Quebec Mine Could Run Out of Asbestos Next Year

Quebec's asbestos industry could die out all on its own, just like the thousands of developing-world workers exposed to the carcinogen.

All the kvetching over Quebec's asbestos industry could soon end, as the lone fully operating mine in the province could soon run out of the cancer-causing mineral. Natural Resources Canada says the Lac d'amiante du Canada mine in Thetford Mines, Que., will probably run out of asbestos early next year, which could put the controversy over Canada's exports of the mineral to bed. Quebec exports some $90 million worth of asbestos to developing-world countries. The Quebec and federal governments maintain that if handled properly, chrysotile asbestos is safe to use, although there is little in the way of safety regulations in place in the countries to which it is exported. Canada recently was the lone hold-out on plan to have asbestos listed as a hazardous material on the UN's registry of dangerous minerals.