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This comprehensive sourcebook describes the chemical, physical, and mineralogical aspects of fibrous inorganic materials, both synthetic and naturally occurring. A general description of the fibrous state, the range of compounds that can adopt this form, and an overview of the characteristics unique to such materials form the backbone of the book . The authors also assess the application and use of asbestos and other fibrous materials in industry and evaluate their potential as health hazards. The information gathered here will be highly useful to medical investigators and legal professionals involved in environmental health.

Framboids may be the most astonishing and abundant natural features you have never heard of. These microscopic spherules of golden pyrite consist of thousands of even smaller microcrystals, often arranged in stunning geometric arrays. There are probably 10³⁰ on Earth, and they are forming at a rate of 10²⁰ every second. This means that there are a billion times more framboids than sand grains on Earth, and a million times more framboids than stars in the observable universe. They are all around us: they can be found in rocks of all ages and in present-day sediments, soils, and natural waters. The sulfur in the pyrite is mainly produced by bacteria, and many framboids contain organic matter. They are formed through burst nucleation of supersaturated solutions of iron and sulfide, followed by limited crystal growth in diffusion-dominated stagnant sediments. The framboids self-assemble as surface free energy is minimized and the microcrystals are attracted to each other by surface forces. Self-organization occurs through entropy maximization, and the microcrystals rotate into their final positions through Brownian motion. The final shape of the framboids is often actually polygonal or partially facetted rather than spherical, as icosahedral microcrystal packing develops. Their average diameter is around 6 microns and the average microcrystal size is about 0.1 microns. There is no significant change in these dimensions with time: the framboid is an exceptionally stable structure, and the oldest may be 2.9 billion years old. This means that they provide samples of the chemistry of ancient environments.

Most people have heard of pyrite, the brassy yellow mineral sometimes known as fool's gold. Pyrite behaves like stone and shines like metal, and its dual nature makes it a source of both metals and sulfur. Despite being the most common sulfide mineral on the earth's surface, pyrite's bright crystals have attracted the attention of many different cultures, and its nearly identical visual appearance to gold has led to tales of fraud, trickery, and claims of alchemy. Pyrite occupies a unique place in human history: it became an integral part of mining culture in America during the 19th century, and it has a presence in ancient Sumerian texts, Greek philosophy, and medieval poetry, becoming a symbol for anything overvalued. In Pyrite, geochemist and author David Rickard blends basic science and historical narrative to describe the many unique ways pyrite is integral to our world. He explains the basic science of oxidation, showing us why the mineral looks like gold, and inspects death zones of present oceans where pyrite-related hydrogen sulfide destroys oxygen in the waters. Rickard analyzes pyrite's role in manufacturing sulfuric acid and discusses the significant appearance of the mineral in literature, history, and the development of societies. The mineral's influence extends from human evolution and culture, through science and industry, to our understanding of ancient, modern, and future earth environments. Energetic and accessible, Pyrite is the first book to show readers the history and science of a mineral that helped make the modern world.