Wittenoom, Western Australia

Wittenoom Gorge lies in the Hamersley Ranges of Western Australia, where, the sources say, Australian Blue Asbestos mined crocidolite, or blue asbestos, as a subsidiary of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company.^7,10,13 A 1955 article in Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, says that "earliest recorded production from the region was in 1937, but large scale operations were not started until 1943, when areas were leased to the present operating company"; the journal repeated this in 1961.^5,6

Beginnings

The sources date the start differently: in 1938 Asbestos reported that Australian Blue Asbestos Mines had been "recently floated in Perth" to acquire "areas subject to options located at Wittenoom Gorge."¹ The U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook for 1942 said that "blue asbestos is now mined in a small way in the Hammersley Ranges," without naming Wittenoom.³ The yearbook for 1947 and Asbestos in 1948 both said that mining and milling had been experimental for the past three years.^14,15 The yearbook for 1956 reported that an unnamed "new mine, which had been under development for 2 years, came into production late in 1954."¹¹

Owners

The yearbook for 1943 reported, from the foreign press, a new Australian Blue Asbestos company that "will engage in mining and processing high-grade blue asbestos in the Hamersley Ranges."⁴ A 1975 item in Asbestos tells it differently: blue asbestos was the partners Hancock and Wright's "first mining venture back in 1938," and the company "was formed in 1948 with Colonial Sugar Refining holding 51% and Hanwright the remainder."¹⁶ In 1946 Asbestos called Colonial Sugar Refining "the Managing Agents for Australian Blue Asbestos Limited."¹⁷ The 1948 yearbook, citing London's Mining Magazine, named the operator as "Blue Asbestos, Ltd., a subsidiary of Colonial Sugar Recovery, Ltd.," the parent's name as printed.⁹

How it was mined

Asbestos reported in 1946 that "over 1,000 feet of tunnels have already been constructed in the side of the cliffs," part of "the development of the underground mine."¹⁷ According to the 1948 yearbook, the two seams "are said to total 2 to 6 inches in thickness and are mined by the room-and-pillar method."⁹ The 1957 yearbook said mining "was difficult and costly because the 2 main fiber seams were about 20 feet apart and 200 feet above the gorge floor," and that rock from "a series of adits and crosscuts" was carried "2 miles to the milling plant."¹⁸ In 1961 Asbestos placed the seams in "near-horizontal beds of ferruginous quartzite, a deep blue in color and very hard."⁶ In 1955 the journal quoted one estimate of "2,000,000 tons in seams," not all of it necessarily recoverable; in 1961 it gave "at least 3,000,000 tons."^5,6

The mill

In 1946 Asbestos reported the mill at Wittenoom "completed," with fiber "being produced and marketed" by Colonial Sugar Refining's Building Materials Division.^17,19 The journal said "dust and grit" were screened out at each crushing stage and "air suction hoods" drew the fiber from the rock.¹⁷ In 1957 it reported new plant costing "A£350,000," and the 1957 yearbook said that "additional milling capacity was constructed."^18,20 The 1958 yearbook said the company "opened an $800,000 treatment plant in the Hamersley Ranges" with "a capacity of 25,000 tons of fiber a year."¹³

Output and markets

The sources give the output in different ways: Asbestos in 1955 said that "from 1937 to 1953 total recorded production was 14,209 tons," likely with "some unrecorded output in the early days."⁵ A U.S. consul's report printed in Asbestos in 1950 gave "about 90 long tons per month."²¹ Asbestos and the Minerals Yearbook reported higher production in 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1957.^10,18,22,23 In 1957 the journal wrote that "production last year was 8,500 tons and the target for this year is 13,000 tons."²⁰ It gave the second quarter of 1957 as 2,553 tons in one report and 2,716 short tons in another.^24,25 The 1961 yearbook reported the company's plans "to nearly double production of crocidolite to 500 tons per week."²⁶ As Asbestos summarized the yearbook, the company's output was "10,954 metric tons in 1964—11,385 in 1963."²⁷

Asbestos reported in 1957 that "half of this output is sold to the United States and the remainder mainly to Europe, Japan and India," and in 1961 that the company had found "a reasonably firm overseas market through the Johns-Manville Corporation of New York."^6,20 The 1954 yearbook said that "mining and transportation costs were so high that prices comparable with those of imported fibers were difficult to maintain."²³ For 1955 the yearbook said costs "remained too high for competition with African asbestos," and that both the Australian and Western Australian governments "subsidized the mining of crocidolite."¹⁰

The town

In 1946 Asbestos described "houses for married workmen and staff, and barracks for single employees" near the mill.¹⁷ The 1947 yearbook and Asbestos in 1948 reported work begun on "a township that eventually will house 1,000 people," a plan "sponsored by the Western Australian Government" in the journal's words.^14,15

The closing and after

The sources do not agree on when mining ended: Asbestos reported in January 1967 that Australian Blue Asbestos had "closed its asbestos mine at Wittenoom," and that since 1943 it "had produced blue asbestos worth $31,000,000, two-thirds of it for export."¹² The Minerals Yearbook for 1969 dated the end of production to "the end of 1966," R. A. Dodge, a consulting geologist writing in Asbestos, dated the closing of "the Colonial Mine" to "late in 1966," and Asbestos in 1980 gave the mine's years as "from 1943 to 1966"; the Minerals Yearbook volume for 1978–1979 spoke of "the area in which crocidolite asbestos was mined from 1938 to 1968."^2,7,28,29

