This work describes the nature of the potentially hazardous fibrous amphibole found in the Orani's feldspar mine (Sardinia, Italy). To identify its nature, a protocol of analysis including morphometric, chemical and crystallographic characterizations was applied. Thanks to this approach, it was possible to classify the observed fibres as tremolite after comparing chemical data, SEM/TEM observations, FTIR/ Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction data with those reported for a standard sample. The unit cell parameters of the investigated tremolite phase are a = 9.82(1) Å, b = 18.08(3) Å, c = 5.27(1) Å, and the angle β corresponds to 104.4(1)°. The mean concentration of asbestos tremolite in the Orani's feldspar is 0.28 wt%. Most of the fibres (0.26 wt%) are respirable ‘regulated’ fibres, representing a potential hazard. Because the total amount of tremolite in the sample is 0.6 wt%, a large fraction of it has a crystal habit other than fibrous-asbestiform or acicular. The obtained results allowed us to suggest possible solutions for a safe exploitation and mineral processing of the Orani's mine. The procedure proposed herein may be a general tool suitable to identify the mineralogical nature of fibrous minerals in raw materials and assess if they may represent a potential health/environmental hazard.

Assessment of the potential hazard represented by natural raw materials containing mineral fibres—The case of the feldspar from Orani, Sardinia (Italy) / Gualtieri, Alessandro F.; Gandolfi, Nicola Bursi; Pollastri, Simone; Rinaldi, Roberta; Sala, Orietta; Martinelli, Giovanni; Bacci, Tiziana; Paoli, Federica; Viani, Alberto; Vigliaturo, Ruggero. - In: JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. - ISSN 0304-3894. - 350(2018), pp. 76-87. [10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.02.012]

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