mine

Diamonds in Yakutsk.

The power of stories

When I woke up in Yakutsk, the metropolis of Russia’s Far East, and planned the day with our host, Egor Makarov, I never expected that a few hours later his recommendations would take me into the middle of the diamond industry. At the top of just another staircase and through a gate made of rebar,…

Ted Hansen, a miner.

Resurface

I’ve been thinking about a particular phrase this week: going underground. For some, it connotes secrecy, subversion, and exploring alternatives. For others, it’s simply another day at work. Going underground. In the stairwell between the miner’s lockers and the supervisor’s office at Mine 7, Svalbard, there’s a photograph of a sign that reads “Most important…

A miner draws a diagram in the coal dust

Fishbone mining

Remembering: This is how you remove the coal from the mountain. It’s like fishbones. Tunnel your way in along the spine and pick the ribs all the way out. Dark. Strong. Bent double. Part of the history – unsure of the future. Welcome to Norwegian coal mining at 78 degrees north, Svalbard style. Photo Eric…

Joachim Myhrvang in the mine's locker room

(Post 2 of 4) Team leader Joachim Myhrvang shows us the dirty zone where miners get their work clothes each day. From here, they drive more than five kilometers into the mountain in regular cars before switching to specialized mine vehicles. The underground commute takes about 15 minutes.