In February 1967 Asbestos reported that L. G. Hancock and E. A. Wright had "purchased all the assets" of the company to keep it in production, subject to the State government approving the transfer of its claims.³⁰ In 1969 the journal said "the mine was closed in 1966 when it was sold" to the partners, and that Hammersley Iron was "investigating the feasibility of reactivating" it; the 1970 yearbook reported the same.^31,32 In 1975 Asbestos wrote that "CSR closed the mine at the end of 1966 and Hanwright bought the mine, town and equipment," and that Hancock had "only a mild interest in reopening the asbestos mine," because of "environmental and ecological problems and expenses."¹⁶

The Minerals Yearbook volume for 1978–1979 reported that "the West Australian Government has decided to close down and evacuate the 150-resident town of Wittenoom because of continuing risk from airborne asbestos dust."² In April 1980 Asbestos reported that "financial assistance has been offered residents of Wittenoom" to help them move.⁷

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.²⁰

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Location

Output the documents report

Figures as printed, in the units each document uses (short tons before about 1990, metric tons after, in most U.S. chapters). Some are a year's output, some a daily rate or a capacity, some a company's total rather than this mine's alone; the statement for that year below says which.

Year	Figure	Source
1937	14,209 tons (total recorded)	5
1950	90 long tons per month	21
1956	8,500 tons	20
1957	2,553 tons (quarter)	24
1958	2,968 short tons (quarter)	25
1959	13,313 tons of fiber	33
1961	500 tons per week	26
1963	11,385 metric tons	27
1964	10,954 metric tons	27
1965	11,566 tons	29

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1937

• Output: “From 1937 to 1953 total recorded production was 14,209 tons”, p. 12⁵

1938

• Ownership: “Australian Blue Asbestos Mines N. L. floated in Perth to acquire areas under option at Wittenoom Gorge” (Australian Blue Asbestos Mines N. L.), p. 38¹
• Worked: “the area in which crocidolite asbestos was mined from 1938 to 1968”, p. 2²

1942

• Description: “Supplies from this source are not great because the deposits are in very rough country where transportation facilities are inadequate”, p. 6³
• Worked: “Blue asbestos is now mined in a small way in the Hammersley Ranges of Western Australia”, p. 6³

1943

• Reserves: “The deposits are said to be extensive”, p. 11⁴
• Ownership: “This company will engage in mining and processing high-grade blue asbestos in the Hamersley Ranges of Western Australia” (Australian Blue Asbestos Co., Ltd.), as reported by foreign press, p. 11⁴
• Buyers: “The output will be marketed through the building materials division of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. Small quantities of asbestos from this source now reach United States markets” (Australian Blue Asbestos Co., Ltd.), p. 11⁴
• Mill: “a small pilot mill had been erected in Wittenoom Gorge”, p. 12⁵
• Opened: “Earliest recorded production from the region was in 1937, but large scale operations were not started until 1943” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 12⁵
• Opened: “Earliest recorded production from the region was in 1937. Large-scale operations were not started until 1943 when the areas were leased out to the present operating company”, p. 38⁶
• Worked: “from 1943 to 1966, was the site of a Crocidolite asbestos mine operated as a subsidiary of Colonial Sugar Refining Company” (Colonial Sugar Refining Company), p. 31⁷

1944

• Description: “The mining and milling of blue asbestos from the Wittenoom Gorge ... have been in the experimental stage for the past 3 years”, p. 10¹⁴

1945

• Description: “Mining and milling the blue asbestos has been in the experimental stages for the past three years”, as reported by S. A. Mining & Engineering Journal, p. 44¹⁵

1946

• Worked: “Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd. ... operate in the Hamersley Ranges” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 18⁸
• Mill: “air suction hoods mounted above shaker type screens” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 14¹⁷
• Ownership: “The Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited ... are the Managing Agents for Australian Blue Asbestos Limited” (The Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited), p. 14¹⁷
• Workforce: “houses for married workmen and staff, and barracks for single employees” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 14¹⁷
• Mill: “The asbestos mill erected by the Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd., at Wittenoom ... is completed” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 12¹⁷
• Description: “over 1,000 feet of tunnels have already been constructed in the side of the cliffs” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 14¹⁷
• Description: “the development of the underground mine there” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 12¹⁷
• Mill: “A mill has been erected by Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd., at Wittenoom” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 5¹⁹

1947

• Workforce: “erection of a township that will eventually house 1,000 people engaged in mining blue asbestos”, as reported by South African Mining and Engineering Journal, p. 10¹⁴

1948

• Workforce: “a township that eventually will house 1,000 people engaged in mining blue asbestos from the Wittenoom Gorge”, as reported by S. A. Mining & Engineering Journal, p. 44¹⁵
• Output: “expanding her output of asbestos from the blue asbestos mines in the Hamersley Range”, as reported by Phil Glanzer News Service, p. 22³⁴
• Ownership: “The mine is operated by Blue Asbestos, Ltd., a subsidiary of Colonial Sugar Recovery, Ltd.” (Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mining Magazine (London), p. 11⁹
• Worked: “Blue asbestos is being mined on a modest scale in the Wittenoom Gorge” (Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mining Magazine (London), p. 11⁹
• Output: “Output is now comparatively small, but capacity is being increased” (Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mining Magazine (London), p. 11⁹
• Fiber: “the two seams of cross-fiber crocidolite” (Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mining Magazine (London), p. 11⁹
• Description: “The two asbestos seams are said to total 2 to 6 inches in thickness and are mined by the room-and-pillar method” (Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mining Magazine (London), p. 11⁹

1950

• Output: “produced at the rate of about 90 long tons per month in the Wittenoom Gorge by the Colonial Sugar Refining Co.” (Colonial Sugar Refining Co.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 50²¹
• Workforce: “An attempt is being made to solve the housing and labor shortages” (Colonial Sugar Refining Co.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 50²¹

1952

• Output: “A very substantial increase in crocidolite production was recorded from Wittenoom, W.A.”, p. 24²²

