This nemesis has plagued the industry since underground coal mining’s beginnings.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), medical studies have shown that long-term exposure to excessive levels of respirable coal mine dust can lead to coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), a debilitating lung disease commonly known as "black lung".

The most recent complete round of results from a voluntary x-ray screening program for underground coal mine workers shows that nearly 8% of the workers with 25 or more years of mining experience were diagnosed with CWP.

In 1999, nearly one of every five compliance dust samples from U.S. longwall operations exceeded the permissible exposure limit of 2 mg/m3.

Data from dust sampling, medical screening, and production trends show that controlling dust on longwalls remains a major health concern and challenge for longwall mining.

Through the years, research at NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (formerly the United States Bureau of Mines) has led to significant advancements in controlling dust and continues to lead the charge in developing research to improve the work environment for miners.

Article 1: Benchmarking US longwalls, published September 29. Click Here .

Article 2: NIOSH showcases gallery, published October 6. Click Here .

Article 3: Flipper finds dust solution, published October 8. Click Here .

Article 4: ACARP look to solve thick seam dust riddle, published October 13. Click Here .

Article 5: Seam heights call for external spray reassessmment, published October 20. Click Here .

Article 6: Dust control under pressure, published October 27. Click Here .

Article 7: NIOSH steps up ante on shield dust, published November 03. Click Here .

Article 8: Coal charges its way through water additives, published November 10. Click Here .

Article 9: Face ventilation creates whirlpool for researchers, published November 19. Click Here .