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Caption: UNDERGROUND HONDURAS
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Caption: As we begin our descent into the sprawling capital, my boss jokes that TGU is a notoriously treacherous airport. I cinch my seatbelt a little tighter... TEGUCIGALPA
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Caption: Got ink?
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Caption: A rough city with a bad reputation, Tegucigalpa is plagued by one of the highest violent crime rates in the world. Nearly every store has armed security, and firearms are everywhere.
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Caption: We are not in the capital long. Our destination is a small, remote village in the south.
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Caption: Life moves at a slower pace here.
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Caption: Even security is more relaxed.
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Caption: We have come to conduct a geological assessment of a producing mine for a local client. The resource: gold.
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Caption: Historically, the Spanish mined gold in these hills. Now, locals and foreigners alike sift through the old workings, seeking fortune.
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Caption: Some of the workings are centuries old...
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Caption: ...none are for the claustrophobic.
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Caption: Temperature: 45 Celsius
Humidity: 100%
Sketchiness: maximum Life in the mines is tough, but gold has brought relative stability to the region, insulating the people from the gang wars that devastate the northern cities.
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Caption: Artisanal miners process ore by hand, but at great cost: toxic mercury used to collect fine gold escapes into streams and poses a serious health risk to workers.
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Caption: Despite the dangers, many locals accept the mercury use, as it allows them to maintain control of gold production - as well as the land.
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Caption: Hardhats: check. Safety first.
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Caption: Modern mining techniques allow for greater efficiency and better working conditions, but are costly to operate.
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Caption: Many of the larger operations are foreign owned, and while they uphold higher health and safety standards than local miners, much of the wealth flows out of the country.
Hopefully, a middle ground exists where gold mining can continue to provide stability and prosperity to Honduras, without great environmental and social cost.
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Caption: Coming soon... Deep Winter