The total number of diagnoses of mine-dust lung disease (MDLD) in Queensland has now reached 133 cases since 1984 — up from 102 in February last year.

Key points: There have been 56 new cases of mine-dust lung disease reported to the Queensland Government since the start of the 2019 financial year

There have been 56 new cases of mine-dust lung disease reported to the Queensland Government since the start of the 2019 financial year The rise could be due to improved diagnostic and reporting strategies, or increased dust levels in mines

The rise could be due to improved diagnostic and reporting strategies, or increased dust levels in mines The Queensland Government has established a hotline for mine workers, doctors and family members, a move praised by the union

State Government data includes all cases of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), mixed dust pneumoconiosis (MDP), silicosis — a form of pneumoconiosis from silica dust — as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asbestosis, reported since 1984.

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis accounts for 40 of the total 133.

Twenty new cases of MDLD have been reported to the Queensland Government since July last year on top of 36 new cases reported during the 2019 financial year.

The potentially fatal diseases are caused by long-term exposure to high concentrations of dust generated during mining and quarrying activities.

Experts have said the rise could be due to improved diagnostic and reporting strategies, but that modernisation of coal mining methods may have also contributed to increased dust levels.

The State Government said it has been doing all it can to support victims and today announced a new hotline for workers, family members, or doctors with questions about dust diseases.

'I'm on oxygen 6 hours a day'

Allan Whyte worked in Queensland's coal mines for 46 years and was diagnosed with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), or black lung disease, in March 2019 after more than 10 years of misdiagnosed lung issues.

What is black lung disease? A potentially fatal disease with no known cure

A potentially fatal disease with no known cure Caused by long exposure to coal dust that turns the lungs black

Caused by long exposure to coal dust that turns the lungs black There are two types of black lung: simple and complicated

There are two types of black lung: simple and complicated There are relatively few symptoms associated with simple black lung, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), and the prognosis is usually good

There are relatively few symptoms associated with simple black lung, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), and the prognosis is usually good CWP can progress into the more complicated progressive massive fibrosis (PMF)

CWP can progress into the more complicated progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) PMF symptoms can include a long-term cough and shortness of breath

Source: University of Kentucky, US National Library of Medicine and The Lancet

"I'm on oxygen 6 hours a day — minimum — and it's only going to get worse from here," he said.

"One day they switch the oxygen off and you're finished.

"I'm old now but I did play bowls — I can't even play bowls now."

Mr Whyte said his CWP has continued to worsen over time and there is no cure.

"It's a matter of sitting at home and waiting for it to happen and you just gradually get worse," he said.

"It's not as easy as what anyone thinks: 'Oh, he's got black lung, he'll get a big payout'.

"I'm finished … now all I've got to do is sit back and wait, wait, wait."

Mr Whyte is part of a Mine Dust Victims Group made up of affected coal miners who meet regularly to lobby for change and support each other.

"I've got lots of friends who have already died prior to this being a big deal, and they would have died from that [CWP]," he said.

Mr Whyte said he was not surprised by the growing number of diagnoses and said he expects more to come.

"There are a lot of people out there that are still in denial, they won't go out and get the X-ray in case they've got it," he said.

"That's only the tip of the iceberg — us silly buggers here we've just been down the right track and gotten onto the right bloke [for a diagnosis]."

Union commends state response

The mining union said it is pleased with the State Government's response to the diagnoses of a disease which is thought to have re-emerged after 30 years.

Queensland President of the CFMEU Mining and Energy, Stephen Smyth, said most of the recent cases came from current mine workers, meaning new detection systems are working.

"We'll continue to see the rise in mine-dust lung disease," he said.

"We have a lot of miners out there that haven't even participated, particularly the retired miners and even the current miners.

"We've got to commend the State Government on the response they've taken to certain black lung reforms and the other reforms they're implementing through the legislation.

"We'd like to congratulate them on the work they've done."

Why have MDLD diagnoses increased?

Robert Cohen is a clinical professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Illinois in the United States.

He is the internationally renowned expert on black lung disease who diagnosed Mr Whyte.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 8 minutes 58 seconds 8 m The diagnosis of four Queensland coal miners with black lung has prompted a review

Dr Cohen said there are two possible reasons for the recent resurgence of the disease.

"One [reason] is that it was rediscovered rather than re-emerging," he said.

"I don't believe the disease was ever eradicated — I think we stopped looking for it.

"If you stop looking for it then people were diagnosed with other diseases, where in reality they probably had coal mine dust diseases."

Dr Cohen said advances in mining technologies could also explain the increase in diagnoses.

"As technology has improved we have these massive machines that generate these huge amounts of coal production but they also generate huge amounts of dust," he said.

"It's possible that our dust controls didn't keep pace with modern technology's production of coal and production of dust."

Dr Cohen praised the way the Queensland Government has handled the resurgence, describing the diagnosis process as "worldclass".

"We now have a wonderful coal mine workers' health scheme that's actually looking at X-rays and carefully evaluating miners in a way that they hadn't been for decades," he said.

"So we're identifying a disease that's been out there, that needed to be found, and these folks need to be treated and have preventative measures taken.

"I think this is what we would have expected, [but] what was unexpected is that there would have been no cases and that was the thing that we had fixed.

"We're now looking for them and we are finding some."