The Minnesota Department of Health discovered in March 2006 that 35 more Iron Range miners had been diagnosed with mesothelioma–a cancer of the lung lining associated with asbestos exposure–but withheld the information from the public for a year. In fact, the Health Department had drafted a press release about the increased incidence of mesothelioma, but only planned to make the release public if word of the mesothelioma cases leaked to the public. According to the state Health Commissioner, she decided to withhold the studies because the department needed time for new studies about mining and diseases. Public health experts and union officials are highly critical of this decision. Mining operations use asbestos on pipes and boilers. There is also concern that exposure to taconite dust might play a role. Over 4,000 workers are employed in Minnesota’s iron-ore industry.
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