McIntyre Mines: Difference between revisions

Ennis established mine safety procedures, including a daily report on safety conditions underground, a standard that is common today, and an attempt to tackle the serious health problem of [[silicosis]]. At the time, European researchers had hypothesized that the scarring of lungs caused by silicosis was the result of a complex chemical reaction between silica particles and lung tissue, although this is now known to be inaccurate. A McIntyre research group, which included the world-renowned Banting Institute of the [[University of Toronto]], pursued the goal of finding a way of eliminating or reducing the solubility of silica particles by using small quantities of metallic aluminum dust in a two-stage dry that miners passed when they returned to surface. The non-profit McIntyre Research Foundation was formed to further the use of the treatment throughout the world mining industry. In 2015, the McIntyre Powder Project and Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers began investigating the link between the McIntyre aluminum dust treatment and neurological disorders, including [[ALS]] and [[Parkinson's disease]].<ref>Mayor, Lisa (2017). ''[http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/mcintyre-powder-als-1.4058358 Ontario health agency finds 'concerning' rate of ALS in miners exposed to McIntyre Powder]''. Toronto, Ontario: CBC News.</ref> The McIntyre Powder Project is a registry for miners who have health issues and who have been exposed to McIntyre Powder aluminum dust.<ref>[http://mcintyrepowderproject.com/ The McIntyre Powder Project]</ref> In 2024, a study found that workers exposed to McIntrye Powder had "modestly elevated rates" of cardiovascular disease.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Incidence of cardiovascular disease in a cohort of mine workers exposed to ultrafine aluminum powder in Ontario, Canada |first1=Andrew |last1=Zarnke |first2=Sarah |last2=Rhodes |first3=Nathan |last3=DeBono |first4=Colin |last4=Berriault |first5=Sandra |last5=Dorman |doi=10.1002/ajim.23646 |journal=[[American Journal of Industrial Medicine]] |date=August 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New research links cardiovascular disease to McIntyre Powder exposure |first=Kate |last=Rutherford |publisher=cbc.ca |date=August 28, 2024 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/study-research-mcintyre-powder-cardiovascular-disease-1.7306430 |access-date=August 28, 2024}}</ref>