Asbestos History

Vermiculite

In Rainy Creek northeast of Libby Montana, vermiculite deposits were first descovered by prospectors in the beginning of the 1900s. A man by the name of Ed Alley had been exploring an old gold mine and stuck a miner's candle into the wall while collecting samples. He noticed that the area around the candle had expanded and turned golden. This discovery lead to a new material that would expand when heated. After buying the mine, he experimented with the material and found that it had good insulating properties. Many people in the area used the product in and around their homes. In addition the Libby mine was the largest employer of people in the area. A larger company bought the area and ran it's operation from 1963 through its closure.

In 1999 the mine was found responsible for several asbestos related illnesses and deaths in Libby workers and their families, as well as residents. The vermiculite was found to be tainted with asbestos. The EPA has made large efforts, and is still continueing to make efforts in the Libby mine to safely clean up soil and air quality in the area. Testing is still being done to track levels of exposure to current. Unfortunately the outlook is not good. Residents who never worked at the mine are showing higher than normal signs of asbestos related disease.