Document NeraQYpGpKX1VwjDDmZ68LKbD

14256997033 2002-02-26 19:09:21 (GMT), page 19 18 4. The fiber is blown from the sifting area (all closed system) and transported to the bagging area where it is blown into bags. While it is clear from this process that most ofthe tremolite is bagged with the short fibers, the Canadian asbestos industry present several pieces of evidence in an attempt to show that current chrysotile product is tremolite free. Frank et al. were unable to find tremolite in any UICC sample chrysotile, which were prepared in the late 1960s. (Frank et al. 1998) However at the time it is undisputed that the chrysotile product contained tremolite, which has been found in tile mines as well as in the lungs of miners, and textile workers who used Canadian chrysotile. ft (Dufiesne et al. 1995) If the UICC samples prepared in the late 1960's are tremolite free, and this is an actual reflection of the historical commercial chrysotile product, then the tremolite argument fails. After all, the argument that current Canadian chrysotile is safe (tremolite-free) is based on the premise that it no longer contains tremolite, which was a problem of the past The most likely explanation for this apparent incongruity is the likelihood that the UICC samples were made from crude 1 and 2 ore. Historically, the highest-grade chrysotile, crude 1 and 2, did not go through the usual milling process. Miners hand picked this from veins of pure chrysotile and it was not milled at the mine. Another myth perpetuated by the Canadian mining industry is that tremolite is removed from the chrysotile in a "water process." Bruce Case has claimed that this process takes place at Canada's last and largest operating mine. Black Lake. (2001d) As anyone who has visited Black Lake would know, the most compelling tourist information provided about the mine is the feet that it is located at the bottom ofa waterless lake. It took four years to drain the lake and at the time, it was viewed as an engineering marvel. There is no water in the milling process either. No one who ever visited or reviewed the mine or milling process would ever make this mistake. 18