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Mineral Dusts and Human Health

The Mineral Dusts and Human Health project (MDHHP), which ran from fiscal year 2001 through fiscal year 2004, utilized an interdisciplinary approach (involving mineralogy, economic geology, aqueous and stable isotope geochemistry, analytical chemistry, remote sensing, regional geology, and toxicology expertise) to help understand how the geologic characteristics of mineral dusts (and the source materials from which the dusts are derived) may influence their roles in human health. A key aspect of the project was its integration of earth science and health science expertise and activities. A summary of MDHHP outcomes and publications is included below.

The project's primary focus was upon asbestos and fibrous dusts related to mining, mineral processing, or mineral products, and so the project addressed environmental and human health priorities of the Mineral Resources Program outlined in USGS science planning documents. To a limited extent, the project also successfully applied the same interdisciplinary approach (in collaboration as appropriate with other USGS projects) to study potential health implications of other earth materials such as: metal-bearing mine wastes, mill tailings, and smelter emissions; dusts from dry lake beds; soils; volcanic ash; coal and coal fly ash; and dusts from building collapse. The studies identified many topics for a spectrum of earth materials where substantial further research is needed to address increasing societal concerns.

The majority of the project's funding came from the USGS Mineral Resources Program. The Mendenhall Program supported a post-doctoral toxicology position linked to the project for two years, and the Earth Surface Dynamics Program and Energy Resources program contributed support for the toxicology position.

Background

The Mineral Dusts and Human Health project's focus was primarily on asbestos-containing dusts, although other dusts and dust sources were also investigated to a lesser extent. The project was initiated to provide impartial scientific input to help address renewed societal and regulatory concerns about potential health effects associated with exposure to asbestos. In the past, societal and regulatory concerns were focused on commercial and industrial asbestos. However, in recent years, largely as a result of significant health problems at Libby, Montana, concerns have increased substantially regarding so-called "naturally-occurring asbestos" (NOA) and other fibrous minerals that occur a) as accessory minerals in other industrial mineral deposits (such as vermiculite deposits like those mined at Libby, and such as some talc deposits) and b) in rock units (such as serpentinite-bearing ultramafic rocks).

The project provided insights about a number of asbestos issues that benefit a wide variety of stakeholders (see section summarizing significant outcomes). The project's activities also provided information that can be used to help address some of the many unanswered questions remaining about asbestos. For example, many questions still remain about how asbestos actually causes toxicity, and whether or not fibrous but non-asbestiform varieties of the same minerals can also trigger toxicity. Further, relatively little is known about the full range of geologic environments in which asbestos or other fibrous minerals can occur, the extent to which natural erosion or anthropogenic disturbance of these sources contributes to background levels of asbestos in the air, and the extent to which such background contributions can themselves trigger disease. Although the project's primary focus remained on asbestos and related minerals, limited studies were also carried out on other mineral particulates and/or their potential source material, including: mine wastes; mill tailings; soils affected by smelter emissions; mercury mine calcines; dry lake beds such as Owens Lake, CA; volcanic ash; various soils; coal dust and coal fly ash; and dusts generated by collapse of buildings such as the World Trade Center. These studies demonstrated that a similar interdisciplinary approach to that developed by the project to study asbestos can provide important insights into potential health concerns tied to many other types of earth materials that may be liberated as particulates into the environment. The studies also identified many topics in this realm where substantial further research is needed to address increasing societal concerns. The USGS Mineral Resources Program is currently (FY 2005-2009) funding a follow-up project titled "Earth Materials and Human Health" to address unresolved questions about asbestos and the potential health impacts of other earth materials such as mine wastes, soils, volcanic ash, dry lake bed dusts, coal dust and coal fly ash, and others.

