Mesothelioma

— Taconite miners and retirees on the Iron Range met Thursday to talk about their hopes for two new studies to be conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health.

The studies are designed to explain what's causing so many cases of Four years ago, the Department of Health blamed the cancers on commercially-produced asbestos, such as insulation.

But the rates have risen since then, and now the Department plans further study.

Dave Trach is a retired steelworker from LTV Mining.

He says company officials never warned workers about the risk from asbestos.

"You've got to wear a hard hat and you've got to wear glasses.

That's to protect yourself.

Why don't somebody say you've got to wear this type of mask too, for asbestos.

Nobody ever did," he said.

Tim Carlson, a union safety official at the Minntac mine, says he and others want to know whether dust from the taconite ore is dangerous.

"It's taken a little bit too much time, I feel, but I think we're headed where we're supposed to go.

I think we've got to look at the taconite itself." The Health Department study will compare Read more...