Bell Asbestos Mines

Before it was nationalized by the government of Quebec, Bell Asbestos Mines Ltd. was a Canadian company and a subsidiary of the Turner & Newell Company. Turner & Newell got its start in the United Kingdom and was formed when four asbestos product manufacturers merged into one company. Together, the four companies manufactured textiles, insulation and related products.

Turner & Newell effectively dominated these industries in the 1920s and 1930s, during which time it acquired several smaller entities and expanded its interests. One of those was Bell’s United Asbestos Co Ltd, which specialized in manufacturing cement building materials and pressure pipes that contained asbestos. A few years later, it also acquired the Bell mine in Thetford, Quebec. At that point, Turner & Newell had already delved into the asbestos mining business, having gained majority control of several asbestos mines in Africa.

In 1937, Turner & Newell formed Bell Asbestos Mines Ltd, which was incorporated in Canada and acquired the Bell mine. Turner & Newell and all of its subsidiaries were purchased in 1988 by U.S.-based Federal Mogul. Federal Mogul filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001, primarily as the result of asbestos-related claims against Turner & Newell and its subsidiaries.

Bell Asbestos Mines Ltd. and Asbestos

Because the Bell mine was an asbestos mine, it is easy to understand how mine workers were exposed. Equally easy to understand is just how concentrated and severe their exposure was and how high their risk is for developing an asbestos-related disease. Mesothelioma is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure and symptoms can take as long as 50 years to develop. If you wish to learn more about this cancer, click here to receive a free packet in the mail.

Chrysotile asbestos was discovered in Quebec in the 1870s. It is estimated that 21 mining companies operated in the Thetford-Mines region. Studies conducted as early as the 1970s found a significant difference in the health of miners from the Thetford-Mines region as compared to other regions where asbestos mining occurred. The Thetford-Mine was dustier and asbestos exposure was much more prevalent.

An epidemiological study was conducted on men who worked in asbestos mines between 1926 and 1975 in two regions: Thetford-Mines and a region called Asbestos that is located about 65 miles southwest of Thetford-Mines. The mortality rate among men who worked in Thetford-Mines was five times that of men who worked in the Asbestos region. Cases of mesothelioma were higher as well. Mortality and illness rates were higher despite the fact that average years of exposure were nearly identical in the two regions.

Bell Asbestos Mines Ltd. and Asbestos Litigation

Because of mounting asbestos-related liability claims, Turner & Newell, Federal-Mogul and their respective subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001. Hundreds of claims have been filed against the companies and hundreds more are expected. In 2007, as a result of the bankruptcy filing, a Federal-Mogul Trust was formed to handle existing and future asbestos-related liability claims.

Because of the unique organizational structure of Federal-Mogul, there are four separate “subfunds” within the larger fund. One subfund was created to handle only Turner & Newell claims, which includes claims resulting from the Bell mine. The fund began accepting T&N Subfund Trust claims late in 2010. Similar to other trust funds, the T&N Subfund offers claimants a choice of how their claims will be processed – either expedited or individual. The expedited claims take less time, but a single, fixed payment is dispensed to all claimants regardless of exposure or health condition. Individual reviews take more time and payment amounts vary.

Former Bell mine workers and those who lived in or near Thetford-Mines were likely exposed to levels of asbestos that could pose health risks. If you were a miner or resident of this area and are concerned for your health, visit your doctor. Asbestos-related illnesses can take years or decades to manifest. If caught in time, asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma are treated with radiation, chemotherapy or surgery, but these treatments will not eradicate the cancer as no cure for mesothelioma has been found.