JM ASBESTOS INC - Jeffrey Pit and Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada
Posted by: 
bluelamb03
N 45° 46.173 W 071° 56.487
19T E 271295 N 5072651
A 'retired' open pit, reputedly the largest open pit mine in the Western world, with a still functioning underground mine.
Waymark Code: WMATZZ
Location: Québec, Canada
Date Posted: 02/25/2011
Views: 90
This mine is named after W.H. Jeffrey who opened the enterprise in the early 1880's. It was a leading producer of chrysotile asbestos, prized for it's thermal, electrical and acoustical insulating properties, until the material was linked to health problems.
It began as an open pit and now has a diameter of more than two kilometres, is 350 meters deep and has a total area of six square kilometers. This mine is reputedly the largest open pit mine in the Western world.
It is still producing asbestos, but at a very reduced level, from an underground mine on the site.
The posted co-ordinates will bring you to a nice viewing platform, complete with interpretive panels (in French only) to help you understand the history and geology of the mine.