Black diggers - as in Mongolia mine gold

• Black diggers - as in Mongolia mine gold

A huge number of gold mining companies change the natural landscape of Mongolia. Number of extinct rivers and lakes increases, the terrain becomes like a desert - and it's all due to gold mining. In addition to the officially registered enterprises (from Russia, Japan, China and others (a total of 23 countries.) - gold miners, there are so-called "black diggers", which is one of the main problems of Mongolia.

In connection with the economic situation in the world, the locals - the Mongols, ousted even guest workers from China and began to engage themselves of this "underground" activity of this "black" business. Traditional Mongolian tent

At the moment, in Mongolia, there are more than 100 thousand people who are involved in illegal gold mining. In the photo: an old Russian-made minivan on someone's yard.

The bulk of the "black diggers" - are residents of villages, villages - the former shepherds searchers a better life. They have long abandoned their traditional occupation, sold all their cattle, and became engaged in illegal gold mining.

And here they are digging pits to the south-west of Ulan Bator.

Main place of extraction of gold "black diggers" - a place where previously officially gold mining companies spent their development. "Black diggers" digging in the long-closed dumps on the sites of former industrial developments and pan for gold, old-fashioned way, by hand.

Very often, these diggers and their families live in close proximity to the archaeological sites, and their children do not attend schools.

The disappearance of hundreds of rivers and lakes is associated with gold mining at the headwaters of the rivers. Errors a Chinese firm that properly designed hydroelectric power station in 2007, stands in Mongolia is very expensive. This dam is completely blocked the river, resulting in over hundreds of kilometers of river dried up below this dam. This resulted in the disappearance of 950 small rivers.

Standard seat "black diggers".

The terrible conditions of the families of the existence of "black diggers", the proximity to kopalnyam who developed industrial enterprises lay a mark on the lives of young born in such circumstances, children - there were cases of children born with various pathologies. This is attributed to the fact that the manufacturers are used in the extraction of gold toxic substances - mercury, potassium cyanide, etc., and the male-diggers digging at these sites poisoned..

But other than that, they were waiting for the danger every minute. During talus they too may be lost.

For her work "black diggers" are constantly behind her green metal cans.

Because of the type referred to as - "Ninja", as they are similar to the hero of the popular cartoon about the Ninja Turtles.

And here is gold.

The resulting large settlements in river valleys, are illegal gold mining. From the least to the greatest family member crawl along the rivers and streams, digging in the ground and looking for gold.

In these new settlements created by even a variety of entertainment "complexes." Also it has been established trade and development serving various services, such as repairs, hairdressing and others.