Companies including Murray Energy, PepCo and American Energy have asked for an appeal of the rule at the Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Monday.
According to the US Department of Labor, mining-related lung diseases, including black lung, have killed more than 76,000 US miners since 1968 while causing the payout of $US45 billion ($A48 billion) in benefits to them and their survivors.
The challenging companies claim that the plan to cut coal dust exposure by 25% is unattainable and not economically viable.
According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the cost to the coal industry will be about $61 million in the first year and then less than $30 million on an annual basis.
Benefits from lower medical bills are estimated at $36.9 million a year.
