Anglo American Plc's South African unit and AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. have agreed to settle some lung-disease claims for more than 500 million rand ($32 million).  

The settlement comes after 4,365 former employees sued the mining companies, saying they contracted dust-related lung diseases such as silicosis and tuberculosis while working in unsafe conditions, Leigh Day, a U.K.-based law firm, said in an e-mailed statement. The settlement is separate from a class-action lawsuit currently being evaluated at Johannesburg's High Court...

American South Africa and AngloGold reached the settlement without admission of liability...