Association of tremolite habit with biological potential: preliminary report.

Tremolite is an amphibole mineral which occurs naturally in three distinct morphological forms or mineral habits. It may occur as asbestos, splintery fibres or in massive crystalline deposits. Mineral habit is determined at the time of its crystallization and conversion to a different habit would require re-crystallization. The massive crystalline deposits, on crushing may yield elongated fibrous-looking particles referred to as acicular cleavage fragments (Langer et al., 1979). Tremolite’s ability to form these three habits imparts it with a range of physico-chemical properties.