University of Minnesota launches Study on Mesothelioma Cases in Iron Ore Workers
Researchers and physicians from the University of Minnesota are searching for former and current taconite industry workers for a major medical study. Many “Iron Rangers” have rare and fatal lunch diseases such as mesothelioma. The University of Minnesota’s study will try to ascertain whether exposure to dust from the taconite industry is causing the disease.
The University intends to select 1,200 current and former taconite workers, as well as 800 spouses, to undergo exams including health questionnaires, breathing tests, X-rays, and blood work. The survey participants will range in age, have worked at different companies, and have lived in various Iron Range locations.
The Iron Range consists of the northeastern section of Minnesota that contains distinct bands of iron ore. About 98% of iron ore is used to make steel. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore that contains up to 30% of Magnetite and Hematite, and has also been used as an aggregate in asphalt.
Taconite and Mesothelioma
The Department of Health Minnesota has undertaken a study of what causes Taconite miners to get mesothelioma at significantly higher rates than the general population. First, a word on Taconite. It is a sedimentary rock that occurs in large areas in Minnesota that contains iron ore. It didn’t come into use as a source or iron until most of the more concentrated iron ore deposits had been mined out. The Taconite rock is crushed into powder and then the iron ore is separated out with magnets. The iron powder (just imagine rust) is then mixed with clay and cooked in kilns to produce pellets that can then be shipped by train and by ship (across Lake Superior) to where the pellets can be melted down and turned into iron, steel, etc. It has been a question for some time whether the cause of the mesothelioma is in the Taconite itself or in asbestos containing products used in the processing (e.g., kilns). The findings will be significant because Taconite itself has other uses in that area of the country, most notabley as a road bed material.
