Miner
Safety conscious Staffordshire mine worker Craig Notman travels to Mongolia to dig for gold in a precarious and dangerous network of tunnels deep in the Mongolian steppe.
Craig Notman, a mine worker from Staffordshire, is travelling to Mongolia to dig for gold in some of the toughest conditions on Earth. Mongolia is a country enjoying the world's biggest economic boom, entirely supported by mining. But while some people are getting rich, more than 40 percent of the population lives in poverty. Craig is staying in a traditional Mongolian tent, or ger, and working with local miner Sukhbaatar.
Like tens of thousands of small-scale miners, Sukhbaatar digs tunnels into the Mongolian steppe, searching for gold deep underground. It is a gruelling and dangerous way to earn just a few pounds a day. Thousands have died in the precarious networks of underground tunnels. Safety conscious Craig braves the tunnels himself as he learns to dig and pan for gold. He has to endure extreme weather and back-breaking work, and get to grips with unusual cuisine. Along the way, he discovers that a traditional nomadic people have been driven off their land by unprecedented extreme weather. With no other work in prospect, they must risk their lives every day in a desperate attempt to make money.
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Clips
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Craig makes the decision to go down the hole
Duration: 01:38
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Craig Notman arrives at the mine where he will be working
Duration: 03:20
大象传媒 News: Risking life in the Mongolian gold rush
大象传媒 News Country Profiles: Mongolia
Mongolia sits on vast quantities of untapped mineral wealth - but many Mongolians live in poverty.
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大象传媒 Human Planet Explorer
See Mongolia's nomadic horse herders in action - and witness a traditional Mongolian tent or 'ger' being built in one minute flat.
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Director | Simon Muriel |
Director | Simon Muriel |
Producer | Simon Muriel |
Producer | Simon Muriel |
Executive Producer | Sam Bagnall |
Executive Producer | Sam Bagnall |
Series Producer | Simon Watts-Davies |