The Wittenoom Tragedy
The Wittenoom Tragedy In Summary
- Mining Asbestos at Wittenoom (Remote town in the
Pilbara Region of Western Australia)
- In April 1943 Colonial Sugar Refinery (CSR) commenced
mining Blue Asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge
- 31st December 1966 CSR closed its asbestos mining
operations at Wittenoom claiming lack of profitability
and falling of asbestos prices
- Approximately 7,000 men and women worked for CSR
blue asbestos mining and milling operations at Wittenoom.
- Approximately 13,000 non-workers resided in the
Wittenoom township i.e. women and children (7000
were children either born in Wittenoom or they arrived
with their parents).
- To date more than 2000 of the workers and residents
of Wittenoom have died from Asbestos Diseases.
- Existence of Crocidolite in Hamersley Ranges has
been known since 1915.
- In 1923 a Ton of Blue Asbestos could fetch 80 Pounds
Stirling in England.
- About 1925 Asbestos rush occurred in the Pilbara,
however tyranny of distance and the terrain difficulties
forced the prospectors to sell their claims to speculators.
- In 1939 the Late Mr Hancock and his associates
constructed primitive Asbestos Crushing Plant on
the site which became known as the Wittenoom Mill.
- In 1943 CSR purchased the Leases and primitive
Mill structure from Hancock Syndicate (Messers Lang
Hancock, Wright & Warren).
- Mr Lang Hancock became Superintendent of the Blue
Asbestos Mining and Milling operations.
- The company was incorporated on the 17th April
1943 and continued its operations of Asbestos Mining
and Milling at Wittenoom and Colonial Gorges until
30th December 1966.
- CSR and its subsidiary ABA operated 2 mines and
Infrastructure at Wittenoom from 1943 to 1966.
- The processed Blue Asbestos fibre was transported
to Point Samson on open trucks.
- The Blue Asbestos fibres were stored in sheds
at Point Samson and loaded onto Ships.
- About half of the Blue Asbestos fibre production
at Wittenoom was sold to overseas interest and the
rest was used in Australia.
Wittenoom Blue Asbestos Mine and Mill (below)
- To accommodate the Mine and Mill workers, tents
were erected approximately a kilometre from the Mill.
- Staff and other more important employees were accommodated
in a small estate of 13 houses about 600 metres from
the single men’s tents.
- Offices and the company store were located between
the single men’s tents and the housing estate.
- Up to 1947 there were up to 200 Miners and Mill
workers employed to carry out the Milling and Mining
- To increase the production of asbestos fibre CSR
approached the WA Government for assistance to establish
a town 7 miles from the Mining and Milling Operations
to accommodate additional workforce.
- The WA Government agreed to supply all housing
requirements, a school, post office, hospital, police
station, water supply and to bitumise the seven mile
road connecting the town with the mine.
- CSR agreed to provide hotel, general store, butcher,
bakery, cafeteria, library, café and employees
amenities building and accommodation for 100 single
- The building commenced in 1947.
- Wittenoom Population
- During the asbestos mining and milling operations
the population of the town of Wittenoom was around
20,000 which included workers, wives, children including
numerous service providers like bank, police, post
office, hotel staff, shire and medical.
There is absolutely no question that CSR knew that
asbestosis and cancer were extremely likely results
of working in conditions such as those they permitted
in Wittenoom. (CSR's knowledge was established in the
Victorian and Western Australian courts through the
judgements of asbestos-caused injury litigation).
During the mining operations, more than 20,000 men,
women and children lived at Wittenoom. Some of the
workers sent there were part of the Commonwealth Government
policy to place new migrants for a period of two years
in any work situation.
Dr Jim McNulty AO visited Wittenoom milling and mining
operations between 1957 and 1962 in his capacity as
a chest physician, mines medical officer.
In 1962 Dr McNulty diagnosed the first mesothelioma
case in Australia in a worker employed at CSR's blue
asbestos mine at Wittenoom. Upon diagnosing this first
Australian mesothelioma, Dr McNulty personally explained
its significance to CSR's subsidiary management (Australian
Blue Asbestos Pty Ltd) stating "that the relatively
short period of exposure to blue asbestos confirms
the impression that these tumours may arise after transitory
exposure to crocidolite." He also sent them a
copy of his paper describing the case which was published
in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Dr McNulty is adamant that CSR was always aware that
if it continued to run the mine without adequate dust
suppression, they could be endangering the Wittenoom
mine and mill workers to a very grave degree.
One of the strongest warnings was given in writing
to CSR's consulting doctor, Maynard Rennie, by West
Australian specialist Dr Bruce Hunt on September 25
1961. He wrote, "It would obviously be much more
satisfactory if the company (CSR) itself took the necessary
action - which I suggest should start with an inspection
by yourself and by a well qualified ventilation engineer.
After examining the evidence which has been produced
for you I find it very difficult to believe that a
reputable public company (CSR) could remain in its
apparently self satisfied state and continue to allow
the asbestos mining industry to go on killing men unfortunate
enough to be employed in it. If however the present
situation is to remain unaltered I feel it my bounden
duty to bring the matter to the personal attention
of the Premier."
In 1962 the matters of poor hygiene and excessive dust
at the CSR Wittenoom mine and mill were brought to
the attention of Premier and Cabinet of the day. Sadly,
no action was taken because apparently CSR threatened
to close the mine if additional restrictions were to
be placed upon their mining and milling of blue asbestos
It would appear that despite the many warnings from
doctors and mining inspectors, CSR continued to run
the mine and milling operations with little regard
for dust suppression, which is now considered to be
the reason for many premature deaths of former Wittenoom
workers many years later.
During the 1970s Dr Janet Elder, Senior Chest Physician
at the University of Department of Medicine at Sir
Charles Gairdner Hospital, was horrified by the speed
with which the new cases of mesothelioma and other
asbestos-caused diseases were developing amongst the
former Wittenoom workers. "The dreadful tragedy," she
recalls, "was that so many of its victims were
very young and very fit when they went there [Wittenoom]."
CSR blue asbestos mining and milling at Wittenoom has
had a significant impact on all Australians. Western
Australia in particular has the highest rate of malignant
mesothelioma than any State in Australia or elsewhere
in the world per capita of population.
In response to CSR’s notice of closure of Wittenoom
mining and milling operations, the Hon. Charles Court,
Minister for North West at the time made the following
statement to the press on the 1st December 1966 : “This
is not the end of Wittenoom. It is the beginning of
a new phase in its history.”
The Hon. Sir Charles Court was absolutely right and more
than 2000 Wittenoom asbestos diseases deaths are the
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