Steep rise in silicosis in South African gold mines

South Africa’s National Institute for Occupational Health has documented an alarming rise in the prevalence of silicosis in the country’s gold miners.

The disease is caused by inhaling silica dust, which is found in mines and quarries where quartz concentrations are high.

In six years, the prevalence of the disease has almost doubled in both black and white mine workers.

The report estimates that the overall prevalence of silicosis per 1, 000 miners in all commodities increased from 216 in 2005 to 237 in 2006.

However, the silicosis rate in the gold mining industry was the highest, at 31.6% of all gold miners examined. The gold industry also produces the majority of cases of emphysema.

By comparison the silicosis figures stand at 6.3% for platinum, 5.2% for coal and 5.4% for asbestos.

In addition, the study found that the overall rate of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in black gold miners has more than doubled since 1999.

For every 1,000 black gold miners examined, active PTB rates increased from 171 in 1999 to 398 in 2006. In black platinum miners, the rate decreased from 315 in 2002 to 275 in 2006.

The report is seen as a serious indictment of the South African gold mining industry.