Five of the country's largest gold mining companies have formed an industry working group to address occupational lung disease (OLD), they announced on Tuesday.

The group, consisting of Anglo American SA, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony, and Sibanye, would address issues relating to compensation and medical care for OLD within the gold mining industry, the companies said in a joint statement.

The companies intended to design and implement a comprehensive solution that was fair to past, present, and future gold miners, and sustainable for the sector.

"To this end, the companies are arranging initial meetings with the departments of health, labour and mineral resources, organised labour, legal representatives of claimants, and other mining companies," the companies said.

The companies are among respondent companies in a number of lawsuits related to occupational lung disease.

"These companies do not believe that they are liable in respect of the claims brought, and they are defending these."

The companies did, however, believe they should work together to seek a solution to this South African mining industry legacy issue.

"The companies active in gold mining have been working for many years to try to eliminate the incidence of occupational lung disease through improved underground dust management and other measures," they said.

These efforts continued, they said.