Baltimore Sun, "Libby Asbestos Ideally Suited to Injure and Kill, Worthless for Other Uses"

          The asbestos inhaled by residents of Libby, Montana, was never good for much -- not for strengthening concrete, soundproofing buildings or insulating boilers, brake pads or clutches.
          But if someone were to design an asbestos fiber that stood a good chance of triggering cancers and respiratory disorders, experts say, he could hardly have done better.
          Nature made six types of asbestos, magnesium silicates that exist in nature as bundles of tiny fibers that can fray or be picked apart. The kind that occurred in the W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine is known as tremolite, but not all tremolite is created equal.
          Dr. Victor L. Roggli, a Duke University pathologist who studies asbestos-related illnesses, said Libby's tremolite was distinguished by its long, slender fibers, which make it particularly dangerous.

Note: Lieff Cabraser represents homeowners with Zonolite asbestos injury claims in a certified Washington state class action, and a proposed federal nationwide class action, now among the creditors' claims against W.R. Grace & Co. in the Grace bankruptcy proceedings.