Specimens are commonly screened for asbestos fibers using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray microanalysis. Polarising microscopy provides a quicker and easier alternative that can be utilised to distinguish between asbestos and other fibers and between the major asbestos types, including chrysotile, crocidolite, and amosite. From a health care point of view, it is believed that the amphibole asbestos derivatives (crocidolite and amosite) are more harmful than the serpentine, chrysotile.