Metal mines and oil refineries in Colorado: asbestos hot spots

Throughout Colorado, asbestos occurs naturally in the earth, as it does throughout the other Rocky Mountain States: Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. (1)  Asbestos-contaminated soil is not always naturally-occurring, though. The most typical types of asbestos found in Colorado soil are from construction demolition debris and vermiculite processing waste. (2)

But in addition to the naturally-occurring asbestos and common sources of asbestos exposure found in every state—construction debris and asbestos insulation—there are two industries in Colorado where asbestos exposure was very likely. If you worked in a mine or an oil refinery in Colorado, asbestos exposure may have been a part of your daily routine.

As in all other states, if you worked in construction, plumbing, manufacturing or at a power plant, asbestos exposure was a likelihood. There are many ways to get exposed to asbestos, but most involve the workplace.

Weitz & Luxenberg provides this article for Colorado asbestos disease sufferers and their families. If you are looking for medical and legal resources, as well as more information about how you or your loved one developed an asbestos disease, keep reading. We can help you with your questions.

Oil in Colorado: asbestos, used as a fire retardant, becomes a cancer cell stimulant

Oil refineries have long used asbestos to prevent fires as they process their valuable and highly flammable product, and Colorado oil refineries were no exception to this industry-wide practice. Oil has a long history in Colorado, as does asbestos. The Colorado State Archives provide a history of oil industry in the state:

1862: First oil well drilled near Florence.

1923: Oil discovered in Wellington field north of Fort Collins; flurry of oil stock promotion follows.

1982: The state economic structure is shaken when the oil shale giant Exxon announces the closure of its oil shale development fields in Rio Blanco, Mesa and Garfield counties. Thousands are laid off and the economic stability of the western slope of the state is severely impacted. (3)

If you worked in the oil fields in Rio Blanco, Mesa, and Garfield counties, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases take years to develop, and if you are interested in seeking compensation from the companies that exposed you to asbestos, you should know that it does not matter how long ago you were exposed. What matter is how long ago were diagnosed.

Mining in Colorado: asbestos in the protective materials, precious metal in the mines

In all mines, asbestos was a part of safety procedures. Asbestos exposure in the mines “most often occurs from products brought on to the mine property, such as brake linings, asbestos welding blankets, and pipe insulation, or products that are used in building construction.” (4)

Abandoned mines are now a problem. When Black Cloud Mine in Leadville closed in 1999, it was the last mine in the town. (5) The mine was operated by ASARCO LLC, formerly ASARCO Inc., “a company that most old-timers still call the American Smelting & Refining Company, or simply “AS&R,”  [and] has been part of Leadville for more than a century.” (6)

According to a 2005 article in Colorado Central Magazine, “AS&R quickly grew beyond its Leadville roots, first becoming the keystone of the Guggenheim family fortune, then a multinational, billion-dollar conglomerate of metal mines, mills, smelters, refineries, and related businesses.

“As a mining company, ASARCO’s importance in Leadville was overshadowed only by the Climax Molybdenum Company. ...But for the past 22 years, most of ASARCO’s local notoriety derived from its involvement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the fact that it paid for most of the multi-million dollar Superfund cleanup of Leadville’s California Gulch.” (6)

ASARCO resolved it in 2009. The Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2009 that the “EPA, other federal agencies and states will receive over $1.79 billion to address contamination at over 80 sites in 20 states through resolution of the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) bankruptcy.” (7)

$571,867 from that $1.79 billion went to Colorado for two sites: $400,000 to the Bonanza Mining District in Sagauche County, and $86,000 to the Summitville Mine in Rio Grande County. (8)

However, this money went to pay for environmental cleanup, a much-needed service to protect the environment and the community. This money could not possibly cover the bills of all those sickened by environmental toxins, nor was it intended to. If you have been sickened by asbestos or other contaminants from working at or living near the mines of Colorado, contact a lawyer to review your legal options.

Colorado asbestos disease sufferers, you are not alone. You have resources.

Weitz & Luxenberg has over 20 years of experience helping people who were exposed to asbestos  seek compensation for their asbestos-related diseases. We have helped our clients secure over $3 billion in verdicts and settlements to date.

If you suffer from an asbestos illness such as asbestosis or mesothelioma and would like to learn more about your legal options, contact Weitz & Luxenberg today. You can call us at 800-476-6070 or fill out a form to receive your free legal consultation.

Acknowledgments:

1. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1182/

2. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/sw/ppt/090320asbestos.pdf

3. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/histchron.htm

4. http://www.msha.gov/S&HINFO/OPRSAMP/OPRSAMP.HTM#11

5. http://www.hcn.org/issues/148/4782

6. http://cozine.com/2005-september/bankruptcy-the-end-of-the-line-for-asarco/

7. http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/cleanup/cercla/asarco/asarco-fs.html

8 http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/cleanup/cercla/asarco/misc-infosht.html