Mineral Dusts and Human Health (MDHH) Project Outcomes

I. Asbestos

• USGS characterization work on fibrous amphiboles and vermiculite at Libby, Montana (funded in part by the US EPA and in part by the USGS Mineral Resources Program) has provided key scientific information that is being used or will be used to help:
  
  1. Assess the nature and extent of amphibole contamination present at Libby, at hundreds of plants nationwide where Libby vermiculite was processed, and in approximately a million homes with vermiculite insulation from Libby.
  2. Guide remedial efforts at sites where fibrous amphiboles from Libby are present.
  3. Understand how the fibrous amphiboles at Libby and geologically similar deposit types influence toxicity
  
  Results of the USGS activities will directly support or influence vermiculite-related cleanup activities nationwide.
• The project's geologic studies of vermiculite deposits nationwide:
  
  1. Indicate that not all vermiculite deposits contain fibrous amphiboles, and therefore not all types of vermiculite deposits need to be regulated as though they contain asbestos.
  2. Provide methods that are being used to help assess whether a particular vermiculite sample is from deposit types likely to contain fibrous amphiboles.
• The project's studies of the geologic occurrences of asbestiform or other potentially toxic fibrous minerals:
  
  1. Provide a geologic model of formation that helps explain why some types of talc deposits do not contain asbestiform amphiboles and why others do.
  2. Demonstrate that there are many possible geologic sources for asbestiform or other potentially toxic fibrous minerals nationwide. These sources, through either natural erosion or anthropogenic disturbance, may contribute to background levels of fibrous particulates in the air, and so must be taken into account in the interpretation of epidemiological data on asbestos-related diseases, and in the development of appropriate air quality standards for asbestos.
• The project systematically compared the mineralogical, geochemical, and toxicological properties of a wide variety of asbestos-related toxicological standards. Results show that there are considerable variations in all of these properties between different standards of a given asbestos mineral. Toxicological studies do not routinely take such variations into account, which may help explain seemingly conflicting results of different studies using different standards of the same minerals.
• The project developed, tested, and demonstrated the utility of AVIRIS (Airborne Visible and Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer) remote sensing techniques to map the occurrence of potentially asbestos-forming minerals over large areas. The technique is particularly valuable for helping evaluate areas where potentially asbestos bearing rock units may occur, but where geologic mapping is limited. This activity was carried out in collaboration with colleagues at the California Geological Survey.
• As a result of these project activities, USGS has responded to many requests for expert geologic and mineralogic information on asbestos, including:
  
  1. A request from the American Thoracic Society to write a summary of asbestos mineralogy for its revised criteria for assessing asbestos-related disease.
  2. A request to participate in the Federal Interagency Working Group on Asbestos. This Working Group is charged with evaluating current asbestos-related issues, and how these issues can be addressed by the regulatory agencies based on sound science input from science agencies such as the USGS. Regular participation by project members in this working group highlights the need for the USGS' impartial earth science input into asbestos issues.
  3. Multiple inquiries by other Federal agencies, State agencies, industry, and the public for scientific information on asbestos-related issues.
  4. A formal request for a project scientist to serve as an expert witness in Federal litigation related to Libby.
  5. A formal request for a project scientist to serve as an expert member of a committee overseeing activities of the Congressionally mandated U.S. Navy Lung Disease Assessment Program.

II. World Trade Center dust characterization

• Based on the characterization work done by USGS-MDHHP members on Libby, the USEPA and US Public Health Service, in the days immediately following 9-11, requested USGS assistance to assess the amounts and spatial distribution of asbestos in the dusts deposited by the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers. This emergency response effort was carried out by MDHHP scientists, was funded under the auspices of the MDHHP, and utilized the full mix of analytical capabilities developed by the project to study asbestos and other dust-related health issues.
• A field crew was mobilized to lower Manhattan area by September 16, collected more than 35 samples of the dusts from around lower Manhattan, and returned the samples to the Denver labs for analysis by September 20.
• AVIRIS thermal images of Ground Zero showing locations of burning "hot spots" in the debris were provided to emergency responders by September 18, for use in fighting fires on site.
• Preliminary USGS findings on the dusts were released on September 27, 2001, to emergency response authorities. The USGS studies provided an early and detailed (in terms of types of analyses and numbers of samples analyzed) summary of the dust mineralogy, chemical composition, and geochemical reactivity.
• A key USGS result was the conclusion that amphibole asbestos was likely not present in anything but very low levels in the dusts. However, the USGS results did indicate the presence of chrysotile asbestos in levels around 1-2%.
• The USGS study provided an early measure of the chemically reactive, alkaline nature of the dusts. The study also provided insights into the processes by which the dusts may have interacted chemically with water.
• USGS results have been cited by many different government agencies, Congressional representatives, the media, and the public. Project scientists continue to receive requests for information and results nearly 4 years later, and continue to field invitations to give presentations on the results.
• The study demonstrated that there is an appropriate role for a natural science agency such as the USGS in emergency response situations involving earth materials.
• The study and other related project work has resulted in a formal request for a project scientist to serve as a member of the World Trade Center Expert Technical Review Panel established by the EPA in consultation with the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

