Causes of Pneumoconiosis
Many dusts can cause pneumoconiosis. The most common workplace mineral dusts that are known to cause pneumoconiosis are asbestos, silica (rock and sand dust), and coal dust.

What Are Risk Factors?
Pneumoconiosis includes asbestosis, silicosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). CWP is sometimes called "Black Lung Disease" because the charcoal dust in the lungs can turn them black in color. Below are the dusts which cause these diseases.

Asbestos fibers are very durable and resistant to heat, leading to their use in insulation and fireproofing, as well as in textile manufacturing. Examples of workers who might be exposed to asbestos include plumbers, roofers, mechanics and shipyard workers, including naval officers. People are at higher risk of developing asbestosis if they have higher levels of exposure to asbestos dust over longer periods of time. The disease typically does not develop for 10 or 20 years after first exposure.

Crystalline silica is a main component of dust from sand and rock. Examples of workers who might be exposed to silica include miners, sandblasters, stonemasons and foundry workers. Risk factors for developing silicosis include higher levels of silica exposure and longer time of exposure. Lower levels of exposure over many years most commonly lead to "chronic simple silicosis" in which many small nodules of inflammation form in the lungs. This is the most common form of silicosis. In a small percentage of cases, simple silicosis develops in to a more severe form of silicosis called "progressive massive fibrosis" (PMF) when many small nodules "grow" together into large masses. In PMF, patients have more severe respiratory symptoms because the masses limit the function of normal lung. If exposure to silica is very intense over a shorter period of time, patients may develop "accelerated" or "acute silicosis." Acute silicosis is rare and generally occurs only after extremely high exposures, but it causes death in most cases.

Coal dust is made of carbon-containing particles, and coal miners are at risk of inhaling this dust. Coal miners may also be exposed to silica-containing dust because coal mining may involve some drilling into silica-containing rock. Workers exposed to graphite dust can also develop pneumoconiosis similar to CWP. Just like with silicosis, CWP is most commonly "simple" disease with nodules of inflammation forming in the lungs, but it can become PMF in a small percentage of patients.

Chronic beryllium disease (also called berylliosis) is another work-related lung disease that may be considered pneumoconiosis. Beryllium is a very strong and lightweight metal that is used in the electronics, aerospace and nuclear power industries. Chronic beryllium disease is caused by inhalation of airborne beryllium during its processing such as in melting or grinding it. There are other less common mineral dusts that might also cause pneumoconiosis including cobalt, talc and aluminum oxide.