http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-29410298
Another piece of the news in pictures but given our chapter this week deals with South African gold mines, this was too relevant to pass up.
These are artisanal mines in Guinea, which everyone should be able to point out on a map. Like the situation in South Africa in the 80's, most of the workers are migrants from Mali and other West African countries. There are also many children and women laboring because there isn't a lot of work so the dangerous mines have no fear of a labor shortage.
The surrounding area has taken on a life of its own. Many of the migrants have set up camp and are visited by hawkers selling their wares. If this is anything like California during the Gold Rush, people are better off selling to the miners than doing any mining themselves.
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