Asbestos occurrences in serpentinites of the Hamdah area, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A cluster of serpentinite bodies centered at 19°00'N. and 43°45'E., near the village of Hamdah, contain many occurrences of the fibrous asbestos minerals chrysotile and anthophyllite. In the south-central part of the area, near the ancient Hajr gold mine (18°54'45"N. and 43°40'30"E.), the fiber is of fair quality and grade but the estimated quantity is too small to be of commercial interest. Elsewhere in the Hamdah area the serpentinite contains some small concentrations of anthophyllite but only traces of chrysotile.