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 ASBESTOS
 ITS PRODUCTION AND USE


 WITH

 _SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ASBESTOS MINES OF CANADA_




 BY ROBERT H. JONES




 [Illustration]




 LONDON:
 CROSBY LOCKWOOD AND SON
 7, STATIONERS' HALL COURT, LUDGATE HILL
 1888




PREFACE.


The substance of the following pages was originally comprised in a
series of Letters from Canada to a friend in London, who was desirous of
obtaining all the authentic information possible on a subject on which
so little appears to be generally known.

The use of Asbestos in the arts and manufactures is now rapidly assuming
such large proportions that, it is believed, it will presently be found
more difficult to say to what purposes it cannot be applied than to what
it can and is.

Under these circumstances, although much of the information here given
is not new, but has been gathered from every available source, it is
hoped that the compilation in its present shape may be found acceptable.

  R. H. J.

  HOTEL VICTORIA,
    NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE
    _April 20, 1888._




CONTENTS.


                                                PAGE

  INTRODUCTORY                                   5-8

  ASBESTOS AT THE AMERICAN EXHIBITION          9, 10

  WHERE FOUND                                  12-15

  ITALIAN AND CANADIAN ASBESTOS COMPARED       16-18

  WHERE USED                                      18

  THE ASBESTOS OF ITALY                        19-24

  CANADIAN MINING FOR ASBESTOS                 24-29

  ASBESTOS MINES OF CANADA--
    THE THETFORD GROUP                         29-36
    THE COLERAINE GROUP                        36-42
    BROUGHTON                                  42-46
    DANVILLE                                      46
    SOUTH HAM                                  47-50
    WOLFESTOWN                                    50

  USES TO WHICH ASBESTOS IS APPLIED            55-72

  INDEX                                       75, 76




ASBESTOS.


One of Nature's most marvellous productions, asbestos is a physical
paradox. It has been called a mineralogical vegetable; it is both
fibrous and crystalline, elastic yet brittle; a floating stone, which
can be as readily carded, spun, and woven into tissue as cotton or the
finest silk.

Called by geologists "asbestus" (the termination in os being the
adjective form of the word), the name of the mineral in its Greek form
as commonly used (+asbestos+), signifies "indestructible." The French
adopt the same derivation, calling it "asbeste" (mineral filamenteux et
incombustible). In Germany it is called "steinflachs" (stone-flax); and
by the Italians "amianto" (from +amiantos+, pure, incorruptible);
so-called because cloth made from it was cleansed by passing it through
fire. Charlemagne, we are told, having a cloth made of this material in
his possession, one day after dinner astonished his rude warrior guests
by throwing it in the fire, and then withdrawing it cleansed and
unconsumed.

As a modern pendent to this well-known legend, the following is current
in Quebec. A labouring man, who had left the old country to seek a
better fortune in the Dominion, found employment at once on arrival in
one of the many lumber yards on the St. Lawrence, where his energy and
activity, supplemented by great bodily strength, soon secured for him a
good position. It so happened, however, that one evening, on returning
from their daily toil to their common apartment, some of his
fellow-workmen saw him deliberately throw himself into a seat, kick off
his boots, and then pull off his socks, and having opened the door of
the stove, coolly fling them in on to the mass of burning wood. Possibly
no particular notice would have been taken of this, judged as a mere act
of folly and waste on the part of the new-comer; but when, almost
immediately afterwards, they saw him open the stove door again, take out
the apparently blazing socks, and, after giving them a shake, proceed
just as deliberately to draw them on to his feet again, that was a
trifle too much! Human nature could not stand that. Consequently the
horrified spectators, having for a moment looked on aghast, fled
precipitately from the room. To them the facts were clear enough. This,
they said, was no human being like themselves; such hellish practices
could have but one origin. If not the devil himself, this man certainly
could be no other than one of his emissaries. So off they went in a body
to the manager and demanded his instant dismissal, loudly asseverating
that they would no longer eat, drink, or work in company with such a
monster. Enquiry being at once set on foot, it turned out that some time
before leaving England the man had worked at an asbestos factory, where
he had learned to appreciate the valuable properties of this mineral;
and being of an ingenious turn of mind, he had managed to procure some
of the fiberized material and therewith knit himself a pair of socks,
which he was accustomed to cleanse in the manner described. He was, as
has been said, an unusually good workman, consequently his employers had
no wish to part with him. Explanation and expostulation, however, were
all in vain; nothing could remove the horrible impression that his
conduct had made upon the minds of his superstitious fellow-workmen; go
he must and did, nor could the tumult be in any way allayed until he had
been dismissed from his work and had left the yard.

Leaving this digression, however, it may be said that the peculiar
properties of the mineral were known long before Charlemagne's time. The
ancients, who believed it to be a plant, made a cere-cloth of it, in
which they were accustomed to enwrap the bodies which were to be burned
on the funeral pyre, so that the ashes might be retained, separate and
intact, for preservation in the family urn, an aperture being left in
the cloth to allow a free passage for the flames. How they succeeded in
weaving this cloth is now unknown. It has been suggested that its
accomplishment was effected by weaving the fibres along with those of
flax, and then passing the whole through a furnace to burn out the flax.

The lamps used by the vestal virgins are also said to have been
furnished with asbestos wicks, so that the modern adaptation of it to
this purpose is only another exemplification of the truth of Solomon's
saying that "there is nothing new under the sun."

The mineral has been variously described. In general terms it may be
said to be a fibrous variety of serpentine, closely allied to the
hornblende family of minerals, the Canadian variety of which is called
by mineralogists "chrysotile." In the local vernacular of the mining
districts this is "pierre-a-coton" (cotton-stone), perhaps as expressive
a term as can be found.

