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Asbestos is all three serpentine minerals, as well as tremolite amphibole. All asbestos minerals, as well as talc, are formed by low grade hydrous metamorphism of mafic and ultra mafic rocks.
In the US all commercial soapstone is talc. Due to its mineralogical affinities, one should not be suprised if there are extremely minor amounts of serpentine in a talc body. So wear a respirator, use a mist, and try to keep the dust down. But in reality, the amount of asbestos you will encounter will probably be about the same as on a city side walk due to asbestos containing brakes and clutches still in use.
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In some previous discussion threads, there were some mentions of the dangers of working with soapstone and breathing in the dust, which was compared to breathing asbestos. Is this a known, accepted fact? Is working with soapstone (even outside with appropriate breathing protection) something that reasonably intelligent people should avoid doing? More information would be appreciated. It’s interesting that companies should as Vermont Soapstone leave you with (or at least used to leave you with, based on a brochure that is several years old) instructions for sanding their products after installation. Seems if soapstone dust is that toxic, they would be leaving themselves open to all sorts of nasty repercussions.
Second, leaving health issues aside, is building a soapstone bathtub in place (assuming appropriate support under the tub) a foolish thing to consider? I would be forming each side using an appropriate adhesive (epoxy cement?) on scrap material I have access to (each piece being from maybe ½ square foot to 3 or 4 square feet). Would water pressure against the sides blow it out?
Thanks, all.
*Logic says that soapstone is no different from other soft minerals. Respirators are called for. You look at asbestos, and it uniquely has curly particles that grab onto the lung's lining. Griding down soapstone shouldn't be in the same ball park as tearing apart asbestos. Just stuff you don't want to breathe, like any other mineral dust.
*Serpentine, commonly called soapstone, includes at least two distinct minerals, antigorite and chrysotile. Outside a laboratory setting, it is difficult to distinguish the two. Abestos is chrysotile.Soapstone is also described as an impure variety of talc. Therefore, it is quite malleable and easily deformed when subjected to a force. If you plan to use it for a bathtub, plan on reinforcing with other building material. And do wear a respirator--not a PM10 dustmask!--when handling/fabricating. Contact sealer mfg. for selection of sealer to use in wet area (and below waterline) for this mineral.
*Asbestos is all three serpentine minerals, as well as tremolite amphibole. All asbestos minerals, as well as talc, are formed by low grade hydrous metamorphism of mafic and ultra mafic rocks.In the US all commercial soapstone is talc. Due to its mineralogical affinities, one should not be suprised if there are extremely minor amounts of serpentine in a talc body. So wear a respirator, use a mist, and try to keep the dust down. But in reality, the amount of asbestos you will encounter will probably be about the same as on a city side walk due to asbestos containing brakes and clutches still in use.