Fibrous variety of the magnesium silicate mineral serpentine; it is the most important asbestos mineral. Individual fibres are white and silky, but the aggregate in veins is usually green or yellowish. Chrysotile fibres have a high tensile strength, similar to that of other asbestos minerals (see amphibole asbestos). The largest deposits of chrysotile are in Quebec and in the Ural Mountains.

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