Eighth black lung case confirmed in Qld

An eighth Queensland coal miner is battling the potentially deadly black lung disease.

The 55-year-old, who had worked at a number of Bowen Basin mines over 20 years, was confirmed as having the disease after being assessed by a respiratory physician for another chest condition.

Black lung, officially known as pneumoconiosis, is caused by long-term exposure to fine airborne coal dust in areas with poor ventilation and was thought to have been eradicated in Australia for decades before re-emerging last year.