The USGS World Trade Center Response would not have been possible without the types of expertise developed through many years of project activities funded by the Mineral Resources program.

III. Characterization of non-asbestiform dusts and their sources

• USGS-MDHHP members, in cooperation with USGS scientists on other projects, have carried out reconnaissance studies of other atmospheric particulates and their sources. These studies show that the same interdisciplinary approach used for asbestos can successfully be applied to help understand how mineralogical and chemical characteristics of dusts and their source materials may influence human health.
• The project integrates mineralogical, geochemical reactivity, and toxicity characterization tests of earth materials to evaluate the role of particle mineralogy and reactivity in toxicity. For example, dusts from Owens Lake are well known for their high arsenic contents. Work in collaboration with the USGS Southwest Dusts project shows that the arsenic is likely to be quite bioaccessible, and that the dusts also contain other bioaccessible, potentially toxic, elements such as chromium.
• Early results of MDHHP studies characterizing volcanic ash have led to an invitation for a project scientist to serve as an expert member of the newly formed International Volcanic Health Hazard Network.

Minerals Dusts and Human Health Project Products

Published Reports

• Clark, Roger N., Green, Robert O., Swayze, Gregg A., Hoefen, Todd M., Livo, K. Eric, Pavi, Betina, Sarcher, Chuck, Boardman, Joe, Vance, J. Sam, 2001, Images of the World Trade Center site show thermal hot spots on September 16 and 23, 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, OF 01-0405 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/ofr-01-0405/).
• Clark, R., Green, R., Swayze, G., Meeker, G., Sutley, S., Hoefen, T., Livo K., Plumlee, G., Pavri, B., Sarture, C., Wilson, S., Hageman, P., Lamothe P., Vance, J., Boardman, J., Brownfield, I., Gent, C., Morath, L., Taggart, J., Theodorakos, P., and Adams, M, 2001, Environmental studies of the World Trade Center area after the September 11, 2001 attack: U. S. Geological Survey, Open File Report OFR-01-0429 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/ofr-01-0429/).
• Clark, R.N., Hoefen, T.M., Swayze, G.A., Livo, K.E., Meeker, G.P., Sutley, S.J., Wilson, S., Brownfield, I.K., and Vance, J.S., 2003, Reflectance Spectroscopy as a Rapid Assessment Tool for the Detection of Amphiboles from the Libby, Montana Region: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-128 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/ofr-03-128/).
• Finkelman, Robert B., Skinner, H. Catherine W. , Plumlee, Geoffrey S., Bunnell, Joseph E., 2001, Medical geology: Geotimes, 46 (11), p. 20-23.
• Lowers, H.A, and Meeker, G.P., 2002, Tabulation of Asbestos-Related Terminology: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-458 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2002/ofr-02-458/).
• Meeker, G.P., Bern, A.M., Brownfield, I.K, Lowers, H.A., Sutley, S.J., Hoefen, T.M., and Vance, J.S., 2003, The Composition and Morphology of Amphiboles from the Rainy Creek Complex, Near Libby, Montana: American Mineralogist, v. 88, 1955-1969.
• Plumlee, G.S., and Ziegler, T.L., 2003, The medical geochemistry of dusts, soil, and other earth materials, in, Lollar, B.S.L. (ed.), Treatise on Geochemistry, Volume 9, Environmental Geochemistry, pp. 263-310.
• USGS, 2002, USGS Environmental Studies of the World Trade Center Area, New York City, after September 11, 2001. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-050-02 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0050-02/).
• Van Gosen, B.S., Meeker, G.P., and Brownfield, I.K., 2004, Talc—Its relation to asbestiform amphiboles and the asbestos in crayons controversy, in Simandl, George, ed., Proceedings of the 37th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, Victoria, B.C., Canada, May 23-25, 2001: British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Survey Branch, Paper 2004-2, p. 185-195.
• Van Gosen, B.S., and Bush, A.L., 2001, Colorado vermiculite deposits—Mines, prospects, and occurrences: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-475, 10 p. of text, 2 data files (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/ofr-01-0475/).
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Bush, A.L., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., Brownfield, I.K., and Sutley, S.J., 2002, Reconnaissance study of the geology of U.S. vermiculite deposits-Are asbestos minerals common constituents?: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2192, 8 p. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2192/).
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Bush, A.L., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., Brownfield, I.K., and Sutley, S.J., 2002, Are asbestos minerals common in US vermiculite deposits?: North American Minerals News, issue 87 [August 2002], p. 8-12.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Bush, A.L., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., Brownfield, I.K., and Sutley, S.J., 2004, Reconnaissance study of the geology of U.S. vermiculite deposits—Are asbestos minerals common constituents?: Proceedings of the 38th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, St. Louis, Missouri, April 28-May 3, 2002: Missouri Geological Survey Publication, in press, 14 manuscript pages.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Sutley, S.J., and Gent, C.A., 2004, Asbestos-bearing talc deposits, southern Death Valley region, California: Proceedings of the 39th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, Sparks, Nevada, May 18-24, 2003: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Publication, in press, 9 p.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Sutley, S.J., and Gent, C.A., 2004, Using geologic setting of talc deposits as an indicator of amphibole asbestos content: Environmental Geology, v. 45, p. 920-939.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A, and Sutley, S.J., 2004, A USGS study of talc deposits and associated amphibole asbestos within mined deposits of the southern Death Valley region, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1092, 12 p. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1092/).

Abstracts

• Clark, R.N., Swayze, G.A., Hoefen, T.M., Livo, K.E., Sutley, S.J., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., Brownfield, I.K., Hageman, P.L., Lamothe, P, Gent, C., Morath, L.C., Taggart, J., Theodorakos, P.M., Adams, M., Green, R.O., Pavri, B., Sarture, C., Vance, J.S., and Boardman, J., 2003, Environmental mapping with imaging spectroscopy of the World Trade Center area after the September 11, 2001 attack, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OFR 03-0097, p. 49, 2003. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003.
• Clark, R., Swayze, G., Hoefen, T., Livo, E., Sutley, S., Meeker, G., Plumlee, G., Brownfield, I., Hageman, P., Lamothe, P., Gent, C., and Morath, L., 2002, Environmental mapping with imaging spectroscopy of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001, attack, [Abs]: GSA National Meeting, 1 p.
• Clark, R.N., Hoefen, T.M., Swayze, G.A., Livo, K.E., Meeker, G.P., Sutley, S.J., Brownfield, I.K., Wilson, S., Vance, J.S., and Gent, C., 2003, Reflectance spectroscopy as a rapid assessment tool to detect asbestiform mineralogy; lessons from the Libby, Montana region and World Trade Center, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OF 03-0097, p. 50, 2003. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003.
• Clark, R.N., et. al., Environmental mapping with imaging spectroscopy of the World Trade Center area after the September 11, 2001, attack, [Abs]: American Chemical Society Meeting, September 2003, New York City, New York.
• Gray, J.E., Higueras, P.L., Hageman, P.L., Plumlee, G.S., and Ziegler, T.L., 2004, Interaction of simulated human body fluids with mercury mine waste. Abstract, Society of Toxicology 2004 National meeting. Work done in collaboration between Landscape Geochemistry and MIneral Dusts and Human Health projects.
• Hinkley, T.K., Plumlee, G.S., Lamothe, P.J., Meeker, G.P.,Sutley, S.J., Lowers, H., Brownfield, I., and Ziegler, T., 2003, Geochemical solubility of asbestos toxicological standards in simulated lung fluids, [Abs]: Society of Toxicology, 42nd Annual Meeting, March 9-13, 2003.
• Lowers, H.A., Meeker, G.P., Brownfield, I.K., Bern, A.M., and Van Gosen, B.S.,2002, Fibrous and nonfibrous amphiboles at the Iron Hill carbonatite complex, Powderhorn, Colorado: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 34, no. 6, p. 117.
• Meeker, G.P., 2000, Analysis of asbestos containing materials from Rainy Creek District, Libby, Montana: Abstract, 2000 USGS EPA Libby Meeting, 4-2000.
• Meeker, G.P., Brownfield, I.K., Bern, A.M., Lowers, H.A., Sutley, S.J., Hoefen, T.M., Ziegler, T.L., Plumlee, G.S., Clark, R.N., and Swayze, G.A., 2003, Chemistry and morphology of amphibole asbestos from Libby, Montana; implications for the health, mineralogical, and regulatory communities, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OF 03-0097, p. 63. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003.
• Meeker, Brownfield, Clark, Vance, Hoefen, Sutley, Gent, Plumlee, Swayze, Hinkley, Horton, Ziegler, 2001, The Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of Amphibole from Libby, Montana: A Progress Report, Abstract, 2001 Health Effects of Asbestos, Oakland CA.
• Meeker, G.P., Sutley, S.J., Clark, R.N., Vance, J.S., Hoefen, T.M., Brownfield, I.K., Gent, C.A., Plumlee, G.S., Swayze, G.A., Hinkley, T.K., Horton, R., and Ziegler, T.L., 2001, An evaluation of current nomenclature & analytical procedures for asbestos from the analysis of samples from Libby, MT: Abstract.
