Mineral fibres and mesothelioma.

There has been considerable recent interest in the sug- gestion that mineral fibres other than asbestos might be associated with mesotheliomas in the pleural and peritoneal cavities. Compared with the wealth of information on the consequences of exposure to asbestos, information about the effects of other fibrous minerals is sparse and much of it is of a preliminary nature. In this editorial the relationship between fibrous minerals and mesothelioma will be considered under the following headings: (1) asbestos minerals of commercial value; (2) asbestos minerals as potential environmental contaminants; (3) naturally occurring fibrous minerals as potential environmental con- taminants; (4) synthetic mineral fibres.