Coal mine (IMAGE) University of Illinois Chicago Caption Researchers at UIC have found a clear link between silica exposure and severe black lung disease in contemporary U.S. coal miners. Credit Angela via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/coal-black-mineral-underground-1626368/) Usage Restrictions No restrictions. License Public Domain Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.