[Rockhounds] Blue Schist

[teresa jetter]

Hi Jim M,
  Wow!  Because I am just learning and still fresh to
all of the minerals, gemstones, etc....  I am glad
that there are teachers, instructors, and field
experts like you and the others that are soooo helpful
when I ask questions.
Teri J
--- Jim Murowchick <murowchickj at umkc.edu> wrote:

> Good morning Teri and others
>     
>     Since blueschists contain glaucophane (an
> amphibole), is there a health
> hazard in using it for lapidary work?  Glaucophane
> is one of the amphiboles
> that can be fibrous (asbestiform) and is closely
> related to riebeckite
> (fibrous form = "crocidolite" or "blue asbestos"),
> which was linked to
> mesothelioma, a lung cancer.  Most of the blueschist
> thin sections I've
> looked at have glaucophane as long prismatic
> crystals, needles or bundles of
> needles and fibers. I'm not a medical expert, but I
> wouldn't want to mess
> with any dust containing fibrous amphiboles.  Those
> are far more hazardous
> than the serpentine asbestos, chrysotile.
>     I suppose working the material wet would keep
> the dust down, but it
> wouldn't surprise me if there were fibers in any
> mist or spray that could be
> inhaled.  I would use a good dust mask if I chose to
> work with it.
> 
>     Any better insights on this from anyone?
> 
> Jim Murowchick   
> 
> On 7/23/07 10:01 AM, "teresa jetter"
> <territoones1 at ameritech.net> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Larry
> > could you tell me what the hardness of the
> Blueschist
> > usually is?  It seems from the reading that it can
> be
> > formed from a few different specimens.  Would it
> be
> > good or bad, for cutting cab's?
> > Thanks
> > Teri J
> 
> 
> -- 
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage
> Policy:
>
http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
>