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Mesothelioma study planned for Iron Range miners
There seems to be a connection between taconite and mesothelioma among Minnesota miners. Taconite ore, mined from Minnesota's Iron Range, is thought by some to cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer most often linked to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma can lie dormant for half a century before the first symptoms appear.
Now, the University of Minnesota plans to study that link. Last year, they received $4.9 million to research the possible link between dust created in mining and the mesothelioma-related deaths of at least 58 Iron Range miners since 1988.
Previous studies concluded that the high rates of mesothelioma among these workers were related to asbestos exposure as a result of contact with aging asbestos-coated pipes. The new study planned by the University of Minnesota will track miners over a five year period.
The University has been researching the health of miners since the 1980s, when Dr. Leonard Schuman decided to compile a list of miner work history information from 1953 to 1983. This data includes the health history of roughly 70,000 individuals, to be used in the upcoming study. The University's research team is comparing the Schuman list with death certificates to identify deaths caused by exposure to taconite dust.
While the majority of money for the study came from the state of Minnesota, other organizations including Iron Range Resources, the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota also contributed.
Studies of taconite dust in the past have not been finished due to a lack of available funds.