Document qmV2Zk8Q3ZEak1B7z9YqpnNLx

AMERICAN VERMICULITE CORPORATION December 4, 1979 To All Vermiculite Association Members [tJ \ The U. S. Government, in the Federal Register this year, has' twice linked the Zonolite and Micafil trademarks together as sources of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos! We have been, and continue to, contacting pertinent authorities to substantiate our case for the total absence of that noxious sub stance, or any other, in our ore. Furthermore, we urge our l<?yal PMC ore users to forthwith use the following label on all their bags: "Micafil is a registered trade name of American Vermiculite Corporation and is synonomus with non-asbestos bearing vermiculite ore." If you use ore from Montana, we ask you to reconsider for your own future survival. It is our opinion that we 'are within three years of regulations which will eliminate the use of ore containing such gross amounts of asbestos as is contained in the ore mined in Montana. This could, if we don't work now, drag down the entire vermiculite expanding industry. There are other sources other than ore mined in Montana available to you. These might not be 100% asbestos free, but at least the con tamination is not anywhere as plentiful and capable of poisoning as readily. ' The Government has asked us how the consumer' can be sure he is buying safe vermiculite. The answer is obvious; Zonolite attic insulation is of Montana origin, and thus is known to contain asbestos. All other trade names, Micafil, etc., are from independent exfoliators who can't get large ore from Grace, and hence, use African ore ex clusively. Our label suggestion is not so tight- as to cause any legal or technical MEMBER VERMICULITE. METALLIC ORES. ZlRCOHIA SALES A MEMBER. OF THE RIO TINTO-ZJNC CROUP OF COM PARIES PLAINTIFF EXHIBIT SCO 5178 DOJWRG 00417 To All Vermiculite Association Members Page 2 December 4* 1979 problems for those who use other ores than PMC. However, we can only hope Montana ore users will clean up their act and join us in fighting what is a real threat to our existance as an industry. John F. Cody Technical Director THE VERMICULITE ASSOCIATION, INC. DOJWRG 0041B