1953

• Description: “It produces long and medium grades for spinning and shorter grades for use in asbestos-cement products” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 12³⁵
• Output: “has increased production at its Hamersley Range crocidolite property” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 12³⁵
• Output: “Production of crocidolite (blue asbestos) at Wittenoom Gorge ... was considerably higher in 1953 than in 1952” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 12²³

1954

• Description: “Mining and transportation costs were so high that prices comparable with those of imported fibers were difficult to maintain” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 12²³
• Description: “Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd., applied for a protective tariff, which was opposed by asbestos consumers” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 12²³
• Opened: “A new mine, which had been under development for 2 years, came into production late in 1954”, p. 13¹¹

1955

• Description: “the principal exposures being in Dale's, Yampire and Wittenoom Gorges”, p. 12⁵
• Reserves: “One estimate quoted is 2,000,000 tons in seams over which the company holds leases” (Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd.), p. 12⁵
• Description: “production costs remained too high for competition with African asbestos”, as reported by Mining World and Engineering Record (London), p. 14¹⁰
• Fiber: “crocidolite (blue asbestos)”, p. 14¹⁰
• Buyers: “Both the Australian and the Western Australian Governments subsidized the mining of crocidolite in 1955”, as reported by Mining World and Engineering Record (London), p. 14¹⁰
• Output: “Production of crocidolite (blue asbestos) at Wittenoom increased during 1955”, as reported by Mining World and Engineering Record (London), p. 14¹⁰
• Description: “The subsidy amounted to £10 (about $22.10) per ton up to a limit of 6,000 tons”, p. 13¹¹

1956

• Description: “the asbestos occurs in 2 nearly horizontal zones about 20 feet apart”, p. 13¹¹
• Fiber: “crocidolite deposits”, p. 13¹¹
• Worked: “the mining and milling methods followed by Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 13¹¹
• Buyers: “the Commonwealth of Australia joined with the State of Western Australia in subsidizing blue asbestos production at Wittenoom”, p. 13¹¹
• Output: “Production last year was 8,500 tons and the target for this year is 13,000 tons” (Australian Blue Asbestos Limited), p. 38²⁰

1957

• Mill: “installation of new plant at the mine operated by Australian Blue Asbestos Limited ... The new plant will cost A£350,000” (Australian Blue Asbestos Limited), p. 38²⁰
• Buyers: “Half of this output is sold to the United States and the remainder mainly to Europe, Japan and India” (Australian Blue Asbestos Limited), p. 38²⁰
• Mill: “Additional milling capacity was constructed”, p. 11¹⁸
• Output: “Production of crocidolite at Wittenoon Gorge ... increased considerably in 1957”, p. 11¹⁸
• Description: “removed from a series of adits and crosscuts were transported 2 miles to the milling plant”, p. 11¹⁸
• Description: “the 2 main fiber seams were about 20 feet apart and 200 feet above the gorge floor”, p. 11¹⁸
• Fiber: “crocidolite asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge”, p. 38²⁴
• Output: “production at 2,553 tons was the highest so far recorded in a three monthly period”, p. 38²⁴

1958

• Ownership: “Australian Blue Asbestos, a subsidiary of Colonial Sugar Refinery Co.” (Colonial Sugar Refinery Co.), p. 11¹³
• Mill: “opened an $800,000 treatment plant in the Hamersley Ranges ... with a capacity of 25,000 tons of fiber a year” (Australian Blue Asbestos), as reported by Mining Journal (London), p. 11¹³
• Output: “increased from 2,716 short tons to 2,968 short tons”, p. 52²⁵

1959

• Output: “reported recovery of 13,313 tons of fiber from 214,505 tons of ore milled” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), p. 10³³

1960

• Description: “Mining operations of Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd., in the Hamersley Range ... were described” (Australian Blue Asbestos, Ltd.), as reported by Mineral Trade Notes, p. 10³⁶

1961

• Description: “The principal exposures are in three neighboring gorges—Dale's, Yampire and Wittenoom”, p. 38⁶
• Fiber: “The crocidolite seams occur in near-horizontal beds of ferruginous quartzite”, p. 38⁶
• Idle: “In the rainy season, creeks flow near their bases and sometimes floods interfere with operations”, p. 38⁶
• Buyers: “Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited secured a reasonably firm overseas market through the Johns-Manville Corporation of New York” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited), p. 38⁶
• Reserves: “it is estimated that at least 3,000,000 tons of blue asbestos lie under Wittenoom Gorge waiting to be recovered”, p. 38⁶
• Fiber: “crocidolite” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty., Ltd.), p. 12²⁶
• Output: “to nearly double production of crocidolite to 500 tons per week” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty., Ltd.), as reported by Mining Journal (London), p. 12²⁶

1963

• Output: “11,385 in 1963” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 24²⁷

1964

• Output: “All crocidolite (blue) production was by Australian Blue Asbestos ... (10,954 metric tons in 1964” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 24²⁷

1965

• Output: “in 1965 had risen to 11,566 tons”, said by R. A. Dodge, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 13²⁹

1966

• Closed: “closed its asbestos mine at Wittenoom, Western Australia, ending Australia's only blue asbestos production” (Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Ltd.), p. 21¹²
• Closed: “With the closing of the Colonial Mine late in 1966”, said by R. A. Dodge, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 13²⁹
• Closed: “the cessation of crocidolite production at Wittenoom, Western Australia at the end of 1966”, p. 6²⁸
• Closed: “CSR closed the mine at the end of 1966 and Hanwright bought the mine, town and equipment” (Colonial Sugar Refining (CSR)), p. 42¹⁶

1967

• Reserves: “a field with an established life of 30 years on a throughput of 15,000 tons a year” (L. G. Hancock; E. A. Wright), p. 10³⁰
• Ownership: “have purchased all the assets of Australia's only asbestos mining company at Wittenoom Gorge” (L. G. Hancock; E. A. Wright; Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited; Colonial Sugar Refining Company), p. 10³⁰

1969

• Exploration: “is investigating the feasibility of reactivating the Blue asbestos mining property at Wittenoom” (Hammersley Iron Pty. Limited), p. 20³¹

1970

• Idle: “reactivating the crocidolite property” (Hammersley Iron Pty. Ltd.), p. 8³²
• Exploration: “investigating the feasibility of reactivating the crocidolite property at Wittenoom” (Hammersley Iron Pty. Ltd.), p. 8³²

1975

• Ownership: “Messrs. Hancock and Wright, mining partners, hold rights to the asbestos mine; Mr. Hancock admits to only a mild interest in reopening the asbestos mine” (Hancock and Wright (Hanwright)), p. 42¹⁶

1978

• Fiber: “crocidolite asbestos was mined”, p. 2²
• Dust and health: “a very high incidence of mesothelioma and other similar diseases among present and former residents”, p. 2²

1979

• Dust and health: “decided to close down and evacuate the 150-resident town of Wittenoom because of continuing risk from airborne asbestos dust”, p. 2²

1980

• Dust and health: “Financial assistance has been offered residents of Wittenoom ... to help them move from the town which, from 1943 to 1966, was the site of a Crocidolite asbestos mine” (Colonial Sugar Refining Company), p. 31⁷

In court opinions

Court opinions in our case-law library that name this mine, by how they concern it. A search found every one that names the mine and an AI reader sorted them; the quotation, checked word for word against the text, shows where. Those that name the mine only in passing or in a reference list are left out.

The mine’s fiber in products (1)

• Csr, Limited v. Taylor (2009): “CSR acted as the exclusive distributor for a wholly-owned subsidiary, Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited ("ABA"), to sell asbestos mined in Wittenoom, Western Australia, to customers in the United States.”

In medical studies

Medical studies in our research library that name this mine, by how they concern it. A search found every one that names the mine and an AI reader sorted them; the quotation, checked word for word against the text, shows where. Those that name the mine only in passing or in a reference list are left out.

Studies of the mine’s workers (84)

