ASARCO Globe Smelter — Denver, Colorado

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) Globe Smelter in Denver, Colorado, sustained occupational asbestos exposure during copper and lead smelting operations from 1901 through the smelter’s closure in 1985.

Facility Background

ASARCO’s Globe Smelter operated on the north side of Denver for over eighty years, processing copper, lead, zinc, and silver ores. The facility included reverberatory furnaces, converters, anode casting operations, and associated process equipment. At its peak, the Globe Smelter employed hundreds of workers in smelting and refining operations.

Plaintiffs alleged that high-temperature smelting operations required extensive use of asbestos-containing refractory materials, insulation, and protective products throughout the facility, creating conditions for occupational asbestos exposure among workers in multiple trades.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Furnace refractory and insulation: Plaintiffs alleged that workers maintaining reverberatory furnaces, converters, and refining vessels encountered asbestos-containing refractory bricks, cements, and insulating materials during repair and relining operations.
  • High-temperature process piping: Plaintiffs alleged that the steam and process piping systems serving furnace operations used asbestos pipe covering and block insulation.
  • Protective equipment and clothing: Plaintiffs alleged that asbestos-containing protective gloves, aprons, and clothing were used by smelter workers to protect against heat and molten metal hazards.
  • Boiler plant maintenance: Plaintiffs alleged that the smelter’s steam-generating facilities used asbestos boiler insulation, requiring maintenance workers to encounter asbestos materials during repair and overhaul.

Colorado has a two-year statute of limitations under C.R.S. § 13-80-102, running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule.

Workers who were employed at ASARCO’s Globe Smelter and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.