Death rates for malignant mesothelioma in former miners at the notorious Wittenoom blue asbestos (crocidolite) mine in Western Australia are higher than predicted, according to a new 50-year follow-up study.
The analysis tracked nearly 6,500 men and around 400 women who had worked at the Pilbara mine during its operation from 1943 to 1966. Researchers found that there had been around 300 mesothelioma-related deaths in the men and 13 in the women, which represented nearly 10% of all known deaths.
Rates for both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma increased with time since first exposure and appeared to reach a plateau after about 40 to 50 years, the authors said. The rate also increased with the amount of exposure, particularly for...
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