The extraction and manipulation of granite and slate continues to be the most important source of silica exposure in Spain. However, in the 1990s, a new profile of especially severe silicosis associated with artificial silica conglomerates emerged. These materials, composed of crystalline silica, mainly quartz and cristobalite, dyes and acrylic resin, are widely used in the manufacture of countertops for kitchens and bathrooms.

The damage produced by silica has some special characteristics that prompt us to call it a polyhedric disease.

However, our knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms of damage caused by silica inhalation is steadily growing. The likelihood of developing connective tissue disease is enhanced in subjects with exposure to silica and silicosis. Silica inhalation is also associated with other adverse effects that occur at lower doses than those needed to cause silicosis, including chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and an increased risk of lung cancer.