Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a natural mineral that has the unusual ability when crushed, then heated to 1000 degrees it “pops” (like popcorn) into a lightweight material that can be used in industrial, construction and horticulture applications

Vermiculite Ore	Expanded (popped) Vermiculite

Up until 1990 approximately 70% of the world’s supply of vermiculite came from the Libby, Montana mines, Tremolite asbestos was identified as a contaminate within the Libby deposit.

Although the mine owners took increasing measures to reduce the asbestos content in their product, it is likely that most of their production contained at least a trace of free asbestos fiber.

Vermiculite proved to be a great insulation and was installed into hundreds of thousands of buildings in Canada; it was used as loose fill inside cinder blocks, attic and wall insulation, and packing around stovepipes or as a fire stop.

It is important to remember that not all vermiculite is contaminated with asbestos, but if vermiculite was installed in your building prior to 1990 there is a high possibility that it is contaminated with asbestos and should be treated as such until tested by an accredited laboratory. It should also be noted that vermiculite itself has not been found to be a dangerous material, the danger only exist when the material has been contaminated with asbestos.

Additional information can be found at the following web sites:

Health Canada