CITIC Iron Project Stopped by Asbestos Discovery
According to union officials, work on CITIC Pacific’s 5.2 billion magnetite iron ore project at Cape Preston has been stopped after the discovery of asbestos. The site is located 100 km south west of Karratha in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Rocks believed to contain the toxic mineral asbestos were found by workers who were digging trenches. There is also suspicion that the mine may contain asbestos contaminated dirt that was once dumped on site as landfill.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once mined and manufactured throughout the world. Asbestos is known for its thermal insulating and fire resistant properties and also for its affordability and availability. It is now well established that asbestos causes serious diseases and many developed countries have strict regulations around the use, removal and disposal of the toxic substance.
The most serious illness caused by exposure to asbestos is mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest cavities. Due to a long latency period between time of exposure and development of symptoms, mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Currently, despite research and improvements in treatment, there is no known cure for mesothelioma and life expectancy from time of diagnosis is usually quite short.
Due to concerns over workers safety, the Austrailian Workers Union has demanded that work stop at the site. Union officials call for an investigation into the potential for unsafe exposure to asbestos by WorkSafe before the project can resume construction and digging. The Union has confirmed that a meeting is being called on site to talk to workers about protection, training and risks involved when handling materials contaminated with asbestos.
