Pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung, is a fatal health illness present in the mining industry caused by prolonged exposure to mine dust. In the United States, black lung has caused 76,000 deaths since 1968. So far, 45 billion dollars have been spent in federal compensation towards miners and their dependents in the United States. Despite the large economic and death toll, black lung is entirely preventable. A mine that is equipped with good ventilation and newer tools is at a much lower (or nonexistent) risk for miners contracting black lung.