Premises Description

American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO — founded 1899, headquartered New York and later Tucson AZ; today ASARCO LLC, a subsidiary of Grupo México) was through the 20th century one of the principal U.S. non-ferrous metals (copper, lead, zinc) smelting and refining majors. ASARCO operated through the asbestos era U.S. smelter and refinery sites including:

  • El Paso TX — major copper smelter (closed 1999)
  • East Helena MT — lead smelter (closed 2001)
  • Omaha NE — lead refinery (closed 1997)
  • Hayden AZ — copper smelter (still active)
  • Ray Mine AZ — copper mining
  • Mission Mine AZ — copper mining
  • Amarillo TX — copper refinery
  • Glover MO — lead smelter (closed 2003)
  • Globe AZ, Tacoma WA, Selby CA — historic operations

ASARCO entered Chapter 11 in 2005 driven by environmental and asbestos liability and emerged in 2009 under Grupo México control. The ASARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Trust was established as part of the reorganization plan.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that ASARCO — as premises owner of its U.S. smelter, refinery, and mining operations — exposed smelter and refinery workforce, miners, and contractor pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, and trade workers to extensive asbestos.

ASARCO has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation, and asbestos liability is partially channeled through the ASARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.

Workers Exposed

  • United Steelworkers Local members at ASARCO smelters and refineries
  • Underground and open-pit miners at ASARCO mines
  • Insulators (HFIAW Local members) on ASARCO construction and turnaround crews
  • Boilermakers and refinery pipefitters at ASARCO sites
  • Construction-trade workforces on ASARCO EPC projects

If You Worked at an ASARCO Smelter, Refinery, or Mine

If you worked at an ASARCO copper, lead, or zinc smelter, refinery, or mine during the asbestos era — including at El Paso, East Helena, Omaha, Hayden, Amarillo, Glover MO, or any other ASARCO site — as an employee or as a dispatched contractor trade worker — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights — including potentially a trust claim against the ASARCO Asbestos PI Trust.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956