A mineral that has the same fibrous habit as asbestos is

• A. Wollastonite
• B. Tremolite
• C. Serpentine
• D. Chrysotile

Answer: (A)

Fibrous habit means the mineral forms long, slender, thread-like crystals that can bundle together—this is the familiar form of asbestos fibers. Among the minerals listed, wollastonite can occur as fibrous, needle-like crystals, giving it a similar fiberous appearance to asbestos without being classified as asbestos itself. That makes it the best fit for a mineral that shares the same fibrous habit as asbestos while not being one of the asbestos minerals. Tremolite and chrysotile are actual asbestos minerals, so they naturally exhibit that same fibrous habit as asbestos itself. Serpentine is the broader mineral group that includes chrysotile, but as a group, serpentine isn’t defined by a persistent fibrous habit the way asbestos minerals are, whereas wollastonite’s fibrous form is a clear parallel to asbestos fibers.