Indonesia's tin miners who slave away for the world's computer and phone giants


Issued on: 06/03/2020 

REPORTERS © FRANCE 24

By: Arnaud GUIGUITANT|Guillaume COLLANGES

On the island of Bangka, in Indonesia, men dig tirelessly at the face of a giant mine. They're searching for tin, a metal worth as much as gold to them. The island supplies a quarter of global production, feeding the needs of computer and mobile phone giants. Located east of Sumatra, Bangka was once an island paradise but has now become a gigantic surface mine. Official mining companies rub shoulders with thousands of illegal miners, risking their lives in the hope of a lucky break. It's also an environmental catastrophe, with lagoons now devoid of marine life. Our team reports.