I think I heard that asbestos contamination in talc used in talcum powder is also causing mesothelioma. The Kara Mine in Tasmania was off-limits to collectors at one point due to potential asbestiform issues with tremolite (although I think it was on in one small area exposed for a short time). In fact the whole mine operation was halted for a while. And then there is the well-known (in Australia) song by Midnight Oil (aka "the Oils"), "Blue Sky Mine", a song about CSR's Wittenoom asbestos mine in Western Australia. Wittenoom is sometimes referred to as "the deadliest town in Australia). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofrqm6-LCqs&pp=ygUaYmx1ZSBza3kgbWluZSBtaWRuaWdodCBvaWw%3D
My stepfather died from mesothelioma in 1979. He had worked in Navy shipyards in WWII repairing destroyers. Apparently lots of asbestos was used in those vessels at the time. It took 35 years for the asbestos he breathed to give him the cancer that killed him.
Good morning, Richard. As a follow up to yesterday’s discussion of asbestos, I wanted to say that the Old Dominion Mine is situated in Globe, AZ, and was an important copper producer back in the day. It shut down in the late 1920s if memory serves. Although there are asbestos claims scattered around central AZ, including Pinal County, the most prolific mines were located about 20 miles N of Globe in Gila County near the Salt River, where some of the old diggings can be still seen from the highway at the Salt River Canyon. In the 1960-70s small mineral specimen collections were sold to tourists. They included minerals mined in the area, especially copper and asbestos, but also other minerals. Today the Globe-Miami district remains an important copper producer and hosts a copper smelting operation which is one on only three left in the US.
Great, thanks for adding that. I have a couple other asbestos pieces from Salt River Canyon. I would not be surprised at all if the specimen labeled "Pinal Co." is also from there.
Hi Dick. I enjoy your daily column. Today I’m wondering if your asbestos mine reference might be the Old Dominion Mine at Globe, AZ, in Gila County rather than Pinal County?
Good catch, thanks. It was labeled Pinal County, but I think you must be correct. Possibly it could relate to the "Original Old Dominion Mine" associated with Pinal Creek to lead to a confused label (but that's still in Gila County), although chrysotile is not listed there on MinDat: https://www.mindat.org/loc-50935.html All of the chrysotile from Arizona on Mindat is from Gila County, so that would seem most likely. The specimen came from an old styrofoam-mounted small collection marketed to tourists and given to me decades ago by my parents, so some locality confusion would not be surprising. Thanks again!
I think I heard that asbestos contamination in talc used in talcum powder is also causing mesothelioma. The Kara Mine in Tasmania was off-limits to collectors at one point due to potential asbestiform issues with tremolite (although I think it was on in one small area exposed for a short time). In fact the whole mine operation was halted for a while. And then there is the well-known (in Australia) song by Midnight Oil (aka "the Oils"), "Blue Sky Mine", a song about CSR's Wittenoom asbestos mine in Western Australia. Wittenoom is sometimes referred to as "the deadliest town in Australia). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofrqm6-LCqs&pp=ygUaYmx1ZSBza3kgbWluZSBtaWRuaWdodCBvaWw%3D
Oh yeah, I should have worked Midnight Oil into this post!
😁
Thank you for all the information!
My stepfather died from mesothelioma in 1979. He had worked in Navy shipyards in WWII repairing destroyers. Apparently lots of asbestos was used in those vessels at the time. It took 35 years for the asbestos he breathed to give him the cancer that killed him.
I'm sorry for your loss. It's a treacherous killer.
Good morning, Richard. As a follow up to yesterday’s discussion of asbestos, I wanted to say that the Old Dominion Mine is situated in Globe, AZ, and was an important copper producer back in the day. It shut down in the late 1920s if memory serves. Although there are asbestos claims scattered around central AZ, including Pinal County, the most prolific mines were located about 20 miles N of Globe in Gila County near the Salt River, where some of the old diggings can be still seen from the highway at the Salt River Canyon. In the 1960-70s small mineral specimen collections were sold to tourists. They included minerals mined in the area, especially copper and asbestos, but also other minerals. Today the Globe-Miami district remains an important copper producer and hosts a copper smelting operation which is one on only three left in the US.
Great, thanks for adding that. I have a couple other asbestos pieces from Salt River Canyon. I would not be surprised at all if the specimen labeled "Pinal Co." is also from there.
Hi Dick. I enjoy your daily column. Today I’m wondering if your asbestos mine reference might be the Old Dominion Mine at Globe, AZ, in Gila County rather than Pinal County?
I edited the photo to reflect this. Thanks!
Good catch, thanks. It was labeled Pinal County, but I think you must be correct. Possibly it could relate to the "Original Old Dominion Mine" associated with Pinal Creek to lead to a confused label (but that's still in Gila County), although chrysotile is not listed there on MinDat: https://www.mindat.org/loc-50935.html All of the chrysotile from Arizona on Mindat is from Gila County, so that would seem most likely. The specimen came from an old styrofoam-mounted small collection marketed to tourists and given to me decades ago by my parents, so some locality confusion would not be surprising. Thanks again!