Exports and imports declined to
4,000 tons and 6,000 tons, respectively. Estimated consumption
declined to 6,000 tons from 7,000 tons in 2002. Some reported exports
were likely to have been reexports, asbestos-containing products, or
nonasbestos products. Any exports of domestically used produced
asbestos were from stocks owing to the closure of the last U.S.
asbestos mine in 2002. All the asbestos used in the United States was
chrysolite. Canada remained the largest supplier of asbestos for
domestic consumption.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January
2004
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January
2004
World Resources: The world has 200 millions tons of
identified resources and an additional 45 million tons classified as
hypothetical resources. The U.S. resources are large, but are composed
mostly of short fibers.
Substitutes: Numerous materials substitute for asbestos
in products. The substitutes include calcium silicate, carbon fiber,
cellulose fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, steel fiber, wollastonite,
and several organic fibers, such as possible asbestos substitute for
products in which the reinforcement properties of fibers were not
required. No single substitute was as versatile as asbestos.
Domestic Production and Use: There was no asbestos production in the
United States in 2003.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January
2004
