ASARCO Settlement Trust

About ASARCO and Its Asbestos Liability

American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) was founded in 1899 and operated for over a century as one of the premier non-ferrous metals companies in the United States, with mining, smelting, and refining operations processing copper, lead, zinc, and silver across multiple states. At its peak, ASARCO operated major smelters in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Montana, and Tennessee, employing tens of thousands of workers in some of the most industrial environments in American history.

Smelting operations are inherently high-temperature processes — copper smelting requires temperatures exceeding 2,000°F — and the enormous furnaces, boilers, converters, and pipe systems throughout ASARCO’s facilities were extensively insulated with asbestos through the 1970s. Workers who maintained, repaired, and operated this equipment were exposed to asbestos daily. Insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, and general maintenance workers at ASARCO smelters faced substantial asbestos exposure during the mid-twentieth century.

ASARCO also operated mining facilities where asbestos-containing ore was handled alongside the target metals, creating additional exposure pathways for underground and surface miners. The company’s bankruptcy filing in 2005 led to the establishment of the ASARCO Settlement Trust, which administers asbestos personal injury claims against the company.

Trust Fund Details

The 35% payment percentage is among the more favorable rates in the asbestos trust fund system, reflecting the size of ASARCO’s bankruptcy estate and its asbestos liability obligations. For a mesothelioma claimant with a scheduled value in the range of $200,000–$300,000, the ASARCO trust claim can represent a meaningful component of overall recovery.

ASARCO Facilities with Documented Asbestos Exposure

ASARCO operated major industrial facilities across the western and southern United States. Workers at any of these locations may have claims with the ASARCO Settlement Trust:

• Tacoma, Washington (Asarco Tacoma Smelter): One of ASARCO’s largest copper smelters, operating from 1890 until its closure in 1986. This facility employed thousands of workers over its century of operation and is now an EPA Superfund site.
• El Paso, Texas: The El Paso copper smelter was another major ASARCO facility, processing copper from southwestern mines. Workers at this facility were exposed to asbestos insulation throughout the smelter complex.
• Hayden, Arizona: The Hayden smelter processed copper from nearby Arizona mines and was a major employer in the region through the twentieth century.
• East Helena, Montana: ASARCO operated a lead and zinc smelter at East Helena that is now an EPA Superfund site, underscoring the intensity of industrial operations at this location.
• Corpus Christi, Texas: ASARCO operated copper refining and other processing operations in Corpus Christi, with workers exposed to asbestos in the refinery environment.
• Various mining operations: ASARCO operated and held interests in copper, lead, and zinc mines across Arizona, Montana, Idaho, and other states where workers had additional asbestos exposure.

Who Is Eligible to File with the ASARCO Trust?

Eligibility requires documented exposure to asbestos at ASARCO mining, smelting, or refining operations, along with a qualifying medical diagnosis. Workers most commonly eligible include:

• Smelter workers: Production workers who operated furnaces, converters, and other high-temperature equipment surrounded by asbestos insulation at ASARCO facilities.
• Maintenance and repair workers: Workers who repaired and maintained ASARCO’s high-temperature processing equipment, directly handling or disturbing asbestos insulation during repair and replacement work.
• Pipefitters and insulators: Trades workers who installed and maintained asbestos-insulated pipe systems throughout ASARCO’s smelter and refinery complexes.
• Boilermakers: Workers who built and maintained ASARCO boiler systems with asbestos insulation, gaskets, and packing.
• Mining workers: Underground and surface miners at ASARCO’s copper, lead, and zinc mining operations who encountered asbestos-containing materials in the mine environment.
• Contractors: Outside contractors who performed maintenance, repair, or construction work at ASARCO facilities and were exposed to asbestos during that work.

Qualifying diagnoses: mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural conditions.

How to File an ASARCO Trust Claim

1. Consult a mesothelioma attorney: Your attorney will assess your work history at ASARCO smelters, refineries, or mining operations to determine eligibility.
2. Document facility exposure: Your attorney identifies the ASARCO facilities where you worked, the time periods involved, and the asbestos-containing equipment and insulation present during those periods.
3. Gather exposure evidence: Employment records, union records, co-worker affidavits, and ASARCO facility records are used to document your exposure.
4. Compile medical evidence: Pathology reports, diagnostic records, and physician statements establishing your mesothelioma or other qualifying diagnosis are assembled.
5. Submit claim to Verus: Your attorney submits the complete claim package to the ASARCO Trust’s administrator, Verus Claims Services.
6. Review and payment: The trust reviews the claim and pays at 35% of the scheduled disease value upon approval.

Frequently Asked Questions