EGU23-17589
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17589
EGU General Assembly 2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) in sedimentary rocks: state of the art and perspectives

Luca Barale1,2, Anna d'Atri3,1, Jasmine Petriglieri3,1, Fabrizio Piana1,2, and Francesco Turci4,2,1
Luca Barale et al.
  • 1National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, Torino
  • 2University of Torino, Interdepartmental Centre “G. Scansetti” for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates
  • 3University of Torino, Department of Earth Sciences
  • 4University of Torino, Department of Chemistry

Studies on naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) and on the relevant geo-environmental problems have been traditionally focused on metamorphic rocks (and, more recently, on magmatic rocks). Besides these 'primary' occurrences (i.e., those related to the in situ growth of NOA minerals), 'secondary', detrital NOA may occur in sediments, sedimentary rocks and soils derived from the erosion of 'primary' NOA bearing rocks.

The occurrence of detrital NOA in sediments and soils is increasingly recognized worldwide. However, a few studies exist that investigate the 'sedimentology of NOA', i.e., the mechanisms underlying the genesis, transport, deposition and post-depositional modifications of detrital NOA particles in the different sedimentary environments. A better understanding of these mechanisms would give us the tools to predict the presence and possible concentration of detrital NOA in sediments and sedimentary rocks.

The occurrence and distribution of detrital NOA within the Oligocene-Miocene succession of the southern Tertiary Piemonte Basin (NW Italy), will be investigated as a scientific development in the frame of the CARG project (Geological Mapping at 1:50,000 scale - sheet 195 Novi Ligure). This succession consists of stratigraphic units rich in ophiolite clasts and deposited in a variety of sedimentary environments, from continental to deep marine, thus representing an ideal study case.

How to cite: Barale, L., d'Atri, A., Petriglieri, J., Piana, F., and Turci, F.: Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) in sedimentary rocks: state of the art and perspectives, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-17589, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17589, 2023.