• Meeker, G., Plumlee, G., Sutley, S., Lamothe, P., Swayze, G., Hoefen, T., Clark, R., Brownfield, I., Gent, C., Lowers, H., and Ziegler, T., 2003, Microanalysis and chemical characterization of dusts generated by the World Trade Center collapse: Abstract, ACS Meeting September 2003, New York City, New York.
• Meeker, G.P., Sutley, S.J., Swayze, G.A., Hoefen, T.M., Clark, R.N., Brownfield, I.K., Plumlee, G.S., Gent, C. and Lowers, H.A., 2002, Microanalysis and materials characterization of dusts generated by the World Trade Center collapse: Abstract, 2002 ASTM Workshop, Johnson Conference, Johnson State College, 7-2002.
• Meeker, G.P., Brownfield, I.K., Bern, A., Lowers, H., Sutley, S.J., Hoefen, T., Ziegler, T.L., Plumlee, G.S., Clark, R.N., and Swayze, G., 2002, Chemistry & morphology of amphibole asbestos from Libby, Montana: implications for the health, mineralogic,& regulatory communities: Abstract, GSA Annual Meeting October 2002, Denver, CO.
• Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., Hageman, P.L., Lamothe, P.J., Meeker, G.P., Theodorakos, P. M., Sutley, S.J., Clark, R.N., Wilson, S.A., Swayze, G.A., Hoefen, T.M., Taggart, J., and Adams, Monique, 2001, Dusts deposited by the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center collapse; their chemical reactions with simulated rain water and body fluids, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OF 03-0097, p. 34, 2003. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003.
• Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., Meeker, G.P., Clark, R.N., Hinkley, T.K., Swayze, G.A., Van Gosen, B.S., Smith, K.S., Horton, R.J., Sutley, S.J., Hoefen, T.M, Brownfield, I.K., and Gent, C.A., 2001, Asbestos-Bridging the gap between earth scientist and health scientist: Talk presented at the 129th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA), October 21-25, 2001, Atlanta, GA. [Abstracts published online through the APHA website.]
• Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., and Hinkley, T., The geochemical interactions of volcanic ash and gas with body fluids, [Abs]: Cities on Volcanoes 2003, Hilo, HI.
• Plumlee, G.S., Hageman, P., Lamothe, P., Wilson, S., Taggart, J., Swayze, G., Hoefen, T., Theodorakos, P., and Adams, M., Inorganic geochemistry of dusts deposited in lower Manhattan after the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center Collapse: [Abs]: ASTM Johnson Conference, July 22-25, 2002.
• Plumlee, G.S., Hageman, P.L., Ziegler, T.L. , Meeker, G.P., Lamothe, P.J., Theodorakos, P., Sutley, S.J., Clark, R.N., Wilson, S.A., Swayze, G.A., Hoefen, T.M. , Taggart, J., and Adams, M. , The geochemical composition and reactivity of dusts deposited by the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center Collapse, [Abs]: GSA Annual Meeting.
• Plumlee, G.S., Hageman, P.L., Meeker, G.P., Lamothe, P.J., Theodorakos, S.J., Sutley, S.J., Clark, S.A., Wilson, G.A., Swayze, G.A., Hoefen, T.M. , Taggart, J., Adams, M., and Ziegler, T., 2003, The chemical composition and reactivity of dusts deposited by the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center collapse, [Abs]: 2003 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting.
• Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., Lamothe, P.J., and Sutley, S., 2003, The toxicological geochemistry of dusts, soils, and other earth materials: insights from in vitro physiologically-based geochemical leach tests: American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting, December, 2003. Abstract V51D-0316.
• Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., Lamothe, P.J., and Sutley, S., 2004, The toxicological geochemistry of dusts, soils, and other earth materials: insights from in vitro physiologically-based geochemical leach tests: Society of Toxicology National Meeting, March, 2004, Abstract 1042.
• Reheis, M., Plumlee, G., Lamothe, P., Budahn, J., Hageman, P., Hinkley, T., Meeker, G., Gill, T., Winn, R., and Thames, D., 2001, Potential health hazards of Owens Lake dust: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, 33 (6), p. 237. In cooperation with the SW Dusts Project.
• Reheis, M.C., Plumlee, G.S., Ziegler, T.L., Reynolds, R.L., Lamothe, P.L., Budahn, J.R., Hageman, P.L., and Gill, T.E., 2003, Potential health hazards of Owens Lake dust, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts: U.S. Geologial Survey Open-File Report, 03-0097, p. 66, 2003. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003. In cooperation with the SW Dusts Project. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-097/)
• Swayze, G.A., and Ashley, R., 2001, Mapping occurrences of potentially asbestos-bearing serpentinites and tremolitic rocks in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California using imaging spectroscopy, Abstract, 2001 Health Effects of Asbestos, Oakland, CA.
• Swayze, G., Clark, R., Hoefen, T., Livo, E., Sutley, S., Meeker, G., Plumlee, G., Brownfield, I., Hageman, P., Lamothe, P., Gent, C., Morath, L., Taggart, J., Theodorakos, P., and Adams, M., 2002, Rapid assessment of an urban hazard: Spectroscopy of the World Trade Center Dust, [Abs]: GSA, 1 p.
• Swayze, G.A., Clark, R.N., Hoefen, T.M., Livo, K.E., Green, R.O., Pavri, B., Sarture, C., Sutley, S.J., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., Boardman, J., Vance, S., Brownfield, I.K., Gent, C., and Morath, L.C., 2003, Rapid assessment of an urban hazard; spectroscopy of the World Trade Center dust, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OF 03-0097, p. 32. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003.
• Swayze, G.A., Kokaly, R.F., Higgins, C.T., and Churchill, R.K., 2003, Mapping natural occurrences of potentially asbestos-bearing serpentine rocks in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California using imaging spectroscopy, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts, Open-File Report, OF 03-0097, p. 70. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Meeker, G.P., and Brownfield, I.K., 2001, Talc—Its relation to asbestiform amphiboles and the asbestos in crayons controversy: Talk presented at the 37th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, held May 23-25, 2001, Victoria, B.C., Canada. [An unpublished abstract volume was distributed at the conference.].
• Van Gosen, B.S., Bush, A.L., Lowers, H.A., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., and Brownfield, I.K., 2002, Reconnaissance study of the geology of U.S. vermiculite deposits—Are asbestos minerals common constituents?: Talk presented at the 38th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, St. Louis, Missouri, April 28-May 3, 2002. [An unpublished abstract volume was distributed at the Forum.]
