Robin Hammond: The Price of Gold
Robin Hammond is a freelance photojournalist best known for his work on human rights and environmental issues. Originally from New Zealand, he has been commissioned to make photos in over 50 countries.
The price of gold is a photo essay on the plight of gold miners in Zimbabwe, who risk it all in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families:
Exhausted and caked in mud, they plough wearily on, searching toxic water for traces of gold. Some look west from where they fled, across the border to Zimbabwe; towards home. There, the life of miners are even harder. Here in Mozambique, at least, there are no soldiers standing over them with assault rifles.
Whole families have crossed the border to join the hunt for treasure. Zimbabwe has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world. The discovery of gold can literally save lives. But the search destroys lives too. The diggers handle toxic mercury to extract gold from the red earth. They risk suffocation at the bottom of fragile mine shafts that collapse burying occupants all too often.
A few will find enough gold to change their lives, but most will not. Many will become ill and some will pay the ultimate price in their search for gold.1
1Source: Robin Hammond’s website: www.robinhammond.co.uk
7 Comments
These photos are absolutely amazing.
Absolutely beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking.