Bosigran tin mine near St Ives, West Penwith coast, Cornwall, England, UK

Chiquicamata Coppermine, Atacama Desert, Chile, South America

Wheal Coates Mine, St Agnes, Cornwall, England, UK

Mined sea salt at shallow south end of the Dead Sea near Ein Boqeq, Israel, Middle East

Colourful shop fronts on Greene Street in Old West style mining town of Silverton in the San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains, Silverton, Colorado, United States of America (U.S.A.), North America

Open cast iron mine, Maharastra, India

Backlit image of workers loaded with sulphur pieces cut out from a sulphur mine on Ijen crater lake, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Abandoned Cornish tin mine engine houses on the cliffs at Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned ruin of tin mine engine house on the Cornish cliffs near Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Expansive open-pit mine with winding roads under a cloudy sky, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Remains of The Crowns tin mine engine houses on the Cornish Atlantic coast near Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned tin mine engine house on the clifftops at Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, near St. Just, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Saline plains, a salt mine in Bonaire, ABC Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean, Central America

Wheal Reath ruined Cornish tin mine engine house, Cripplesease near St. Ives, West Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The remains of Wheal Betsy, the engine house of a lead and silver mine on the western fringes of Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Destruction of rainforest caused by gold mining, Guyana, South America

Remains of The Crowns tin mine engine houses on the Cornish Atlantic coast near Botallack, St. Just, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sulphur worker appearing out of toxic fumes at Kawah Ijen, East Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sulphur miner working to mine sulphur at Kawah Ijen, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sulphur worker mining sulphur at the bottom of the crater, Kawah Ijen, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sunset behind Towanroath Engine House, part of Wheal Coates Tin Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Cornish coast near St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Destruction of rainforest caused by gold mining, Guyana, South America

The abandoned Wheal Coates engine house, UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Cornish cliffs near St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The abandoned Wheal Coates engine house, UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Cornish cliff tops near St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned Copper mine, Tankardstown, Copper Coast Drive, County Waterford, Munster, Republic of Ireland, Europe

Wheal Coates tin mine and engine house near St. Agnes, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Wheal Coates tin mine and engine house near St. Agnes, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mine, one of Earth's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits, Ilakaka, Ihorombe Region, Madagascar, Africa

Ilakaka sapphire mine, one of Earth's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits, Ilakaka, Ihorombe Region, Madagascar, Africa

The old mining ghost town of Pulacayo, Industrial Heritage Site, famously linked to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bolivia, South America

Humberstone saltpeter mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chile, South America

Silhouette of Wheal Coates Mine, St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Old gold mine buildings, Rodalquilar, Cabo de Gata natural park, Almeria, Spain, Europe

Old gold mine buildings, Rodalquilar, Cabo de Gata natural park, Almeria, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

The Crown engine houses near to Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Mount Judah Mine (State Mine), Glenorchy, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

Opal Mines at Coober Pedy, South AustraliaALPHA

Aerial view of one of only three permitted uranium mines in Australia (share of profits go to aboriginal landowners), Ranger Uranium mine, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Abandoned Copper mine, Tankardstown, Copper Coast Drive, County Waterford, Munster, Republic of Ireland, Europe

Backlit, worker, sulphur, mine, Ijen, ijen volcano, volcano, crater, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

The old mining town of Roros, Sor-Trondelag County, Gauldal District, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mine, one of Earth's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits, Ilakaka, Ihorombe Region, Madagascar, Africa

Old gold mine buildings, Rodalquilar, Cabo de Gata natural park, Almeria, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mines, Ilakaka, Fianarantsoa province, Ihorombe Region, Southern Madagascar, Africa

The old mining town of Roros, Sor-Trondelag County, Gauldal District, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Botallack Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mine, one of Earth's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits, Ilakaka, Ihorombe Region, Madagascar, Africa

Clifftop engine house from an abandoned tin mine on the Cornish cliffs, Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The remains of the Crown`s Shaft at Botallack Tin Mine, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Big Hole, part of Kimberley diamond mine which yielded 2722 kg of diamonds, Northern Cape, South Africa, Africa

The old mining town of Roros, Sor-Trondelag County, Gauldal District, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Silhouette of Wheal Coates Mine, St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Crown Engine Houses near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The old mining town of Roros, Sor-Trondelag County, Gauldal District, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Toxic sulphur fumes escaping from the ceramic pipes at Kawah Ijen, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Thrift on the coastal path near the ruins of Wheal Coates tin mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, near St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Crowns Engine Houses, Botallack historic Cornish tin mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Botallack, St. Just, Penzance, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned Tin Mine near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rocky coast, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned Tin Mine near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rocky coast, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Humberstone saltpeter mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chile, South America

The old mining ghost town of Pulacayo, Industrial Heritage Site, famously linked to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bolivia, South America

The Crown engine houses near to Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Saline plains, a salt mine in Bonaire, ABC Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean, Central America

The old mining ghost town of Pulacayo, Industrial Heritage Site, famously linked to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bolivia, South America

Old copper mine buildings, preserved national historic site, Kennecott, Wrangel Mountains, Alaska, USA, North America

Towan Roath Engine House at Wheal Coates Tin Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Wheal Coates Tin Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Crowns Cornish tin mine engine houses on the cliffs of Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned Tin Mine near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rocky coast, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Open pit at the Primorskoye amber mine, Yantarny, Kaliningrad, Russia, Europe

Real de Catorce, former silver mining town now popular with tourists, San Luis Potosi state, Mexico, North America

The Big Hole, Kimberley diamond mine, now filled with water, South Africa, Africa

The old mining ghost town of Pulacayo, Industrial Heritage Site, famously linked to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bolivia, South America

Thrift growing around the ruins of Wheal Owles tin mine on the cliff tops near Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sulphur miner working at Kawah Ijen, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

The old mining town of Roros, Sor-Trondelag County, Gauldal District, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Abandoned Tin Mine near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rocky coast, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Levant tin mine and Pendeen Lighthouse, Trewellard, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Looking down the Cornish coastline towards Geevor mine, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Settlement under calcium carbonate mine at Barz, near Abyaneh, Iran, Middle East

Cornish Engine House and Winding Gear, Magpie Mine, historic lead mine, National Monument, Peak District, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Engelsberg Ironworks mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mines, Ilakaka, Fianarantsoa province, Ihorombe Region, Southern Madagascar, Africa

The old mining ghost town of Pulacayo, Industrial Heritage Site, famously linked to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bolivia, South America

The Falun Copper Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Falun, Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe

The ruins of Wheal Owles tin mine on the cliff tops near Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Abandoned Tin Mine near Botallack, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rocky coast, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Botallack Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Liquid sulphur solidifying on the ground at Kawah Ijen, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Big Hole, part of Kimberley diamond mine which yielded 2722 kg of diamonds, Northern Cape, South Africa, Africa

The ruins of Wheal Owles tin mine on the cliff tops near Botallack, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Saline a salt mine in Bonaire, ABC Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean, Central America

The Falun Copper Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Falun, Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe

The Falun Copper Mine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Falun, Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe

Ilakaka sapphire mines, Ilakaka, Fianarantsoa province, Ihorombe Region, Southern Madagascar, Africa

Salineras salt mine, Peru, South America

Clay pit, St. Austell, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

La Valencian Silver mine at La Valenciana a suburb of Guanajuato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Guanajuato State, Mexico, North America

Wheal Coates Mine, St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sulphur basket, Kawah Ijen crater, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia