Amosite (definition of)

The name of this form of asbestos is from an acronym for "Asbestos Mines Of South Africa." Produced primarily in that country, it is grayish-yellowish to dark brown in color because of ferrous (iron) content; its fibers are hard and brittle. Also known as "brown" asbestos, amosite was the second-most common form of asbestos used worldwide; the ferrous content made amosite highly resistant to corrosive chemical substances. It was therefore commonly used in chemical plants, laboratories and oil refineries.

Next to "blue" crocidolite asbestos, amosite is among the deadliest varieties of this mineral and is the primary cause of mesothelioma (like peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma). Its use has been outlawed in virtually every country in the world, but it may still be present in older chemical plants and laboratories.

Interestingly, it was among South African asbestos miners that mesothelioma was first identified as a form of cancer separate from cancer of the lung.