Iron Range Study Receives Funding Boost

A study of Minnesota Iron Range miners to determine whether iron ore dust can cause mesothelioma has received an additional $250,000. Often associated with asbestos exposure, the rare cancer continues to plague miners at significant levels.

The money will help pay for patient treatment during their participation in the study which will be conducted by the University of Minnesota and state Department of Health. The study should be completed within three to four years.

An earlier examination of mine workers between the 1930s and 1982 showed 17 of 72,000 had developed mesothelioma. Of those 17, 14 were found to have been exposed to commercial asbestos.

Controversy ensued earlier this year when statistics showing another 35 miners had died were not released for over a year. This led to the resignation of the State Health Comissioner and spurred the development of the study.