Anglo American Plc's South African unit will face a hearing next year to determine if it is liable for miners who contracted the lung disease silicosis while working in its gold shafts, lawyers for the plaintiffs said on Monday. Anglo American no longer has gold assets in South Africa, but the proceedings, initiated by 18 plaintiffs, have been launched on the grounds that miners contracted the debilitating disease when the company still ran bullion mines. The arbitration hearing is scheduled to begin on September 2, 2013 and will be presided over by a panel including South Africa's former chief justice, Sandile Ngcobo, they said…A spokesman for Anglo American in South Africa said the group and plaintiffs had signed an arbitration agreement. [also refers to AngloGold Ashanti]