Texas court reviews asbestos claims tied to former Montana talc mine operations.
A bankruptcy judge in Texas has called for a deeper look into a Montana mine’s past. The court wants to know if talc once sold by Barretts Minerals out of Dillon had enough asbestos in it to make people sick. This latest twist in a long legal battle over asbestos claims adds another layer to a case that has already seen a company go bankrupt, a mine sold, and workers and families left in legal limbo.
Barretts Minerals used to run a talc mining operation near Dillon. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2023, saying it was overwhelmed by lawsuits claiming its talc caused cancer. These claims mostly center on mesothelioma, a deadly illness linked to asbestos exposure. Lawyers for the people suing say the talc wasn’t as clean as the company claimed. They say asbestos, even in small amounts, was present, and it harmed workers and others.
When Barretts filed for bankruptcy, it was trying to wrap up hundreds of claims in one legal process. But that move has sparked its own controversy. The company is now known as Barretts Minerals OldCo. Its parent company, Minerals Technologies Inc., is not bankrupt. That has upset a lot of people. Lawyers for the sick and their families believe the parent company is trying to avoid facing these lawsuits in state courts by hiding behind the smaller company’s bankruptcy.
Clay Thompson, an attorney with a firm that has taken on asbestos cases all over the country, says it’s no accident the company chose Texas to file. Even though the mine is in Montana, and the parent companies are tied to New York and Pennsylvania, the bankruptcy was filed in Texas. Thompson says the only reason Barretts could do that is because it owns some land there that brings in rent. He says the company’s only job now is to protect the larger corporations from being sued.
The judge, Marvin Isgur, allowed the bankruptcy to go forward in Texas. But now he wants a separate court to figure out whether the talc really did contain harmful asbestos. That ruling could shape the outcome of many lawsuits still in the pipeline. Barretts, for its part, denies any wrongdoing. It says its talc was always safe and tested properly.
The mine itself has changed hands. Barretts sold it in 2024 to Riverspan Partners, a private investment firm, for $32 million. The new company, now called High Divide Minerals, is trying to distance itself from the past. It’s not allowed to speak about how things were done before the sale. High Divide says it’s working to grow the business, create jobs, and keep the operation safe and clean.
Despite the sale, the bankruptcy continues. Barretts OldCo has proposed a plan to handle both current and future asbestos-related claims. That plan doesn’t just cover the old company—it also protects the parent companies. Critics call this a legal trick to avoid paying what they owe.
Minerals Technologies, the parent company, says it set aside $215 million to deal with these claims. It insists the lawsuits don’t have a solid case. CEO Douglas Dietrich says the company is confident it can handle the claims in a fair way and stands by the safety of the talc it sold.
Still, for people like Thompson and his clients, that’s not good enough. They say the bankruptcy has stopped their lawsuits and put their futures on hold. Some have cases in New York, California, and New Jersey. Now those cases are frozen. Thompson says his clients are left wondering whether they’ll ever see justice or support for their families.
The court’s decision about asbestos levels in the talc could be a turning point. If the court finds asbestos was present in dangerous amounts, it could open the door for more lawsuits to move forward. If not, many claims could be denied or delayed further.
As of now, the Dillon mine legal battle continues, and the people at the center of it are still waiting. They want answers, and many of them say they just want their day in court. Whether that happens, and when, remains to be seen.
Sources:
Texas judge asks District Court to examine asbestos levels out of Dillon mine
Asbestos in Talc and Mesothelioma: Review of the Causality Using Epidemiology
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