Crocidolite

crocidolite

 or blue asbestos

Gray-blue to green, highly fibrous (asbestiform) form of the amphibole mineral riebeckite. It has higher tensile strength than chrysotile asbestos. The major commercial source is South Africa, where it occurs in Precambrian banded-iron formations; it is also found in Australia and Bolivia.

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crocidolite [krō′sīd·əl‚īt]

(mineralogy)

A lavender-blue, indigo-blue, or leek-green asbestiform variety of riebeckite; occurs in fibrous, massive, and earthy forms. Also known as blue asbestos; krokidolite.

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riebeckite asbestos

A type of mineral derived from a monoclinic amphibole.

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Crocidolite 

a mineral, a blue asbestiform variety of the alkaline amphibole mineral riebeckite. Crocidolite occurs in metamorphic shales, forming pockets and veins. Large quantities of crocidolite (in veins) are located near Griquatown and in northeastern Transvaal (South Africa). In the USSR crocidolite deposits are found in the vicinity of Krivoi Rog and in the Urals (the Moiva River in Cherdyn’ Raion). Opal and quartz pseudomorphs after crocidolite are characterized by a beautiful silky luster and are used in jewelry-making as tigereye (golden brown) or hawk’s-eye (light blue).