A day of coal miners working in absolute darkness

ZONGULDAK, TURKEY - DECEMBER 03: Working in coal mines is one of the hardest jobs in the world and miners in northern Turkey face the hardships of their occupation one day at a time, leaving the outside world behind every time. Most of the male population in Zonguldak, a Black Sea city with rich coal reserves, descend into the bowels of the Earth to extract "black diamond” hundreds of meters underground. They break a sweat to bring home the bread even as they face the risk of mines collapsing, or catching on fire, or the long-term health threats like black lung. In addition, the miners working in the "absolute darkness" illuminated by the helmet lights contribute to the country's economy with their labor. In Zonguldak, coal extracted by the labor of workers working in private mines as well as mines affiliated to the Turkish Hard Coal Institution (TTK), constitutes a raw material source for thermal power plants as well as iron and steel factories in the region. The workers come to the mine in the early hours of the morning, put on their overalls, and make their first preparations to bring the black diamond to the light of day. After preparing the materials and equipment, the miners go to the production areas by dispersing in different directions passing through the galleries built with wood and iron fortifications. The miners complete their challenging eight-hour shift with a one-hour lunch break, leave the darkness, and head home with the excitement of reuniting with their families.(Footage by Gokhan Yilmaz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)