Jury selection for the W.R. Grace trial involving the mining of vermiculite that contained asbestos is scheduled to begin next week. Jurors will begin to be selected on February 19th out of eighty individuals that were summoned to appear for jury duty.

The trial will be held at the United States District Court in Missoula, Montana. W.R. Grace as well as a number of former executives for the company are charged with endangering area residents by mining the contaminated vermiculite and neglecting to acknowledge the dangers of exposure to asbestos to those residents.

Asbestos exposure may result in the development of any one of a number of often fatal diseases which include but are not limited to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Countless residents in Libby and neighboring communities are suffering from these diseases, and as funding for state-run health programs for individuals with asbestos-caused illnesses run out, people are becoming worried that they will no longer be able to afford medical treatment.

Due to the considerably long latency period of such diseases it is very difficult to find effective treatment options for those diagnosed. In most cases victims of asbestos-caused diseases will only live for a short time following initial diagnosis.

According to officials Grace was previously indicted for violations of the Clean Air Act, which was also the result of mining the contaminated vermiculite.

Officials are unsure as to approximately how long the trial will go on.

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