ASARCO Vermiculite Plant The ASARCO vermiculite processing plant in northeast Minneapolis expanded raw vermiculite ore shipped from the contaminated Libby, Montana mine. Workers and surrounding community members were exposed to tremolite asbestos released during processing operations.
Last verified: 2026-03-09The Minneapolis plant was one of several facilities across the country that processed Libby vermiculite. Operating from the late 1930s through 1989, it expanded raw ore in high-temperature furnaces to produce lightweight insulation and garden products. The EPA identified the site during its nationwide investigation of Libby vermiculite processing locations and conducted soil and air testing in the surrounding neighborhood.
Raw vermiculite ore from Libby was heated in expansion furnaces, releasing trapped tremolite asbestos fibers into the plant and surrounding air. Workers handled contaminated materials throughout the production process without adequate respiratory protection. Neighborhood contamination occurred through airborne fiber drift and waste disposal practices.
The following job categories at ASARCO Vermiculite Plant had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:
Plant workers developed mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer at rates significantly above the general population. Community health studies found elevated asbestos-related disease in residents living near the facility. The EPA included this site in its public health response to Libby contamination.
Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.
Workers exposed to asbestos at ASARCO Vermiculite Plant may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.
Find Out If You QualifyWorkers who were employed at ASARCO Vermiculite Plant between 1940s–1980s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.
If you were exposed to asbestos at ASARCO Vermiculite Plant and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in Minnesota may be able to help.
The plant was located in northeast Minneapolis on University Avenue NE. The EPA has tested the surrounding neighborhood for asbestos contamination as part of the Libby Asbestos Superfund investigation.
The Minneapolis plant received raw vermiculite ore from the Libby mine and processed it into insulation and other products. The Libby ore was contaminated with tremolite asbestos, which was released during processing.
Yes. Workers exposed to Libby vermiculite at the Minneapolis plant may file claims against the W.R. Grace Asbestos Trust and potentially other parties. An experienced mesothelioma attorney can help identify all available sources of compensation.
No. Missing paperwork is normal after this long, and it is not what decides a claim. A Social Security earnings statement lists every employer you had, by year, and can usually be requested directly. Union records, W-2s and a DD-214 for military service do similar work. Coworkers who were there can also confirm conditions. What matters most is what you remember, written down in your own words.
Yes. A wrongful death claim can be brought by the estate or eligible family members, and it is a separate route from a claim the patient would have brought themselves. It also runs on a different clock: the deadline generally starts at the date of death rather than the date of diagnosis, which means families are sometimes still in time when they assume they are not. Deadlines are set by each state, so confirm the one that applies to yours.
Possibly. Asbestos fibres travelled home on work clothes, in hair and in vehicles, and household members were exposed while washing laundry or greeting someone at the end of a shift. This is called secondhand or take-home exposure and it is a recognised route to a claim in its own right, not an exception. If you are documenting a family member's work history, write down your own contact with their work clothing as well.
You do not need a lawyer, a diagnosis, or a decision to do this. You need a piece of paper. Memory is the part of a claim nobody else can reconstruct for you, and it is the part that fades.
If you are doing this for a relative who has died, write down what you remember too, including work clothes brought home to be washed. Household exposure is a real claim, not an edge case.
That is usually enough to work out which claims are open to you — trust funds, a lawsuit, or VA benefits if the exposure happened in service. You do not need records, dates you are certain of, or the name of a product. If you are asking on behalf of someone who has died, a family member can file and the deadline runs differently. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to decide anything today.
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