The compositions of chrysotile asbestos in four major mining areas of Xinkang in Sichuan, Shannan in Shaanxi, Akesaic in Gansu and Mangya in Qinghai were analyzed by FTIR, their cell viability was detected by MTT assay, and their cell apoptosis rate and cell cycle arrest were tested by flow cytometry. The authors compared and discussed the effects of chrysotile asbestos dust on cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in four mining areas. The results show that the main phase of chrysotile asbestos in four mining areas was oblique fiber serpentine, the composition of Xinkang chrysotile asbestos was more complex than that of the other three kinds of chryso-tile asbestos, and the composition of Akesai is similar to that of the Mangya chrysotile asbestos. The chemical groups of chrysotile asbestos in the four major mining areas are basically the same, and the surface structure of Akesai and Mangya chrysotile fibers is better than that of Shannan and Xinkang. Four kinds of chrysotile asbestos can inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells in different degrees, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest:the maximum apoptosis rate is (22.56±2.56)% in Mangya group, the lowest apoptosis rate is (19.57±3.07)% in the Shannan group; and the cell cycle arrest is mainly at G2/M stage. The proportions of G2/M stage (Xinkang, Shannan, Akesai, Mangya) are increased by 8.90%, 8.58%, 9.13% and 10.44% respectively. The capability of four kinds of chrysotile asbestos for inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest is in order of Mangya > Xinkang > Akesa > Shannan.