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Sign at Moonidih colliery, India
Mining continues in the Dhansar pit in spite of coal fires burning through the seams. These fires have been burning for nearly a century following ignition by poor mining practices, releasing vast quantities of CO2 and other gasses into the atmosphere.
A truck accidentally loaded with burning coal from the seam dumps its deadly load in a hurry. The sudden explosion is caused by oxygen reaching coal which before mining had been burning anaerobically underground.
A truck accidentally loaded with buring coal from the seam dumps its deadly load in a hurry. The sudden explosion is caused by oxygen reaching coal which before mining had been burining slowly underground.
Heavy equipment at the Dhansar open cast mine near Dhanbad, India.
Removing overburden at the open cast pit at Lodna, near Dhanbad, India
Bore holes are drilled for explosives at a coal mine near Dhanbad, India.
Smoke and steam rise from coking pits at an opencast mine near Dhanbad, India's coal capital.
Water is poured onto coal to to stop its slow buring during the coking process and reduce the amount of dust released into the atmosphere.
Dumper trucks at the Dhansar open cast mine near Dhanbad, India.
Helmets on miner's bikes at a pit near Dhanbad, India.
Miner in the lamp room at a pit near Dhanbad, India. Although underground work is well paid, the lack of safety equipment and old technology make it a dangerous job.
Miner at pit near Dhanbad, India. Although underground work is well paid, the lack of safety equipment and old technology make it a dangerous job.
Miner at pit near Dhanbad, India. Although underground work is well paid, the lack of safety equipment and old technology make it a dangerous job.
Miner at pit near Dhanbad, India.
An injured miner is placed in the ambulance after a trolley fell on his legs in a pit near Dhanbad, India.
Coal is coked in a coking plant at Lodna, near Dhanbad, India.
Trees killed by the heat of uncontrollable seam fires burning beneath the village of Nayadih Kusunda near Dhanbad, India. The village was deserted in 1997 after 10 people died in a subsidence related landslide.
Gasses billow out of a crack in the floor of an abadoned temple at Nayadih Kusunda village near Dhanbad, India. It was deserted in 1997 after 10 people died in a landslide caused by subsidence from the underground fires.
A man cokes coal in Jharkhand, India.
lllegal miners scour the overburden tip for coal near Dhanbad, India's coal mining capital. For a bribe of around £8 per load, dumper drivers will deposit pit spoils for locals to scavenge.
lllegal miners scour the overburden tip for coal near Dhanbad, India's coal mining capital.
lllegal miners scour the overburden tip for coal near Dhanbad, India's coal mining capital. For a bribe of around £8 per load, dumper drivers will deposit pit spoils for locals to scavenge.
A young boy scavenges for leftover coal on a disused open cast pit near Dhanbad, India's coal mining capital. Although technically illegal, with no land to farm, coal scavenging is the only option for many poor families.
Three boys dig for coal in the disused Lodna open cast pit, Dhanbad, India
Women carry illegally mined coal at the disused Lodna open cast pit. Crippled by poverty and with no land to farm, illegal coal scavenging is the only option for many families.
A woman walks down train lines carrying a collection of illegally mined coal. With only state registered companies allowed to mine legally, most residents of the Dhanbad area collect coal outside the law.
The open cast pit at Lodna, near Dhanbad, India
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A truck accidentally loaded with burning coal from the seam dumps its deadly load in a hurry. The sudden explosion is caused by oxygen reaching coal which before mining had been burning anaerobically underground.

A truck accidentally loaded with burning coal from the seam dumps its deadly load in a hurry. The sudden explosion is caused by oxygen reaching coal which before mining had been burning anaerobically underground.