Mining company drops its own lung study, will share records

EVELETH, Minn. (AP) Mining company Cleveland-Cliffs says it's throwing its support behind a University of Minnesota study into a lung disease affecting miners and will drop its own study of the illness.

Cleveland-Cliffs told the Minnesota Taconite Workers Lung Health Partnership about its decisions on the studies earlier this week.

The partnership is made up of unions, taconite companies, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and others.

During a gathering near Eveleth, Dr. Jeffrey Mandel of the university's public health school said the study will determine whether the mines are a risk factor for lung disease, whether mining causes other diseases and whether spouses are at risk.

The study will include health examinations, lake-bottom and air sampling, and mineral analysis.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 12-18-07 1250CST | save this article / add to your favorites list