Gold mining on the Shan Plateau, Myanmar

The western margin of the Shan Plateau in Myanmar, in particular the Mogok metamorphic belt, is rich in jade, gemstones such as rubies and emeralds, and gold. At a remote mine about 90 km north of Pyin Oo Lwin, gold is is extracted from quartz veins developed along a fault zone in Precambrian low-grade metamorphics. Ore grades are about 1 ppm. Working conditions are hard, and salaries are low. Here, a worker carries freshly blasted material from the pit to a waiting truck, from where the ore will be transported to a crushing and separating facility.