Michigan elementary school temporarily closes after potentially dangerous mineral is detected

Sandy Hill Elementary in Jenison, Mich., is temporarily closed after contractors found vermiculite in the building.

Contractors working at the school discovered traces of vermiculite -- a mineral that can contain asbestos, reports WOOD-TV .

The school started mitigation efforts immediately, and air quality specialists say they found air quality levels were safe.

Sandy Hills will be closed until Monday in order to remove any sources of vermiculite. 

“Even though the air quality was safe in the school, we wanted to make sure. We wanted to take all precautions to make sure there was no threat level to our kids,” said Jenison Superintendent Brandon W. Graham.

School officials said the elementary school was built in the 1950s.Vermiculite is a mineral that was used in the past for insulation. Although it is not a harmful substance itself, a small percentage of it has been known to contain asbestos, which can cause lung cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.