Mesothelioma Death Toll Rising from Minnesota's Taconite Mining Area

An already abnormal mesothelioma death toll in northeast Minnesota continues to climb, according to an updated study at the University of Minnesota examining the nearby taconite mining industry. The study, which began in 2008 with funding from state lawmakers, confirmed what many suspected for years about the mines in the "Iron Range" area of Minnesota. Taconite is a lower-grade iron ore that is prevalent in the area. The industry employees approximately 3,000 workers. The study has focused on the estimated 46,000 people born after 1920 who worked in the industry.  Early results show that 1,681 taconite workers developed some type of lung cancer, including 82 with confirmed cases of mesothelioma, which normally strikes 2,000 to 3,000 people a year in the United States. Jeffrey Mandel, associate professor at Minnesota and lead researcher in the study, confirmed that the mesothelioma rate is considerably higher than it should be. "We are still doing the analysis to find out how much so," Mandel said earlier this week during a telephone news conference The Taconite Workers Health Study stemmed from the belief that the asbestos-like fibers in the dust from the ore processing was causing the mesothelioma and other lung diseases. Plant workers originally suspected the mesothelioma  stemmed from the commercial asbestos, which was found on boilers, furnaces and pipes in the processing plants. The on-going study at the University will continue to focus on five distinct areas: Occupa...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure & Bans Source Type: news