• Alfonso H 2015: Effect of N-acetylcysteine supplementation on oxidative stress status and alveolar inflammation in people exposed to asbestos: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial: “a health surveil- lance programme established in 1990 for former asbestos workers at Wittenoom (Western Australia), ex-residents from the town of Wittenoom”
• Alfonso HS 2004: Effects of asbestos and smoking on the levels and rates of change of lung function in a crocidolite exposed cohort in Western Australia: “In an attempt to reduce the occurrence of malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer in former workers and residents from Wittenoom, an interven- tion was established in 1990”
• Alfonso HS 2005: Effects of asbestos and smoking on gas diffusion in people exposed to crocidolite: “A cohort study of 934 people (including both mine workers and town residents) exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) at the asbestos mines and in the town of Wittenoom”
• Alfonso HS 2005: Plasma concentrations of retinol, carotene, and vitamin E and mortality in subjects with asbestosis in a cohort exposed to crocidolite in Wittenoom, Western Australia: “The follow up of the Wittenoom cohort has been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.”
• Alfonso HS 2005: Plasma retinol, carotene and vitamin E concentrations and lung function in a crocidolite-exposed cohort from Wittenoom, Western Australia: a cohort study: “Increased rates of death from asbestos related diseases have been reported for people previously employed in the mining and milling operations at Wittenoom (Western Australia), and people who lived in the nearby town”
• Alfonso HS 2006: Plasma vitamin concentrations and incidence of mesothelioma and lung cancer in individuals exposed to crocidolite at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “Increased rates of death from asbestos-related diseases have been reported in former workers and residents exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) at Wittenoom (Western Australia).”
• Alfonso HS 2010: Retinol supplementation and mesothelioma incidence in workers earlier exposed to blue asbestos (Crocidolite) at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “The former workers at Wittenoom known to be alive and living in Western Australia in June 1990 constitute the study population.”
• Ambrosini GL 2008: Fruit, vegetable, vitamin A intakes, and prostate cancer risk
• Ambrosini GL 2013: No dose-dependent increase in fracture risk after long-term exposure to high doses of retinol or beta-carotene
• Armstrong BK 1988: Mortality in miners and millers of crocidolite in Western Australia: “It is known that 6505 men and 411 women were employed in the mining and milling of crocidolite at Wittenoom in the Pilbara region of Western Australia between 1943 and 1966.”
• Baker JE 1986: Morphology of bronchogenic carcinoma in workers formerly exposed to crocidolite at Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia: “Cytology and histology material from 46 broncho- genic carcinomas occurring in ex-workers from the Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill in Western Aus- tralia”
• Barone-Adesi F 2019: Role of asbestos clearance in explaining long-term risk of pleural and peritoneal cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies: “The cohorts included in this study were exposed to both chrysotile and croci- dolite, with the exception of the Wittenoom miners who were exposed to crocidolite only.”
• Berman DW 2008: Update of potency factors for asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma: “crocidolite (Wittenoom Gorge, Australia miners and millers, Berry et al., 2004) and using published data from a cohort exposed to amosite”
• Berry G 1991: Prediction of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis in former Wittenoom asbestos workers: “in former workers at the Wittenoom crocidolite asbestos mine in Western Australia.”
• Berry G 1999: Models for mesothelioma incidence following exposure to fibers in terms of timing and duration of exposure and the biopersistence of the fibers
• Berry G 2004: Malignant pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas in former miners and millers of crocidolite at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “A group of 6493 men and 415 women who had worked at the former Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill at some time between 1943 and 1966”
• Berry G 2012: Malignant mesotheliomas in former miners and millers of crocidolite at Wittenoom (Western Australia) after more than 50 years follow-up: “A group of 6489 men and 419 women who had worked for the company operating the former Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill at some time between 1943 and 1966”
• Bianchi C 2001: Asbestos exposure in malignant mesothelioma of the pleura: a survey of 557 cases: “Telephone technician 1 Tiler 1 Wittenoom (Australia) crocidolite mine worker 1”
• Bianchi C 2004: Familial mesothelioma of the pleura--a report of 40 cases: “In the case 10, the patient had worked for three years at the crocidolite mine in Wittenoom (Western Australia).”
• Brims F 2022: Correlation of lung function with ultra-low-dose CT-detected lung parenchymal abnormalities: a cohort study of 1344 asbestos exposed individuals: “Originally, the cohort was established to monitor the health of crocidolite (blue asbestos) workers from the Wittenoom mine (Pilbara, Western Australia) and local Wittenoom township residents”
• Brims FJ 2015: Ultra-low-dose chest computer tomography screening of an asbestos-exposed population in Western Australia: “Asbestos exposure Wittenoom worker 136 (16.0) 103 (27.9)”
• Brims FJH 2023: Lung cancer screening an asbestos exposed population: Existing lung cancer risk criteria are not sufficient: “All cohort Mixed-fibre exposure Ex-residents Wittenoom workers p-value n = 1743 1155 363 225”
• Cadby G 2013: A genome-wide association study for malignant mesothelioma risk: “were genotyped in the independent control sample from Wittenoom and analysed by calculating P-values in a logis- tic regression”
• Cappelletto F 2003: Perceptions of health hazards in the narratives of Italian migrant workers at an Australian asbestos mine (1943-1966): “using narratives from a group of migrant workers at the crocidolite mine of Wittenoom Gorge, Western Australia.”
• Carey RN 2021: Autoantibodies and cancer among asbestos-exposed cohorts in Western Australia: “To date, a link between elevated ANA and cancer rates in the Wittenoom population has not been investigated.”
• Cookson W 1986: The natural history of asbestosis in former crocidolite workers of Wittenoom Gorge: “The course of pulmonary asbestosis and its determinants have been examined in 280 applicants for compensation among former workers of the crocidolite mine and mill at Wittenoom Gorge, Western Australia.”
• Cookson WO 1985: Asymmetric rapidly progressive lung fibrosis: a cause of pseudotumour in asbestosis: “Eighteen years before presentation he had worked for 12 months in the crocidolite mill at Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia.”
• Cookson WO 1985: Compensation, radiographic changes, and survival in applicants for asbestosis compensation: “The survival of 354 claimants for compensation for pulmonary asbestosis among former workers of the Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill in Western Australia has been examined.”
• Cookson WO 1986: Prevalence of radiographic asbestosis in crocidolite miners and millers at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “All plain chest radiographs relating to a one in six random sample (1025 men) of all former Wittenoom workers who had never entered a compensation claim”
• Creaney J 2001: p53 autoantibodies in patients with malignant mesothelioma: stability through disease progression: “sera were collected annually from individuals previously exposed, either occupation- ally or environmentally, to blue asbestos in the Wittenoom area of Western Australia”
• Creaney J 2005: Detection of malignant mesothelioma in asbestos-exposed individuals: the potential role of soluble mesothelin-related protein: “A cohort of workers and Wittenoom residents who never worked for the mining company has been assembled and studied.”
• Creaney J 2010: Serum mesothelin for early detection of asbestos-induced cancer malignant mesothelioma: “Individuals exposed to blue asbestos (crocidolite) through their employment or residence in Wittenoom Township have been monitored since 1995.”
• Curti S 2024: Cholangiocarcinoma and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos: Insights From the Italian Pooled Cohort Study: “Italy Australian Blue asbestos [19] Wittenoom (Australia) Italian miners in Wittenoom Crocidolite 1943-1967 300 (299 men)”
• Ferrante D 2017: Italian pool of asbestos workers cohorts: mortality trends of asbestos-related neoplasms after long time since first exposure: “a cohort of Italian miners in Wittenoom (300) and a non-occupational cohort of asbestos cement workers’ wives (1777).”
• Franklin P 2015: The mental health of asbestos-exposed subjects with pleural abnormalities: “Subjects were former workers from a blue asbestos mine and mill in Wittenoom, Western Australia, (which ceased to operate in 1966) and ex-residents from the Wittenoom township”
• Franklin P 2016: Asbestos exposure and histological subtype of malignant mesothelioma: “the association between histological subtypes and cumulative expos- ure was only assessed in those who had worked in the Wittenoom mine or lived in the town of Wittenoom”
• Harris EJA 2021: Low dose CT detected interstitial lung abnormalities in a population with low asbestos exposure: “the ARP is composed of three asbestos‐exposed cohorts: crocidolite workers from Wittenoom Gorge (Western Australia, Australia), local Wittenoom township re- sidents”
• Hayes AA 1988: Neutrophil chemotactic factor release and neutrophil alveolitis in asbestos-exposed individuals: “Crocidolite exposure occurred in subjects who had been employed in the mining of asbestos at Wittenoom in Western Australia.”
• Hayes AA 1989: Gallium lung scanning and bronchoalveolar lavage in crocidolite-exposed workers: “over 6,000 asbestos workers were exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) at Wittenoom Gorge between 1943 and 1966”
• Hillerdal G 1990: Pleural lesions in crocidolite workers from Western Australia: “visceral pleural lesions are common among former crocidolite workers in Western Australia who have applied for pneumoconiosis compensation”
• Layman L 1983: Work and workers' responses at Wittenoom, 1943-1966: “This paper identifies the major responses of Wittenoom workers and endeavours to explain why these particular responses were adopted.”
