MONTREAL — A Montreal company trying to revive one of the country’s last remaining asbestos mines has requested another extension on a deadline set by the Quebec government.
Balcorp Ltd. has been trying to raise $25-million from the private sector before Aug. 15 to secure a $58-million bank-loan guarantee from the province. The cash would allow the Balcorp-led consortium of investors to purchase the cash-strapped Jeffrey Mine in the city of Asbestos, Que. The request comes as the industry faces heavy criticism from health experts and international critics. They argue that exporting asbestos to the developing world is immoral. Guy Versailles, a spokesman for the company, says he’s confident the deal will eventually go through. The company was already granted an extension by the government after failing to meet a July 1 deadline.