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./ # 7 KALGOCRLIE. IOth December# 1962. P.R.C.P. (Dond* )F.B. A.C.P. , Macquarie Chantoera# 183 Macquarie Street, smmr : rr.s.w. Dear Dr. Rennie# Thank you for your letter regarding dust conditions at Australian Blue Asbestos. Unfortunately the situation has altered little# the dust has not been laid and# to date# It Is dot&tful If any major lessen ing of the hazard has taken place. In July of this year dust counts at the mine and mill were as bad as ewer. The Xonlaster le still being used for dust counting and although it le not the ideal instrument# there le little point in pressing, for a finer inatrtnnaist until the coarse dust has been supreseed. However# since July several events have occurred which may radically alter conditions. Through ventilation underground le possible now that shafts have broken through to the surface In several places. A recent earth movement altered the geography of the mine and this is expected to considerably improve ventilation. A new type of dust extractor embodying a synthetic fibre sock has haa successful experiments and Is being installed in the mill. This is a pretty expensive dust extraction process and there era great hopes that It will help to solve the problem. Ky Information In regard to this le derived from discussions with Dr. letham# Vines Department Inspectors and Kr. Thomas, Superintendent of the company. fairly short exposure is still causing silicosis and asbeotosis and the tragedy le aggravated by their relative youth. There are new about U2 men fairly seriously affected# or dead# and In most Instances their ohly exposure to harmful dust was at ftittenoosu The Industry has bees producing for .shout ..15 years and only the hugs labour turnover prevented dieeese on an epidemic scale. 60 p.c. of the workers, at any ono time# have been employed for leas than three years. Many of them have scattered elsewhere In the mining Industry and now complicate the overall picture. cont* PLAINTIFFS g EXHIBIT ( WV-004105 Continued. The plana end improvement mentioned earlier make me hopeful that steady Improvement will be maintained* The coincidental diagnosia of disease in so many men in 1956-59 highlighted the problem and had a chromatic effect* The problem is still acute and touch more work will be needed before the hazard to the men will be reduced to at least that of Mid-mining. I am still a little concerned about the' carcinogenic effect of crocldolite and wish that the Company wouldn't use its tailings for roads and paths. TallInge were used as fillers at the golf cotorse so that the poor devils inhale aebeetoe at rec reation as well. Kany thanks for your interest. Anything that you can do to impress upon Australian Blue Asbestos the seriousness of the problem would be appreciated*- Dr. D.D. Lethsm, Physician Occupational Health, Department of Public Health, 57 Hurray Street, PERTH : XKA. CorTM for -our information: Yours faithfully* T. KcNulty OTSST BTYSICIAB