ASBESTOS IN WAR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 251, 5 August 1941, Page 8

ASBESTOS IN WAR.

BRITISH EMPIRE MONOPOLY. Of vital importance in a hundred Avays, asbestos may proA r e one of the commodities essential to the Avinning of the Avar. The British Empire has almost a monopoly in its production. Every tank that goes into action is lined with asbestos; the brakes on every army lorry arc largely composed of it ; it is avoa'cu into the barrel of every gun; firemen are Avearing asbestos clothes, and the ropes they use are manufactured from it. In its nature asbestos is indestructible. Centuries ago tho Greeks discovered the name'for it, meaning incombustible, but their use .of asbestos Avas almost entirely limited to the provision of ■ garments for tho funeral pyre. By its means they preserved the ashes of the dead.

Later, asbestos was termed “the funeral dress of kings.” It resisted the most ravaging fires, it is known now that it will withstand a temperature of 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. it was not until the eighteenth century however, that asbestos came into use for commercial purposes. After the small-supplies known to the Greeks and Romans had been exhausted, a little was discovered in Russia. It was neglected, little attention being paid to its value except in the manufacture of cooking utensils. Suddenly, in 1860, there came a change. Enormous quantities of asbestos were found in Canada. Mines several hundred feet deep were sunk in Quebec, and to-day these produce more than 85 per cent of the world’s supply. Last year, the production was a high record, 600,000 tons. Added to this was the supply from Rhodesia (9 per cent), and Russia (5 per cent), leaving only 1 per cent from other sources. The greatest consumer of asbestos is the United States, so that in addition to its other values it is helping to pay for munitions. America uses about 250,000 tons a year, costing lier approximately £7,500,000.

The Axis Powers arc unable to obtain asbestos except from Russia, and it is fairly safe to assume that Russia lias little to spare. All that Russia can produce is. likely to be required in her own munitions industries.

It is usually necessary to quarry about 2000 tons of rock to obtain 100 tons of asbestos. By various processes it is separated into different grades. It emerges as a thin fibre.