Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering

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Browsing Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering by Author "Almberg, Kirsten S."

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    Mining Tenure and Job Duties Differ Among Contemporary and Historic Underground Coal Miners With Progressive Massive Fibrosis
    Zell-Baran, Lauren M.; Go, Leonard H. T.; Sarver, Emily A.; Almberg, Kirsten S.; Iwaniuk, Cayla; Green, Francis H. Y.; Abraham, Jerrold L.; Cool, Carlyne; Franko, Angela; Hubbs, Ann F.; Murray, Jill; Orandle, Marlene S.; Sanyal, Soma; Vorajee, Naseema; Cohen, Robert A.; Rose, Cecile S. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2023-04)
    Objective: To characterize differences in mining jobs and tenure between contemporary (born 1930+, working primarily with modern mining technologies) and historic coal miners with progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Methods: We classified jobs as designated occupations (DOs) and non-DOs based on regulatory sampling requirements. Demographic, occupational characteristics, and histopathological PMF type were compared between groups. Results: Contemporary miners (n = 33) had significantly shorter mean total ( 30.4 years vs 37.1 years, P = 0.0006) and underground (28.8 years vs 35.8 years, P = 0.001) mining tenure compared with historic miners (n = 289). Silica-type PMF was significantly more common among miners in non-DOs (30.1% vs 15.8%, P = 0.03) and contemporary miners (58.1% vs 15.2%, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Primary jobs changed over time with the introduction of modern mining technologies and likely changed exposures for workers. Elevated crystalline silica exposures are likely in non-DOs and require attention.
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    Pathology and Mineralogy Demonstrate Respirable Crystalline Silica Is a Major Cause of Severe Pneumoconiosis in US Coal Miners
    Cohen, Robert A.; Rose, Cecile S.; Go, Leonard H. T.; Zell-Baran, Lauren M.; Almberg, Kirsten S.; Sarver, Emily A.; Lowers, Heather A.; Iwaniuk, Cayla; Clingerman, Sidney M.; Richardson, Diana L.; Abraham, Jerrold L.; Cool, Carlyne D.; Franko, Angela D.; Hubbs, Ann F.; Murray, Jill; Orandle, Marlene S.; Sanyal, Soma; Vorajee, Naseema, I; Petsonk, Edward L.; Zulfikar, Rafia; Green, Francis H. Y. (American Thoracic Society, 2022-09)
    Rationale: The reasons for resurgent coal workers' pneumoconiosis and its most severe forms, rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), in the United States are not yet fully understood. Objectives: To compare the pathologic and mineralogic features of contemporary coal miners with severe pneumoconiosis with those of their historical counterparts. Methods: Lung pathology specimens from 85 coal miners with PMF were included for evaluation and analysis. We compared the proportion of cases with pathologic and mineralogic findings in miners born between 1910 and 1930 (historical) with those in miners born in or after 1930 (contemporary). Results: We found a significantly higher proportion of silica-type PMF (57% vs. 18%; P < 0.001) among contemporary miners compared with their historical counterparts. Mineral dust alveolar proteinosis was also more common in contemporary miners compared with their historical counterparts (70% vs. 37%; P < 0.01). In situ mineralogic analysis showed that the percentage (26.1% vs. 17.8%; P < 0.01) and concentration (47.3310(8) vs. 25.8310(8) particles/cm(3); P = 0.036) of silica particles were significantly greater in specimens from contemporary miners compared with their historical counterparts. The concentration of silica particles was significantly greater when silica-type PMF, mineral dust alveolar proteinosis, silicotic nodules, or immature silicotic nodules were present (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Exposure to respirable crystalline silica appears causal in the unexpected surge of severe disease in contemporary miners. Our findings underscore the importance of controlling workplace silica exposure to prevent the disabling and untreatable adverse health effects afflicting U.S. coal miners.