Asbestos Production
Asbestos mining has been "big business" internationally for over a century.
One of the largest mines in Canada, the Jeffrey Mine, is located in the town of Asbestos, Quebec. Yes, they actually named their town "Asbestos."
The Jeffrey Mine closed in 2011. Due to the negative connotations of the name Asbestos, the town changed its name to Val-des-Sources, in 2020.
Global production of asbestos has decreased from 2.2 million metric tons in 2007 to about 1 million metric tons in 2018.
The last U.S. producer of asbestos ceased operations in 2002 as a result of the decline in domestic and international asbestos markets associated with health and liability issues. The United States has since been wholly dependent on imports to meet manufacturing needs. In 2019, all of the asbestos minerals imported into and used within the United States consisted of chrysotile and were shipped from Russia. Domestic consumption of chrysotile in 2019 was estimated to be 100 tons.
The Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos, Quebec Canada