ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Health Assessment for Molycorp Inc. Site Finds Past Exposure to Contaminants Could Have Caused Adverse Health Effects

For Immediate Release: March 9, 2005

ATLANTA - Past exposure to site-related contaminants in certain private wells or in tailings dust could have caused harmful health effects at the Molycorp Inc. site in Questa, N.M., indicates the final public health assessment released by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

The health assessment was previously made available to the public for review and comment. The final version includes the comments made by members of the public and ATSDR's responses to the comments.

In the assessment, ATSDR evaluated contaminant levels, how people come in contact with the contaminants and community concerns to determine how contaminants could affect public health. The assessment conclusions include:

— Past exposure to contaminants in certain private water wells was high enough to result in harmful health effects if people drank that water regularly. Adverse health effects are not likely today if people avoid drinking contaminated well water.

— Past exposure to dust could have resulted in short-term eye and respiratory irritation, but the level of metals in the dust was not high enough to cause other health effects. Recent studies indicate that adverse health effects are unlikely today.

— Contaminants in Questa municipal water meet applicable water quality standards and are not expected to cause adverse health effects.

The assessment also includes recommendations:

— Avoid drinking water from contaminated wells. These wells should be taken out of service to prevent people from drinking water from them.

— Continue controlling dust at the tailings facility. People with respiratory disease, the elderly, and children should limit outdoor activities when conditions appear dusty.

— Although the Questa municipal water is safe, to improve community acceptance, ATSDR supports replacing water lines that might be buried in tailings. Even if people occasionally drank tap water containing tailings particles or contaminants, estimated contaminant exposures would be too low to result in adverse health effects.

For more information, community members may contact ATSDR Environmental Health Scientist Jill Dyken or Health Communications Specialist Debra Joseph, toll-free, at 1-888-422-8737. ATSDR Regional Representative Patrick Young also may be contacted at 214-665-8562. Callers should refer to the Molycorp site in Questa, NM.

ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances.

Established by Congress in 1980 under the Superfund law, ATSDR conducts public health assessments at each of the sites on the EPA National Priorities List, as well as other sites when petitioned. Headquartered in Atlanta, ATSDR is staffed by more than 400 health professionals including epidemiologists, physicians, toxicologists, engineers and public health educators.

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Members of the news media can request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling the ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.