Asbestos consists of fibrous aggregates of serpentines and/or amphiboles including chrysotile, anthophyllite-gedrite, cummingtonite-grunerite, tremolite-actinolite and riebeckite. The dispersion staining method, X-ray diffractometry, electron-probe microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy are briefly reviewed to assess their potential use for asbestos identification. Optical, crystal chemical and spectrographic characteristics of asbestos are summarized along with their powder X-ray diffraction patterns, energy dispersive spectra and Raman spectra data.