What Are The Risk Factors For Siderosis?

Mining Workers

Mining workers are more susceptible to developing siderosis. Iron is extracted from the earth in the form of ores. Iron ores are oxide forms of iron identified by the names of hematite, magnetite, limonite, and others. Workers utilize heavy machinery to remove the surface of the ground to expose the iron ore and extract it. This process can rev up a large quantity of iron oxide dust into the air where the unprotected workers operating heavy machinery can be exposed to it. Upon removal, the ores are then crushed with more heavy machinery, which fabricates an even larger amount of iron oxide dust in the air. Although most of the heavy work of such process is done by large machinery, humans are still present and at the controls and operations of such machinery. Much of the ores are not of the best quality and are sorted out from pieces that are. While good quality pieces are shipped off to the basting furnace, the lower grade pieces have to be further crushed and undergo multiple refining processes that also emit more iron oxide microparticles into the air. When these microparticles regularly enter the lungs of mining workers, the inflammation that occurs can progress into siderosis.

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