• Lee YC 2001: Increased body mass index is related to apparent circumscribed pleural thickening on plain chest radiographs: “The subjects were former workers at the defunct crocidolite mines in Wittenoom, Western Australia.”
• Manners D 2017: Correlation of ultra-low dose chest CT findings with physiologic measures of asbestosis: “This cohort includes former Wittenoom blue asbestos (crocidolite) mine workers and residents of Wittenoom town”
• Merler E 1996: Asbestos-related mortality among Italian migrants to Western Australia
• Morgan A 1982: Concentrations and characteristics of amphibole fibres in the lungs of workers exposed to crocidolite in the British gas-mask factories, and elsewhere, during the second world war: “Measurements were also made on a worker exposed to crocidolite at the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton, and on three miners from the Wittenoom mine in Western Australia”
• Morré DJ 2016: ENOX2-based early detection (ONCOblot) of asbestos-induced malignant mesothelioma 4-10 years in advance of clinical symptoms: “We thank the people of the Wittenoom communities for their participation in this study”
• Mukherjee S 2000: Chest pain in asbestos-exposed individuals with benign pleural and parenchymal disease: “we studied 1,280 subjects undergoing surveillance because of prior asbestos exposure at Wittenoom, Western Australia.”
• Murray CP 2016: Ultra low dose CT screen-detected non-malignant incidental findings in the Western Australian Asbestos Review Programme: “Asbestos review programme subjects included former workers of the Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill, ex-residents of the town of Wittenoom”
• Musk AW 1989: The incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Australia, 1947-1980
• Musk AW 1998: Vitamin A and cancer prevention I: observations in workers previously exposed to asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “All subjects had been occupationally exposed to crocidolite at Wittenoom Gorge between 1943 and 1966”
• Musk AW 2008: Mortality of former crocidolite (blue asbestos) miners and millers at Wittenoom: “Nearly 7000 male workers who worked at the Wittenoom mine and mill have been followed up using death and cancer registries throughout Australia and Italy to the end of 2000.”
• Musk AW 2011: Predicting survival in malignant mesothelioma: “the records of the Wittenoom worker and resident cohorts, which were established in 1975 and 1985, respectively, record all employees of the Australian Blue Asbestos Company”
• Musk AW 2015: Pattern of malignant mesothelioma incidence and occupational exposure to asbestos in Western Australia: “Wittenoom workers 31 54.4% 70 33.2% 83 17.5% 82 13.8% 266 19.9% Rail workers”
• Musk AWB 2020: The Wittenoom legacy: “Use of the employment records of the Australian Blue Asbestos Company and records of the Wittenoom township residents has permitted two cohorts of people with virtually exclusive exposure to crocidolite to be assembled and studied.”
• Mutsaers SE 1998: Fibroblast mitogens in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from asbestos-exposed subjects with and without clinical evidence of asbestosis: no evidence for the role of PDGF, TNF-alpha, IGF-1, or IL-1 beta: “The workforce of this industry has formed the basis of an ongoing cohort mortality study since 1975.18 As part of this study, an index of crocidolite exposure was derived for each worker.”
• Olsen NJ 2011: Increasing incidence of malignant mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during home maintenance and renovation: “Categories of exposure were collapsed into seven groups: asbestos miners and millers from Wittenoom; all other asbestos workers; residents from Wittenoom”
• Reid A 2004: Aerodigestive and gastrointestinal tract cancers and exposure to crocidolite (blue asbestos): incidence and mortality among former crocidolite workers: “Our study is a cohort study of former workers of the now-defunct cro- cidolite mining and milling operation at Wittenoom, West- ern Australia”
• Reid A 2005: The additional risk of malignant mesothelioma in former workers and residents of Wittenoom with benign pleural disease or asbestosis: “Former workers and residents of the crocidolite mining and milling town of Wittenoom are participating in a cancer prevention programme (n = 1988).”
• Reid A 2005: The effect of asbestosis on lung cancer risk beyond the dose related effect of asbestos alone: “Former workers and residents of Wittenoom with known amounts of asbestos exposure (duration, intensity, and time since first exposure), current chest x ray and smoking information”
• Reid A 2006: The risk of lung cancer with increasing time since ceasing exposure to asbestos and quitting smoking: “A cohort study of 2935 former workers of the crocidolite mine and mill at Wittenoom, who responded to a questionnaire on smoking first issued in 1979”
• Reid A 2008: Cancer incidence among women and girls environmentally and occupationally exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “who comprised both asbestos workers employed by the Australian Blue Asbestos Company (ABA), and former residents of the Wittenoom township who were not employed directly in the asbestos industry.”
• Reid A 2009: Asbestos exposure and gestational trophoblastic disease: a hypothesis: “Among 2,968 women and girls exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) at Wittenoom, three cases of choriocarci- noma and three cases of hydatidiform mole have been identified”
• Reid A 2009: Gynecologic and breast cancers in women after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom: “2,552 women were residents of the town and 416 worked for the asbestos company (Australian Blue Asbestos).”
• Reid A 2012: Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “SF-12 and Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaires were sent to 5,101 surviving Wittenoom workers and residents.”
• Reid A 2014: Mesothelioma risk after 40 years since first exposure to asbestos: a pooled analysis: “and one from Australia (Wittenoom crocidolite miners and millers12), and two cohorts with general”
• Reid A 2018: Autoimmune antibodies and asbestos exposure: Evidence from Wittenoom, Western Australia: “ANA testing using indirect immunofluorescence was performed on randomly selected serum samples from Wittenoom workers or residents”
• Reid A 2018: Migration and work in postwar Australia: mortality profile comparisons between Australian and Italian workers exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom: “We compare mortality from asbestos-related diseases among Italian and Australian workers employed at Wittenoom.”
• Robinson BW 1981: Benign asbestos pleural effusion: diagnosis and course: “Of the 22 patients, 15 had been involved in the mining and/or milling of crocidolite ("blue asbes- tos") at Wittenoom Gorge”
• Robinson BW 1986: Alveolitis of pulmonary asbestosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage studies in crocidolite- and chrysotile-exposed individuals: “All crocidolite- exposed individuals had been employed in the Wittenoom asbestos industry in Western Australia.”
• Robinson BW 2003: Mesothelin-family proteins and diagnosis of mesothelioma: “Participants had been exposed to asbestos either in association with the Wittenoom crocidolite operation or through downstream use of crocidolite in industry.”
• Robinson C 2014: Effect of NSAIDS and COX-2 inhibitors on the incidence and severity of asbestos-induced malignant mesothelioma: evidence from an animal model and a human cohort: “Epidemiological data was collected from residents and workers at the Wittenoom crocidolite mine site in Western Australia”
• Robinson C 2014: Statins do not alter the incidence of mesothelioma in asbestos exposed mice or humans
• Rogers A 1992: Prediction of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis in former Wittenoom asbestos workers: “Assuming a similar latency distribution in the Wittenoom cases collected in 1980-5, it is possible to calculate the total number of cases expected from the mine”
• Rogers AJ 2018: Exposures estimates of the Wittenoom mining workforce and town residents - Implications associated with risk estimation for persons exposed to asbestiform riebeckite: “The mining of crocidolite at Wittenoom from 1943 to 1966 is infamous due to the adverse health outcomes in the mining and milling workforce and the non-mining residents and families.”
• Williams V 1995: Asbestos bodies in lung tissue following exposure to crocidolite: “Thirty-two subjects were former male employees of A.B.A. Ltd. at Wittenoom and had detailed exposure histories”
• de Klerk N 2013: Familial aggregation of malignant mesothelioma in former workers and residents of Wittenoom, Western Australia: “More than 11,000 former asbestos workers and residents from Wittenoom have been followed up in cancer and death registries.”
• de Klerk NH 1989: Cancer mortality in relation to measures of occupational exposure to crocidolite at Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia: “were examined in 6506 male former crocidolite miners and millers at Wittenoom Gorge, Western Australia.”
• de Klerk NH 1989: Natural history of pleural thickening after exposure to crocidolite: “A total of 384 men who had worked at Wittenoom applied for compensation for asbestosis between 1948 and December 1982.”
• de Klerk NH 1990: Comparison of chest radiograph reading methods for assessing progress of pneumoconiosis over 10 years in Wittenoom crocidolite workers: “who had been exposed to crocidolite from Wittenoom Gorge, WA, and who had serial chest radiographs covering a period of at least 10 years.”
• de Klerk NH 1991: Smoking, exposure to crocidolite, and the incidence of lung cancer and asbestosis: “From 1943 until 1966 the principal leases were mined by a single company, Australian Blue Asbestos (ABA), which employed over 6000 people, mostly for short periods.”
• de Klerk NH 1993: Radiographic abnormalities and mortality in subjects with exposure to crocidolite: “Plain chest radiographs from a one in six random sample of the workforce of the asbestos industry at Wittenoom, Western Australia between 1943 and 1966 have been classified”
• de Klerk NH 1996: Comparison of measures of exposure to asbestos in former crocidolite workers from Wittenoom Gorge, W. Australia: “Samples of lung tissue, excluding tumor, of all former Wittenoom workers known to have died in Western Australia (WA) were sought from teaching hospitals”
• de Klerk NH 1996: Exposure to crocidolite and the incidence of different histological types of lung cancer: “In 1979 all former workers from the Wittenoom asbestos industry who could be traced were sent a question- naire on smoking history.”
• de Klerk NH 1998: Vitamin A and cancer prevention II: comparison of the effects of retinol and beta-carotene: “Duration and intensity of asbestos exposure were known in detail from the ongoing cohort study of the Wittenoom workforce”

