Lake Asbestos of Quebec, Ltd.: Report on Operations, Year 1975 (1976)

A confidential annual report dated February 11, 1976, from Lake Asbestos of Quebec, an ASARCO subsidiary, to R. L. Hennebach, covering its Black Lake and National Mines divisions in 1975, a year shut down for seven months by a strike. Beside production, costs, fiber grades and sales, it reports the Quebec Beaudry Commission's study of fiber limits and the industry's request for a 5 fibres per c.c. standard, and Bill 52's higher compensation awards for asbestosis, with a possible 140 cases at Canadian Johns-Manville, 120 at Asbestos Corporation and 20 at Bell. It also notes rising asbestosis claims at National Mines, dust-control work and dust counts above the company's own objective, 'unprecedented bad press' on asbestos and health, and ASARCO research on dust suppression and the coming lower OSHA limit.