To reach the gold ores, miners also have to dig and crawl into about 50-meter deep mining tunnels that eventually maze out into lateral passageways called “drives,” which can lead to more vertical, deeper excavations depending on the availability or locations of the ores.
The deeper a tunnel is, the less air it has for miners to breathe in and the higher the risk of miners being suffocated or buried alive.
Constantino and dozens of other townsfolk, especially those who are poor, are familiar with the risks. But, for them, the risks are part of daily life.
“It is only scary when it’s your first time. Fear gradually fades away,” says Constantino.
In Paracale, most of the mining tunnels are located not far from the town proper. In Barangay Palanas, most of these tunnels are on the sides of the hills that overlook the town proper.
With nine other companions, including a team leader, Constantino has dug a 20-meter hole leading to a possible ore. It is getting deeper because they have yet to hit an ore or a hint or trace of it.
To prevent the hole from crumbling and burying the miners, pieces of wood are mounted on the sides of the hole.
The hole is pitch-dark and is only illuminated by an electric bulb lowered into it.
To descend, miners cling to a rope slowly lowered into the tunnel until they reach the bottom.
When power runs out and causes the compressors that pump air into the hole to stop running, miners have to climb out within 30 minutes or die of suffocation.
Extra care has to be observed since anything that falls into the pit, even a pebble, can turn into a free-falling projectile that can injure the diggers below.
No comments:
Post a Comment