The Minnesota State Legislature made a landmark decision this month by granting almost $5 million dollars in funding towards mesothelioma-related research at The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The university will focus on studying the widespread diagnosis of mesothelioma among taconite miners who worked in Minnesota’s Iron Range region, including further investigation into the suspected link between the inhalation of taconite dust, which may contain asbestos, and the development of mesothelioma. As of last year, 58 taconite miners that had worked in the Iron Range mine had been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and there have been 60 mesothelioma-related reported deaths of former Iron Range miners in the last decade. However, state officials estimate that the total number of former miners who have died as a result of mesothelioma is at least double that amount.
The University of Minnesota’s main campus will team up with their Twin Cities campus to research the increasing rate of mesothelioma diagnosis in Iron Range miners and will also test samples from the Iron Range mine. This will include a comprehensive analysis of potentially hazardous materials within taconite byproducts, including taconite dust, which researchers claim presents the greatest risk for inhalation by the workers.
State and Iron Range mine spokespeople state that the ultimate goal of the multiyear study will be to not only study the possible link between taconite exposure and the onset of mesothelioma, but to also find innovative ways to provide all Iron Range mine workers with regular, preventative physician care. In addition, university researchers hope to develop advancements in equipment and other methods of minimizing asbestos and other harmful dust fiber exposures.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been recognized as the web’s leading information resource on asbestos, asbestos related disease, and mesothelioma treatment. Hundreds of pages of up to date content feature important information pertaining to asbestos exposure, top physicians, and ongoing clinical trials, as well as breakthroughs in the treatment of asbestos related disease.
