoneWolf...

The C0. I got it from or should I say the contact from that Co. said he packs Almost all of the rocks himself and suggested that I send the lot of rocks back and he would exchange them . I said I had already tumbled all but the the rock in question and I am going to get a geologist to inspect the rock for me.
I do agree that the asbestos thing is being blown up a bit by the media, they do that with midt stories.
Our parents used asbestos in lots of things. They used it in brake linings carpets linoleum window putty you name it.
All I am concerned about is that this Australian company should have known better and never should have allowed that rock to be sent anywhere. Trouble is I can't really prove they sent it to me can I ?

They used it in brake linings carpets linoleum window putty you name it.

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A lady I used to work with lost her husband to asbestos in brake linings, he was a mechanic and did a particularly large amount of work on brakes.

Moneybox said:

Yes LoneWolf it's always in the back of you mind. I used to cart asbestos from the mine at Barraba in NSW to CSR in Sydney. Going down the steep hill to the mine all the trees were white from the dust. Then when they loaded the bags onto the trailer dust was going everywhere. Then we had to tarp it down and pull the tarps off again at the other end. The same tarps were used for following loads of different products for the return trip to Brisbane of freight heading to Melbourne. No safety procedures at all.

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Born & raised in Barraba, living back here now. I remember the trucks coming through town & as you said, dust over everything out around the mine site. The mine is still an open pit but has been fenced off. The road to the plant past the tailings dump has been closed & the buildings on the site have been removed in the last couple of years. Always talk of rehabilitating the site but how do you do that without disturbing the ground.

The old Woodsreef Common across the road was one of the best gold fossicking areas near Barraba but has now been taken over by NSW National Parks & is permanently closed due to possible asbestos contamination. Iv`e been using that area for over 40 years (& still do) but I`m not worried about getting sick, probably too late now any way.

A local posted some photos on Facebook recently of the plant in operation, dust everywhere, the workers had no protective gear on at all. A fair few that worked out there still live in town, none have gotten sick that I know of.

I remember the company handing out sample bags of processed asbestos at school back when I was in primary.

Update:
Found out the rock i got from a dealer in NSW
is in fact blue asbestos. Had it checked by a retired Geologist. Now I don't know what to do about it, how to get rid of it etc. Maybe coat it in resin and then what ?

I don't think the guy that sent it to me was very thorough in checking the rocks he sent me, I dont want to get him in the sh#t.

get some of the resin that is used in craft and make a paper weight out of it so you will always remember how close you came to making a big booboo and a feeling that something was not right and simple question on here confirmed it

You could embed it in a block of that glass-resin stuff. Don't know the name but remember that my granddad used to put thing like dried starfish and things in it then put it on the display shelf.

Probably just use that 2 pack resin. Make sure it is the uv stabilised stuff so it doesn't yellow.

Cheers

Doug

Thanks guys. Man that was a close one. Well I will have a paper weight that could have weighed heavily.

I emailed the company in question and asked them to be more thorough when sending out material and that I could have taken it further but I think it was an honest mistake.
The company replied that they would never had intentionally sent that material out and have double checked their stock and informed their supplier's.
Check everything.

Lefty said:

You could embed it in a block of that glass-resin stuff. Don't know the name but remember that my granddad used to put thing like dried starfish and things in it then put it on the display shelf.

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That's a cool idea, this stuff 8)
[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Wp9CmSKFY[/video]
Disposal where I am it get's wrapred in black plastic and buried supposed to be taken to the correct area of the tip
I know a few spots the local council have buried some under a big mound of dirt :N:

Hi wishful,

your local tip will take asbestos, especially a very small amount like that. Just put it in two zip lock bags and let them know you will be bringing it to be disposed of. You can look up online which tips will take it. The local tips around my area will take it for a very small fee, especially the amount you have.

I work at the local high school and the Department have issued warnings about our old mineral kits and asking us to double bag any that contain serpentine, crocadilite, even talc as they are quite often found in the same area. I am going through our rock samples at the moment seeing if there is nothing tucked away that we shouldn't have.

It must have been a horrible surprise to find that included with your samples. The company should have taken every step to recover and dispose of the asbestos for you, k.

LoneWolf said:

Wishfull, I will run down Your main street naked if that isn't Asbestos...

LoneWolf....

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] Looks like your Main Street is Safe, Wishfull.... ]