How is asbestos made?

This is a misleading question because asbestos is not actually “made.” Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral which was mined extensively for a variety of purposes. This material was used as a component in as many as 3,600 different commercial products and it can be found in deposits across the globe, with many previous mines that even operated in the United States. The use of asbestos stretches back thousands of years, as it was used as a strengthener and fire-resistant additive to many materials, including cloth and earthenware vessels. In fact, the name of this material is derived from the Greek work for “unquenchable” or “inextinguishable.”