New England Asbestos
New England has never been a major mining region and asbestos is a relatively uncommon mineral, but in America's early days small mines and quarries often successfully supplied local needs for many years. The insulating properties of asbestos have long been known, but only in modern times has its toxic nature been understood. One has to wonder how many of the early prospectors and miners who worked these small deposits died of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
Historic descriptions of New England asbestos deposits may be found in the following entries from Hayward's New England Gazetteer of 1839:
