Respirable crystalline silica (also known as RCS, silica dust, or quartz dust) is a common occupational hazard for coal and metal/nonmental (MNM) miners. Silica is a common component of rock composed of silicon and oxygen (chemical formula SiO2). Due to its small size, this dust may be inhaled and move throughout the lungs. It may be deposited in small airways and air sacs in the lungs and may remain there for long periods of time.
Download the following Respirable Crystalline Silica – Fact Sheet from the Mine Safety and Health Administration to learn more: