South African gold producers agreed a 5 billion rand ($400 million) class action settlement on with law firms representing thousands of miners who contracted the fatal lung diseases silicosis and tuberculosis, officials said...The most far-reaching class action settlement ever reached in South Africa follows a long legal battle by miners to win compensation for illnesses they say they contracted over decades because of negligence in health and safety.  The six companies involved had already set aside the settlement amount in provisions in previous financial statements and it should not affect future earnings, unless the number of claimants who come forward exceed the current provisions.  Estimates for the number of potential claimants range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.  Three smaller gold producers are not party to the settlement and the class action against them will continue...The settlement is broken into three parts and a trust will have 12 years to track down the claimants and distribute the funds...The companies involved are Harmony Gold, Gold Fields, African Rainbow Minerals, Sibanye-Stillwater, AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American South Africa...