Canadian Asbestos Exec Swimming Upstream

Canadian Asbestos Exec Swimming Upstream

Canadian Asbestos Exec Swimming Upstream

Monday, December 28th, 2009

The Toronto Star has run a two-part series on the continuing asbestos mining industry that exists in Quebec. There are two mines still in operation in the province: the Thetford Mines in Thetford and the Jeffrey mine, located in Asbestos, Quebec – a mine that was opened by the Johns Manville Corp. in 1879 and is today the largest open pit asbestos mine in the western hemisphere. H.W. Johns, the man who discovered the industrial uses of asbestos, died of asbestosis or asbestos cancer after his products became a huge success.

The Jeffrey mine is owned today by a private group headed by Bernard Coulombe, company CEO who has been working as an exec for the mine’s various owners since 1969. Mr. Coulombe continues to see a bright future for asbestos ore mined in Quebec, despite the fact that Canada, the United States, and the nations of the European Union have banished virtually all asbestos products.

While the open pit peters toward depletion – production this year totaled just 40,000 tons, down from a peak of more than 600,000 tons per year – the Jeffrey mine is going to begin developing a vast underground mine to claim the asbestos ore that is found there. At least Mr. Coulombe intends to do so, provided he can find an investment partner.

“We have here a huge proven reserve of chrysotile asbestos,” says Coulombe, “We have 200 million tons of proven ore reserves. It’s good for the next 50 years.” Ninety percent of the construction on the mine is complete; he needs an additional $32 million to get into production. He concedes the dangers of workplace exposure for miners and asbestos product manufacturers, and maintains a quasi-code of ethics requiring purchasers of his ore to prove that they handle it responsibly.

Still, investor after investor walks away when they learn that it’s an asbestos mine. His biggest customer is India, where manufacturers of cement products currently import 300,000 tons of asbestos pre year. Their asbestos cement is used to make roofing and siding products, much of which goes to construct the shacks in the huge slums that surround the nation’s cities. However Indian, Chinese and Greek investors among others have declined to invest.

While the asbestos manufacturing facilities in the developing countries may or may not be operated responsibly, the cutting and drilling of asbestos construction products is never going to be controlled in virtually any construction site in these countries, especially in the slums. Asbestos exposure will be rampant as these cheap, effective, and contaminated asbestos cement products become widespread.
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One Woman’s Story of the Montana Asbestos Epidemic »

Canadian Asbestos Exec Swimming Upstream