Imerys Talc America

Imerys Talc America & Asbestos Exposure

Imerys Talc America is one branch of a large, multinational company based in France that focuses on mining and supplying specialty minerals, like talc, to other industries. It became the world’s largest supplier of talc in 2011 when it acquired the Luzenac Group, which had multiple talc mining and supplying concerns in North America.

Unfortunately for Imerys, it also acquired a long and complex history of asbestos liability tied to tainted talc. Many of the subsidiaries of the Luzenac Group, including Cyprus Mines, were responsible for supplying asbestos-contaminated talc to major consumer product companies like Johnson & Johnson, Avon, and Vanderbilt Minerals. 

These companies, along with Imerys itself, were aware of the dangers of asbestos and chose to continue using asbestos-tainted talc in their products anyway, harming thousands of employees and consumers throughout the supply chain. 

Although they did not directly manufacture asbestos products, Imerys, its predecessors, and its subsidiaries have faced significant asbestos litigation due to their negligence

The company eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2019, in part due to asbestos-related liabilities. As of August 2025, the courts have approved its plans to form a joint asbestos trust fund with Cyprus Mines, worth over $850 million.

Dangers of Asbestos-Contaminated Talc Products

Asbestos and talc are both naturally occurring minerals often found close together in nature. Unfortunately, their proximity makes it challenging to mine one without contamination from the other. 

Asbestos is a family of six minerals with similar properties and structure, although the different varieties have varying levels of toxicity. Talc deposits most often contain tremolite or anthophyllite asbestos, which are part of the amphibole group of asbestos minerals, notable for being more toxic and carcinogenic than other varieties. 

All asbestos breaks down into long, fine particles. If asbestos is inhaled, ingested, or applied to the body, it lodges in tissue where it can cause irritation, scarring, and DNA changes that lead to serious illnesses decades after exposure occurs.

Diseases Caused by Asbestos Exposure:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Asbestosis
• Pleural thickening
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural effusions
• Other forms of cancer

Financial Compensation From Imerys Talc America 

Until very recently, victims of Imerys’ asbestos-contaminated talc products were unable to move forward with compensation claims. However, in August 2025, the company emerged from a 6-year-long Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

One of the results of the bankruptcy process was the founding of a joint asbestos trust fund with Cyprus Mines. The trust was funded with more than $850 million, over $505 million of which was supplied by Johnson & Johnson, to compensate current and future victims. Efforts to establish the trust fund are ongoing.

However, victims seeking legal compensation from Imerys will soon have three avenues:

• Asbestos trust fund claim: Allows both living victims and bereaved family members to file a claim against the trust and receive compensation without the necessity of going to court. 
• Personal injury lawsuit: Allows living victims of asbestos exposure to seek compensation for their losses through the court system.
• Wrongful death lawsuit: Allows the dependents or family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims to recover damages for the loss of their loved one.

Additionally, because the use of asbestos throughout the 20th century was so widespread, many asbestos exposure victims are eligible to file claims against multiple negligent companies. Working with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help victims track down and hold accountable all responsible parties, maximizing their potential compensation.

The right attorney can also help you explore other potential avenues for financial recovery.

Additional forms of compensation include:

• Benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Workers’ compensation
• Treatment grants 

Asbestos Lawsuits Against Imerys Talc America 

Asbestos-Containing Products Used at Imerys Talc America 

Imerys Talc America did not manufacture asbestos products. However, their extensive talc mining, processing, and distribution chain spread asbestos-contaminated talc across the United States, endangering countless people.

In addition to supplying contaminated talc to major consumer goods manufacturers, Imerys also sold talc intended for use in paints, coatings, and industrial applications through a range of branded products.

Asbestos-contaminated products that use Imerys-supplied talc include:

• Avon’s Night Magic Talcum Powder
• Crys-Talc
• ImerCare Talc range
• Imerys’ paints and coatings
• Johnson & Johnson’s talcum-based baby powder
• Vanderbilt’s industrial talc products

Occupations At-Risk

Imerys’ entire supply chain, from its talc mines and processing centers to shipping and ultimately to customers and consumers, exposed individuals to asbestos.

High-risk occupations include:

• Construction workers
• Cosmetics manufacturers
• Cosmetics store personnel
• Cosmetologists
• Excavators
• Paint mixers and tinters
• Factory workers
• Freight workers
• Geologists
• Homemakers
• Makeup artists
• Miners

Imerys owned and operated the largest North American open-pit talc mine and an associated mill in Three Forks, Montana. It sold both to Magris in 2020 while undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Get Help Today 

Imerys and other talc companies were aware that their products were contaminated with toxic and carcinogenic asbestos. Despite this knowledge, they continued to sell these dangerous products, thereby harming and endangering thousands of their own workers as well as the end-users of products containing their tainted talc.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, or asbestosis following exposure to Imerys talc products or activities, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries and suffering.

Our legal partners at Meirowitz & Wasserberg have decades of combined experience navigating the complexities of asbestos claims related to talc. You don’t have to fight back against global corporations like Imerys and Johnson & Johnson alone.

Reach out to us today for a free legal case evaluation. Our knowledgeable and compassionate team is here to provide you with the support you need and deserve.

Written & Legally Reviewed By

Daniel Wasserberg, Esq. Attorney and On-Site Legal Advocate

Daniel Wasserberg was a New York metropolitan area “Super Lawyer Rising Star” from 2013 to 2018 (attorneys under age 40), and a Super Lawyer in 2019. In 2017, Daniel was named a “Top 100 Civil Litigator” by the National Trial Lawyers organization. This recognition is rarely awarded to attorneys under the age of 40. Daniel is proud to call himself a Trial Lawyer, and is often asked to speak at gatherings of the nation’s leading attorneys, from both sides of the bar.

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