The ore takes a variety of forms; much of it (especially that found in
the States) is of a coarse woody character, of but little value for
mercantile purposes.

Sir William Logan, in his "Geology of Canada," says that foliated and
fibrous varieties of serpentine are common in veins of the ophiolites of
the Silurian series, constituting the varieties which have been
described under the various names of baltimorite, marmolite, picrolite,
and chrysotile. The true asbestos, however, he says, is a fibrous
variety of tremolite or hornblende.

In _Le Genie Civil_ for September, 1883, Canadian asbestos is thus
described: "La chrysotile du Canada n'est pas comme l'amiante ordinaire
formee d'un paquet de fils d'un blanc verdatre et remplissant des
cavites irregulieres: c'est une veritable pierre d'une densite comprise
entre 2 et 3, qui se trouve en couches de 3 a 10 centimetres
d'epaisseur. Cette pierre possede la propriete de se reduire en fibres
perpendiculairement a sa longueur sous un effort tres faible. Ses fibres
transversales sont plus resistantes et beaucoup plus facile a filer, a
tisser, et a feutrer que l'amiante ordinaire." This is as good a
description of chrysotile as can be found anywhere.

Until the discovery of the Canadian mines, the variety here spoken of as
amiante (amianthus), was esteemed the most rare and delicate kind, on
account of its beautifully white, flexible, long, and delicately laid
fibres. This variety is generally found buried in the centre of the
older crystalline rocks in the Pyrenees, the Alps of Dauphiny, on Mount
St. Gothard, in North America, in the serpentines of Sweden, the Ural
Mountains, Silesia, and New South Wales. The most beautiful specimens,
such as are preserved in museums and mineralogical collections, have
mostly been brought from Tarantaise in Savoy, or from Corsica.[1] In
this latter place it is said to be so abundant that, its mercantile
value being unknown, it has often been used, instead of tow, as a
material for packing.

In a handbook published by the Dominion Government in 1882 (before the
discovery of the mines of chrysotile) on the mineral resources of
Canada, it is said that--

"What is commercially known as asbestos is really a term used to denote
a peculiar fibrous form assumed by several distinct minerals, rather
than to designate any particular species. Tremolite, actinolite, and
other forms of hornblende and serpentine, passing into fibrous
varieties, assume the name of asbestos, and the 'Geology of Canada' does
not give the mineral as a distinct one, but recognizes it under these
different headings. As yet comparatively little asbestos has been found
in Canada."

This is sufficient to show how small was the interest, even so recently
as that, attaching to this substance in the very country which was so
soon to find it taking important rank amongst her natural productions.

That singularly beautiful mineral termed "crocidolite," which displays
such sheens and radiances of gold and bronze and green as give it the
appearance of satin changed into stone, is nothing more than compressed
asbestos. The derivation of its name is not happy. It is said to be from
+krokos lithos+, simply crocus- or yellow stone. This is
doubtless its general colour, but the finest crocidolite is anything but
yellow.

Having heard that there were some fine specimens of asbestos on view at
the recent exhibition of the United States products at Earl's Court, I
made a journey there specially to see them. In this, however, I was
disappointed. There was but one small tray of so-called asbestos
(amphibole) on view; and this was of a coarse woody character, very
similar in appearance to a sample I had had sent to me recently from
California. It was, moreover, of a very poor colour and certainly not of
the kind that would readily find a market. I found there, however, a
piece of unmistakable chrysotile, grouped amongst a miscellaneous lot of
American minerals. The exhibitor at once told me, in reply to my
questions, that this was not an American product at all, but that it was
a "vegetable matter" found in Canada. He evidently did not know much
about it, and said it was not asbestos at all. It was not by any means a
fine specimen: it had somewhat the appearance of ordinary Thetford No.
1, though differing slightly in colour. I could get no further
information about it, except that it had come from near Ottawa.

At this exhibition I found a splendid display of crocidolite, the sight
of which well repaid the visit. I secured a good specimen, but found, on
enquiry, that like all the superior qualities of this mineral, it had
been brought from Griqualand (South Africa). The sample I secured was of
the kind that in the States is called "Tiger-eye," as I presume, from
its general tawny- streaky brilliancy. The exhibitor said it was
a silicate of iron occurring in asbestos-like fibres. It is of an
exceedingly hard, densely compact nature; from its hardness difficult to
work, but susceptible of a very high polish. A few years ago it was
thought to be a precious stone and accordingly commanded a high price,
but recent discoveries of large deposits considerably reduced its value.
It is used for a variety of ornamental purposes, for which, from its
extreme natural beauty, it is peculiarly adapted. The grain is very fine
and in its rough state the fibres are singularly distinct.

There is another very singular substance worth alluding to here, which
is often put forward as a substitute for asbestos, and which is said by
the manufacturers to be fireproof, frost-proof, vermin-proof,
sound-proof, indestructible, and odourless. This is a good deal to say,
but is in a great measure true. It is largely used in the United Slates,
especially for insulating and other purposes of a like kind. I mean the
artificially manufactured material called "Mineral or Slag Wool," which
is made from the refuse of the furnaces at ironworks, by, it is said,
passing jets of steam through molten slag. This material is manufactured
on a somewhat extensive scale by the Western Mineral Wool Company, of
Cleveland, Ohio. There is no doubt it is a very useful substance for
many of the purposes for which it is recommended, but it can scarcely be
expected to compete to any material extent with asbestos