In order to study the damage mechanism of mineral dusts on the pulmonary alveolar macrophage (AM), the changes in their death ratio, malandialdthyde (MDA) content and activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured, and the technique of cell culture in vitro was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of six mineral dusts (twelve crystal habits) from twelve mineral deposits. The results show that wollastonite and clinoptilolite have no AM cytotoxicity, while other fibrous and grainy mineral dusts damage pulmonary AM in various degrees. The cytotoxicity of fibrous mineral dusts was greater than that of the grainy ones, and the cytotoxicity of dusts was positively correlated with the active OH- content in dusts, but not necessarily so with its SiO2 content. The high pH values produced by dust was unfavorable for the survival of cells and the dusts with low bio-resistance were safe for cells. The content of variable valence elements in dusts might influence their cytotoxicity and the surface charge of dusts was not a stable factor for their toxicity. It is demonstrated that the shape of mineral dusts was one of the factors affecting cytotoxicity, and that the cytotoxicity of mineral dusts depends mainly on their properties. In order to study the damage mechanism of mineral dusts on the pulmonary alveolar macrophage (AM), the changes in their death ratio, malandialdthyde (MDA) content and activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured, and the technique of cell culture in vitro was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of six mineral dusts (twelve crystal habits) from twelve mineral deposits. The results show that wollastonite and clinoptilolite have no AM cytotoxicity, while other fibrous and grainy mineral dusts damage pulmonary AM in various degrees. The cytotoxicity of fibrous mineral dusts was greater than that of the grainy ones, and the cytotoxicity of dusts was positively correlated with the active OH- content in dusts, but not necessarily so with its SiO2 content. The high pH values ​​produced by dust was unfavorable for the survival of cells and the dusts with low bio-resistance were safe for cells. The content of variable valence elements in dusts might influ ence their cytotoxicity and the surface charge of dusts was not a stable factor for their toxicity. It is one of the factors of cytotoxicity, and that the cytotoxicity of mineral dusts depends mainly on their properties.