Black lung cases surging again in Southwest Va., Appalachia; miners blame blocked regulations

Black lung cases among Appalachian coal miners have surged to near 50-year highs due to mixed coal mine dust containing silica, which can cause pneumoconiosis. Advocates are demanding that federal regulations be enforced, citing data from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and NIOSH. The problem is aggravated by deeper mining operations that expose workers not only to coal but also to rock/silica dust.