Libby Asbestos Mine, Montana

Asbestos mining started here around 1919, and this became a major source of a vermiculite asbestos used in building materials and insulation, locally branded as Zonolite. W.R Grace and Company took over the operation in 1963, which by then was said to be producing 80% of the world’s vermiculite. The mine closed in 1990, and the EPA began some clean up operations in 1999, as asbestos rock was used throughout town, along with emissive dust that had collected all over. In 2002, the town became a superfund site, and in 2008 WR Grace was ordered to pay $250 million in clean up costs. More than $600 million was spent by the federal government too, until management of the clean up, mostly complete, was transferred to the state in 2020. Some estimate that 400 local residents died from the dust generated by the mine, and close to 3,000 are alive and suffering. The mine site, a few miles from town, remains under the oversight of the EPA. Suits and settlements against the WR Grace continue, with more than $65 million paid out to plaintiffs so far.