Two Virginia mines contained deposits of asbestos. Although these mines have since been shut down, Virginia still operates a vermiculite mine in Louisa. By itself, vermiculite is a nontoxic material used for insulation. However, asbestos can contaminate other minerals as they are mined.
In 2000, the Mine Safety and Health Administration conducted a test on the vermiculite mine in Louisa to identify the presence of asbestos. The tests evaluated 30 air samples. Each air sample displayed a toxic level of asbestos. In addition, 12 samples of rocks and ore also showed a presence of two other forms of asbestos. The Louisa mine has been likened to the case of the vermiculite mine in Montana, where 200 locals developed asbestos-related illnesses.
The Virginia vermiculite mine sells approximately 100,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite every year to be used in hundreds of products throughout the United States. Research suggests that the risk of health effects from asbestos extends beyond employees of the Virginia mine. Locals have reportedly been using the waste rock for many years. Likewise, those employed at companies who make and sell the contaminated vermiculite may also be at risk for an asbestos-related illness.
Virginias history of asbestos use extends beyond the mines. Praised for its insulating properties, asbestos was found in several Virginia industrial jobsites, including oil refineries, power plants and factories. Virginia shipyards, including the Newport News Shipyard, also used the mineral in hundreds of applications. The shipbuilding industry hit a peak during World War I and World War II, and research shows that many federal contractors and Veterans died from asbestos-related diseases as a result of working in the shipyards.
Asbestos was also used in the power generation industry because it could resist heat. The mineral was used on mechanical equipment, machinery and pipes. During servicing or normal operations, asbestos-containing machines could release asbestos fibers, which could be breathed in by nearby workers. Once inhaled, the harmful mineral can build up and possibly cause lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Approximately 1400 people in Virginia have died as a result of asbestos exposure between 1980 and 2000. Many of these Virginians developed asbestosis, a respiratory illness caused by inhalation of asbestos. Although asbestosis is not always deadly, its prognosis usually worsens when diagnosed during the later stages.
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