Experts have linked cases of mesothelioma in an Aboriginal community to a nearby mine.

More than two thirds of all cases of mesothelioma – the cancer caused by asbestos exposure - in the Aboriginal population of WA are a direct result of the mining of crocidolite at the Wittenoom mine, according to the authors of a new report.

A group of researchers from the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and Telethon Kids Institute warn that further cases of mesothelioma may develop, as the Wittenoom site is still used by Aboriginal people today for recreational and ceremonial activities.

Using figures from the WA Mesothelioma Register, the team found that of the 39 cases (77 per cent male) of malignant mesothelioma among WA Aboriginal people, twenty-six (67%) were a direct result of the mining of crocidolite at Wittenoom and the subsequent contamination of the surrounding lands.

Of the non-Aboriginal cases (86.3 per cent male), fewer than 25 per cent can be attributed to Wittenoom.

Aboriginals had consistently higher 10-year incidence rates than non-Aboriginals and, when compared to world populations, the highest mortality rate internationally.

The full article is accessible here.