Mexico Shutters Coal Mines Over Child Labor Probe Cecilia Jamasmie - Mining.com
go to original June 17, 2013

Since the beginning of the Iraq War, Bolivia's Llallagua mine has seen a boom of mineral demand from the US arms manufactures. As a result, many poor peasants without any experience such as Alex Choque and Jorge Campos started working in the mines. Their parents are ill or dead after contracting what the people of Llallagua call the “mine disease”, the same disease that they are prone to everyday. Alex and Jorge have dreams of a better life. They want to study, but they can’t, their families depend on them to survive. (AJFilmFestival)

Mexico's labor ministry has shut down over 20 coal mines over an investigation into illegal child labor, after snap inspections to 200 operations between December 2012 and February this year evidenced the illegal employment of minors.

According to local news agency Notimex (in Spanish), the Ministry of Labor is preparing a draft bill that seeks to fully eradicated the high-risk practice, particularly in the state of Coahuila, which holds 80% of the country’s coal deposits.

The Coahuila mines are noteworthy for being particularly unsafe. Tunnel collapses and methane gas explosions are common in the area’s north, which shares a border with Texas.

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