Jun 12, 2008 - Minnesota Public Health to Study Lung Disease
Increased incidences of mesothelioma in iron ore miners in northeastern Minnesota have prompted the state to fund a study to determine the probable cause.
The University of Minnesota School of public health will assess the health of active and retired miners, review death certificates and delve into some 58 deaths from mesothelioma to make a determination on why men in the Iron Range area of the state are contracting mesothelioma at twice the rate to be expected. Iron ore samples and dust in the air in these communities will be analyzed by the Natural Resources Research Institute to determine how closely they match asbestos dust, long related to mesothelioma.
The $5 million study may take up to five years to finish.
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