# Serpentine Rock - Asbestos?



## AshRolls (23 May 2013)

I have picked up some beautiful rocks for use (hopefully) in my aquarium but am looking for advice to if they are suitable with regards to the water chemistry. The rocks are lizardite variety serpentine that I picked up from the Lizard peninsula here in Cornwall. More in depth information can be found here :- Serpentine group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Of particular concern is the Asbestos in these rocks, they are streaked with white which I believe is the asbestos itself. I have searched the forums here which came up with this post ( http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/90x45x45-llyn-peninsula_.8448/page-7#post-106272__ ) which states _
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			The rock you have chosen looks alot like serpentine. I havent ever heard of it being in the UK. It is the same rock I have chosen in my tank. The white in it is asbestos, but so long as u dont break it up, grind it or something you should be right. Correct me if I am wrong.
		
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_I am looking for a bit more in depth knowledge / reassurance about using them if anyone here can comment.

Additionally the rocks have Magnesium, Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt etc which I am also worried may effect the flora and fauna in my tank.

If it is of use to know, the natural water I use to fill my tank is soft and slightly alkaline (buffering from the water company), though I also use collected rainwater.

Thanks in advance.


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## Ian Holdich (23 May 2013)

I would steer clear of these tbh, I have first hand experience working with a couple of miners that have mined these kinds of rocks. They really suffer painful deaths. They contain they fall into Chrysotile, the most common form of asbetos. Just for the use in an aquarium, I wouldn't touch them. 
Look up mesothelioma, and you'll probably decide against it.


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## Palm Tree (24 May 2013)

I am definitely not qualified enough to answer this properly, but I can tell you if there is any chance of it being asbestos (any kind) I would not touch it, even though its a small amount. Having inhaled a lot of brown asbestos (amphibole) dust last year, I am honestly scared of the stuff. Even single high-level exposures *could* cause disease, however it is very unlikely. It is always in the back of my mind that even though the long period of time till symptoms,* if *I had a disease I could die in my 30's. Definitely not worth it for a fish tank.


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## AshRolls (24 May 2013)

Thanks for the feedback, I'm looking to also understand the science behind why it would be dangerous. By what mechanism would it be dangerous in rock form submersed in water? I understand that when rocks are smashed into dust and inhaled asbestos should be avoided. When it is still trapped in rock and underwater is it still a problem? Does anyone have any understanding of these processes?


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## Ian Holdich (24 May 2013)

Underwater it probably wouldn't be a problem. I think you'd struggle to find studies into this tbh. I spent sometime working at a hospice, were one of our consultants was a mesathelioma expert. I attended many of his teaching sessions on how asbestos actually causes malignant tumours, supprisingly they actually still use asbestos in some countries, Canada being one of them. They even have a museum dedicated to aspestos! 
It's the actual fibre that causes the problems. It only takes one fibre to cause a problems.


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## AshRolls (24 May 2013)

When you see it under a microscope you can understand why you wouldn't want it in your lungs!


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## ian_m (24 May 2013)

Serpentine, especially from Cornwall is used for all type of thing, building stone, ballast, statues, bowls and jewellery. Yes it does contain chrysotile (white asbestos) but is generally bound in the rock and may/may not be released during excavation & processing, however the jury is still out on any health hazards posed. It is the cause of asbestos in water in Cornwall.

White asbestos is/was generally made from purer forms of chrysotile mined specially for the job. I am not aware asbestos was ever made from anything mined in UK (may be wrong on that).

So bung it in your tank. It you decide to break the rock, wet it first and do it outside if worried.


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## AshRolls (24 May 2013)

Thanks for the comments ian_m.



AshRolls said:


> Additionally the rocks have Magnesium, Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt etc which I am also worried may effect the flora and fauna in my tank.


 
Can anyone comment on the possible effect of the other components in the serpentine?


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## dw1305 (24 May 2013)

Hi all,
Asbestos isn't nice, but I think Iam_m is probably right and it won't cause any problems. The main reason is that the rock is really hard (it is 350,000,000 years old) and it won't give off much of anything. We did some work on both ecology and polluted water on the Lizard in the 1990's.

<Cornwall Wildlife Trust | Cornish geology | Lizard>.

cheers Darrel


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## ajadcock (24 May 2013)

having had to a do a course about asbestos I can tell you when suspended in a liquid it is completely harmless! to the point where you could drink it! :s

as others said dont break up the rock or use anything abrasive on it as it may release  particulates into the air. 
other than that, crack on


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## Palm Tree (24 May 2013)

ajadcock said:


> having had to a do a course about asbestos I can tell you when suspended in a liquid it is completely harmless! to the point where you could drink it! :s
> 
> as others said dont break up the rock or use anything abrasive on it as it may release particulates into the air.
> other than that, crack on


 I was told that as well, yet when looking at it further I found something saying that the effects of digesting have not fully been shown.


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## ian_m (24 May 2013)

Well there are measurable amounts of chrysotile in Cornish drinking due to rock run off and I don't hear of Cornwall being a major cancer hotspot!!!


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## ajadcock (29 May 2013)

I certainly wont be using it as sugar substitute in my coffee anytime soon 

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