Hibbing Exposure Map
Documented Exposure Sites
| # | Facility | Area | Industry | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine | Hibbing | Iron Ore / Taconite Mining | High |
| 2 | Hibbing Taconite Processing Plant | Hibbing | Taconite Processing | High |
| 3 | US Steel Minntac (Mountain Iron) | Mountain Iron | Taconite Processing | High |
| 4 | Hibbing Public Utilities | Hibbing | Power Generation | Moderate |
Iron Range Mining and Asbestos-Like Mineral Fibers
The Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine, often called the “Grand Canyon of the North,” has produced iron ore continuously since 1895 and remains the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. Since the 1950s, mining has shifted to taconite — a low-grade iron ore that requires crushing and processing into pellets. Minnesota Department of Health and university studies have documented that Iron Range taconite contains amphibole mineral fibers structurally similar to commercial asbestos.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies have found elevated rates of mesothelioma among Iron Range miners compared to the general Minnesota population, prompting the state legislature to enact a dedicated asbestos statute of limitations recognizing the long latency of the disease. Miners, mill workers, and equipment operators who worked in taconite processing plants for extended periods face the highest documented risk.
Family members of Iron Range miners who laundered work clothes covered in mineral dust may also have grounds for a secondhand exposure claim, a legal theory recognized throughout Minnesota courts.
Yes. Taconite ore mined and processed in Hibbing contains naturally occurring amphibole mineral fibers with the same needle-like structure as commercial asbestos. Studies have documented elevated mesothelioma rates among Iron Range miners. Minnesota’s asbestos-specific statute (Minn. Stat. § 541.22) gives you 4 years from diagnosis to file a claim.