No abstract

Three retired gold-mine workers from Western Australia (WA) were diagnosed with asbestosrelated pleural disease (two with pleural plaques and one with mesothelioma). Asbestos fibres have been found in air samples from WA gold-mines, and all three patients had worked in these mines (for five to 17 years) and had no other significant known asbestos exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first report of asbestos-related disease in gold-mine workers. (MJA 1999; 170: 263-265)