Mining Our Past
A Comparison of Peruvian Silver Refineries with West Virginia Coal Mines
Labor and Environmental Issues Today
Child labor, black lung, and more
There are many issues associated with contemporary mining in both Peru and West Virginia. Unfair labor, health risk, and environmental pollution are some of the issues impacting both regions.
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Left: A miner inside the mine of the mountain "Cerro Rico" at Potosí, Bolivia. Photograph by Christophe Meneboeuf. WikiCommons.
Child Labor in Mining
Child labor used to be very common in West Virginia coal mining. However, child labor laws passed in the United States throughout the 20th Century have ended child labor in the mines. These laws protect children from working in jobs detrimental to their health and safety.
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However, child labor in mining continues to be a major problem in Peru. In recent years, high numbers of children have been forced into the mining industry and are exposed to hazardous working conditions on a daily basis 8.
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Left: Child labor was prevalent in the 19th and 20th century coal mines of West Virginia. The photograph depicts a "trapper boy" at the Turkey Knob Mine, Macdonald, WV. The boy had to stoop because of the low roof, and the photo was taken more than a mile inside the mine. Photograph by Lewis Hine. US. Library of Congress.
Health and the Environment
Health concerns, especially over black lung disease, are high in West Virginia. Coal miners and advocates have rallied for legislation at a West Virginia state level to address and prevent severe black lung disease 9.
The environment is also a cause for concern in Peru and West Virginia. Concerns over environmental impacts, mountain top removal, pollution are ever present.
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Right: Photograph of a polluted river near San Antonio de Esquilache, Peru. Mining runoff has turned the river orange. Photograph by Sarah Kennedy.
Protests and Strikes
Protests and strikes are some of the ways that people in Peru and West Virginia have made their voices heard. People strike for many reasons. Issues related to mining, the environment, and education are common protest topics.
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In Peru, anti-mining protests center around fears of environmental pollution and destruction, as well as water rights. Illegal mining operations are common in Peru, and corruption is present in every level of the government, accelerating issues of environmental pollution and exposure to high levels of hazardous heavy metals.
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Left: Peruvians protest for increases in teachers' pay. Puno, Peru. Photograph by Sarah Kennedy.