Studies of people who lived nearby (12)

• Franklin P 2016: Incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Aboriginal people in Western Australia: “Aboriginal people lived in and around the town of Wittenoom, while it”
• Hansen J 1993: Malignant mesothelioma after environmental exposure to blue asbestos: “a cohort of 4,890 residents who never worked for the mining company Australian Blue Asbestos (ABA) has been assembled from all 18,553 available records”
• Hansen J 1998: Environmental exposure to crocidolite and mesothelioma: exposure-response relationships: “All 4,659 former residents of Wittenoom, Western Australia (WA) who lived there between 1943 and 1993 for at least 1 mo”
• Langlois SL 1978: The radiology of malignant pleural mesothelioma in Western Australia: “at Wittenoom, Western Australia, where her father was a miner. Asbestos mine tailings were kept in the backyard for the children to play in”
• Mo L 2020: Malignant mesothelioma presenting as a solitary perifissural nodule: “significant crocidolite exposure (blue asbestos), having lived in the former asbestos mining town of Wittenoom (Pilbara, WA, Australia).”
• Musk AW 1983: Sputum asbestos bodies and radiographic changes in residents of Wittenoom, Western Australia: “Sputum was collected for examination for asbestos bodies from residents in Wittenoom Gorge in December 1980.”
• Musk AW 1995: Malignant mesothelioma in Pilbara Aborigines: “After that, she lived about 20 kms outside Wittenoom, visiting the town periodically to buy stores.”
• Reid A 2007: Age and sex differences in malignant mesothelioma after residential exposure to blue asbestos (crocidolite): “A total of 4,768 residents of the town of Wittenoom have been followed up in cancer and death registries.”
• Reid A 2008: The mortality of women exposed environmentally and domestically to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “2552 women and girls are documented to have lived in the blue asbestos mining and milling township of Wittenoom between 1943 and 1992 and were not involved in asbestos mining or milling.”
• Reid A 2009: Predicted mortality from malignant mesothelioma among women exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia: “Nearly 3000 women and girls were documented to have lived at the blue asbestos mining and milling town of Wittenoom in Western Australia between 1943 and 1992.”
• Reid A 2013: All-cause mortality and cancer incidence among adults exposed to blue asbestos during childhood: “reduced the cohort to a total of 4,768 people (2,608 females) who had lived in Wittenoom for at least 1 month.”
• Reid A 2018: Are children more vulnerable to mesothelioma than adults? A comparison of mesothelioma risk among children and adults exposed non-occupationally to blue asbestos at Wittenoom: “Our aim was to compare the risk of mesothelioma between those exposed to blue asbestos as children and as adults at Wittenoom.”

