Key facts
- A photograph taken in eastern Congo illustrates the human and environmental dimensions of artisanal mining.
- The image aims to show the broad scale of mining operations and the number of people involved.
- The photo depicts child miners, women, and men working in muddy, polluted conditions.
- The transformed landscape in the background highlights the environmental impact of the mining activity.
A photograph taken in eastern Congo by AP photographer Dieudonne Dirole aims to capture the extensive human and environmental impact of artisanal mining. Dirole, based in eastern Congo where he began working for the AP this year, created the image to provide a broad view of the mining operations, rather than focusing on a single scene. The photo depicts the impressive number of people who depend on this activity, including child miners, women, and men working in mud and polluted water. The transformed hillside in the background serves to illustrate the environmental consequences of the mining. Dirole sought to highlight the contrast between the intense human activity in the foreground and the natural landscape in the background, thereby showcasing the human, economic, and environmental dimensions of mining.