• Van Gosen, B.S., and Meeker, G.P., 2002, Geologic origins of the "transitional fibers" in fibrous talc deposits: Talk presented at the ASTM Johnson Conference: A Review of Asbestos Monitoring Methods and Results for the New York World Trade Center, Libby Vermiculite, and Fibrous Talc; Johnson, Vermont, July 21-25, 2002. [An unpublished abstract volume was distributed at the Conference.]
• Van Gosen, B.S., and Lowers, H.A., 2003, Vermiculite deposits and asbestos—Examples from Colorado and elsewhere: Invited speaker at the February meeting of the Colorado Scientific Society, February 20, 2003, Golden, Colorado.
• Van Gosen, B.S., Meeker, G.P., Plumlee, G.S., and Ziegler, T.L., 2003, Mineralogical dilemmas in evaluating the human health impacts of asbestos in commercial mineral deposits [abs.]: The Toxicologist, v. 72, no. S-1, p. 396. [Poster presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, March 9-13, 2003, Salt Lake City, Utah.]
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Bush, A.L., and Sutley, S.J., 2003, Geologic environments that form vermiculite and amphibole asbestos: Poster presented at the National Conference on USGS Health-Related Research—Natural Science and Public Health: Prescription for a Better Environment, April 1-3, 2003, Reston, Virginia. [An unpublished abstract volume was distributed at the Conference.]
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Sutley, S.J., and Gent, C.A., 2003, Asbestos-bearing talc mines, southern Death Valley region, California: Talk presented at the 39th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, Sparks, Nevada, May 18-24, 2003. [An unpublished abstract volume was distributed at the Forum.]
• Van Gosen, B.S., Lowers, H.A., Hyde, J.D., Meeker, G.P., Bern, A.M., Sutley, S.J., Witten, M.L., and Ziegler, T.L., 2004, Toxicological and mineralogical analysis of richterite-winchite asbestos: Accepted as a poster presentation at the Society of Toxicology 43rd Annual Meeting, March 21-25, 2004, Baltimore, Maryland.
• Ziegler, T.L., Plumlee, G.S., Lamothe, P., Meeker, G.P., Witten, M.L., Sutley, S.J. , Hinkley, T.K., Wilson, S.A., Hoefen, T.F., Brownfield, I.K., and Lowers, H., Mineralogical, geochemical, and toxicological variations of 24 asbestos toxicological standards and 32 amphibole samples from Libby, MT. [Abs]: GSA, 1 p.
• Ziegler, T.L., Lamothe, P., Sutley, S., Meeker, G., Brownfield, I., Lowers, H., NSun, N., Hinkley, T., Plumlee, G.S., and Witten, M.L., Mineralogical and geochemical function on the health effects of asbestos mineral dusts: Insights from a comparison of 24 asbestos toxicological standards: [Abs]: 2002 ASTM Johnson Conference, Johnson, VT.
• Ziegler, T.L., Plumlee, G.S., Lamothe, P., Meeker, G.P., Witten, M., Sutley, S.J., Hinkley, T., Wilson, S., Hoefen, T.M., Brownfield, I.K., and Lowers, H.A., 2003, Mineralogical, geochemical, and toxicological variations of asbestos toxicological standards and amphibole samples from Libby, MT, Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment; conference abstracts: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-0097, p. 35, 2003. Meeting: Natural science and public health; prescription for a better environment, Reston, VA, United States, April 1-3, 2003. Accessed on Sept. 3, 2003. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-097/)