Studies of the mine’s fiber (9)

• Behrouzfar K 2024: Mesothelioma survival prediction based on a six-gene transcriptomic signature
• Cleaver AL 2014: Long-term exposure of mesothelial cells to SV40 and asbestos leads to malignant transformation and chemotherapy resistance: “Asbestos Crocidolite Asb fibres [International Union against Cancer (IUCC) reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge] were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline”
• Davis MR 1992: Establishment of a murine model of malignant mesothelioma: “The asbestos fibres used for inoculation were from an IUCC reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite.”
• Fisher SA 2024: The MexTAg collaborative cross: host genetics affects asbestos related disease latency, but has little influence once tumours develop: “injections of 3 mg sterile asbestos (IUCC reference sample; Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite) suspended in 0.5 mL PBS”
• Robinson C 2006: A novel SV40 TAg transgenic model of asbestos-induced mesothelioma: malignant transformation is dose dependent: “Asbestos fibers (IUCC reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite) were suspended in PBS (15 mg/ mL)”
• Robinson C 2011: MexTAg mice exposed to asbestos develop cancer that faithfully replicates key features of the pathogenesis of human mesothelioma: “Asbestos fibres (IUCC reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite) were suspended in PBS at a concentration of 6 mg/ml”
• Robinson C 2012: The antioxidants vitamins A and E and selenium do not reduce the incidence of asbestos-induced disease in a mouse model of mesothelioma: “Asbestos fibers (IUCC reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite, Western Australia) were suspended in PBS”
• Robinson C 2014: Dietary vitamin D supplementation does not reduce the incidence or severity of asbestos-induced mesothelioma in a mouse model: “Asbestos fibers (IUCC reference sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite, Western Australia) were suspended in PBS (6 mg/ml)”
• Robinson C 2015: Consistent gene expression profiles in MexTAg transgenic mouse and wild type mouse asbestos-induced mesothelioma: “Mice were injected with 6 mg of asbestos (IUCC refer- ence sample of Wittenoom Gorge crocidolite) intraperi- toneally”

Other names

Documents call this mine “Wittenoom”, “Wittenoom Gorge”, “Hamersley Range crocidolite property”, “Wittenoon Gorge”, “Hamersley Range”, “crocidolite property at Wittenoom”, “area in which crocidolite asbestos was mined (Wittenoom)”, “Colonial Mine”, “Wittenoom asbestos mine”.

References

1. Asbestos Magazine, 1938, September 1938 (September 1, 1938), p. 38.
2. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1978–79 (January 1, 1980), p. 2.
3. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1942 (January 1, 1943), p. 6.
4. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1943 (January 1, 1944), p. 11.
5. Asbestos Magazine, 1955, July 1955 (July 1, 1955), p. 12.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1961, December 1961 (December 1, 1961), p. 38.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1980, April 1980 (April 1, 1980), p. 31.
8. Asbestos Magazine, 1946, April 1946 (April 1, 1946), p. 18.
9. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1948 (January 1, 1949), p. 11.
10. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1955 (January 1, 1956), p. 14.
11. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1956 (January 1, 1957), p. 13.
12. Asbestos Magazine, 1967, January 1967 (January 1, 1967), p. 21.
13. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1958 (January 1, 1959), p. 11.
14. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1947 (January 1, 1948), p. 10.
15. Asbestos Magazine, 1948, February 1948 (February 1, 1948), p. 44.
16. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, August 1975 (August 1, 1975), p. 42.
17. Asbestos Magazine, 1946, September 1946 (September 1, 1946), pp. 12, 14.
18. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1957 (January 1, 1958), p. 11.
19. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1946 (January 1, 1947), p. 5.
20. Asbestos Magazine, 1957, November 1957 (November 1, 1957), p. 38.
21. Asbestos Magazine, 1950, June 1950 (June 1, 1950), p. 50.
22. Asbestos Magazine, 1954, January 1954 (January 1, 1954), p. 24.
23. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1954 (January 1, 1955), p. 12.
24. Asbestos Magazine, 1958, March 1958 (March 1, 1958), p. 38.
25. Asbestos Magazine, 1959, March 1959 (March 1, 1959), p. 52.
26. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1961 (January 1, 1962), p. 12.
27. Asbestos Magazine, 1966, November 1966 (November 1, 1966), p. 24.
28. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1969 (January 1, 1970), p. 6.
29. Asbestos Magazine, 1967, September 1967 (September 1, 1967), p. 13.
30. Asbestos Magazine, 1967, February 1967 (February 1, 1967), p. 10.
31. Asbestos Magazine, 1969, December 1969 (December 1, 1969), p. 20.
32. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1970 (January 1, 1971), p. 8.
33. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1959 (January 1, 1960), p. 10.
34. Asbestos Magazine, 1948, May 1948 (May 1, 1948), p. 22.
35. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1953 (January 1, 1954), p. 12.
36. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1960 (January 1, 1961), p. 10.