MADAGASCAR – JULY 18, 2013
Aerial Photograph showing a river valley, settlement and blanket deforestation in the Central Southern Highlands.
ANDRINGITRA NATIONAL PARKMADAGASCAR – JULY 23, 2013
View from the summit of a peak in Andringitra National Park at sunset.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
MANOMBE, MADAGASCAR – JULY 21 2013
A young man takes a rest from digging in a Sapphire pit on the edge of town. Ilakaka and the surround area had a population of only 40 before a Sapphire boom pushed that closer to 60,000 in the present day. The gems are principally sold onto Sri Lanka or Thailand for cutting and polishing.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
A young man takes a rest from digging in a Sapphire pit on the edge of town. Ilakaka and the surround area had a population of only 40 before a Sapphire boom pushed that closer to 60,000 in the present day. The gems are principally sold onto Sri Lanka or Thailand for cutting and polishing.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 22 2013
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5 2013:
Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5 2013
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5 2013: Overview of the main mining area to the West of Ilakaka town centre. The main sapphire mine is operated by "Colour Line" and is referred to as the "Swiss Bank" on account of its Swiss entreprenerial owner. The mine is operated on a waged basis of $2 a day per worker. All risk and benefit on the mine-owner. All excavation is by hand with only mechanised water pumps. The main mine is over 12 years old and 30m deep. (Photo by Toby Smith/Reportage by Getty Images)
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – August 6, 2013
Ilakaka and the surround area had a population of only 40 before a Sapphire boom pushed that closer to 60,000 in the present day. The gems are principally sold onto Sri Lanka or Thailand for cutting and polishing. The river in the centre of town provides the water to wash rough stones and gravel but also to wash cars and newly purchased 4x4s. A young man sfits gravel from a sapphire mine to remove sand and larger stones.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – August 4, 2013
Ilakaka and the surround area had a population of only 40 before a Sapphire boom pushed that closer to 60,000 in the present day. The gems are principally sold onto Sri Lanka or Thailand for cutting and polishing. The river in the centre of town provides the water to wash rough stones and gravel but also to wash cars and newly purchased 4x4s.
LIMITE of ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 3, 2013
To the North and West of Ilakaka thousands of small guerilla sapphire mines pepper the landscape. These pits are excavated by hand in teams of 3-5 people. Dug vertically down to the sapphire seam (35m deep) the tunnels then extend laterally with no reinforcement or safety measures. Fatailities are common place with mines collapsing or asphixiation of workers.
LIMITE of ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 4, 2013
To the North and West of Ilakaka thousands of small guerilla sapphire mines pepper the landscape. These pits are excavated by hand in teams of 3-5 people. Dug vertically down to the sapphire seam (35m deep) the tunnels then extend laterally with no reinforcement or safety measures. Fatailities are common place with mines collapsing or asphixiation of workers.
MANOMBE, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 3, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
MANOMBE, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5, 2013
A Sri Lankan Mine Boss catche a ride to his trading post. At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
MANOMBE, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 3, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
MANOMBE, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 5, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 4, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 4, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
ILAKAKA, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 4, 2013
At 4pm everyday workers and mine gangs descend on Manombe and Ilakaka to sell the sapphires and other prescious stones they have found in the surrounding landscape. The dealers hold shop in fortified trading posts and examine the rough, uncut stones with a special torch and water-bowl until 8pm. Violence is common place among the miners before and after the deal is done. The rough stones are exported for cutting, polishing and sale. Stones are regularly sold for upwards of $100 but can retail overseas for 10 times that amount.
TAMATAVE , MADAGASCAR– JULY 30, 2013
Photography of secure support buildings for Sherrit Ambatovy's Nickel Cobalt refinery in Madagascar. Slurried lateritic ore is delivered from the Mine Site via a 220 km Pipeline to a processing plant and refinery located near Toamasina on Madagascar’s east coast. At the Plant Site, the slurried ore is processed and refined to produce high-grade nickel and cobalt briquettes – small blocks of compressed metal – which are shipped to Ambatovy’s customers from the nearby Port of Toamasina.
AMBATOVY , MADAGASCAR– JULY 29, 2013
Undercover photography from within one of the worlds' largest and most controversial nickel/cobalt mines. Ambatovy Sherrit are excavating primary rainforest for top-soil rich in Nickel and Cobalt Ore which is transported by sludge pipe to their refinery in Tamatave. Controversy surrounds the deforestation for both the mine and pipeline but also social political probklems in local communities.
AMBALAVAO, MADAGASCAR – JULY 24, 2013
Zebu Herder's wait patiently for the day's tradingt to begin in the country's largest Zebu market. Ambalavao is the location in Madagascar where herdsmen come to trade their cattle after walking their herds from virtually every part of the country. The zebu market takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays on a hill approximately 1km south along the RN7 road.
AMBALAVAO, MADAGASCAR – JULY 24, 2013
A herd of Zebus in the country's largest market; Ambalavao. Ambalavao is the location in Madagascar where herdsmen come to trade their cattle after walking their herds from virtually every part of the country. The zebu market takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays on a hill approximately 1km south along the RN7 road.
TOLIARA REGION, MADAGASCAR – JULY 21, 2013
A Malagasi ranger patrols a sea cucumber farm on the coast. Setup with international investment this farm exports adult Sea Cucumbers to the Chinese Mainland as a delicacy and traditional medecine. The farm was started to relieve pressure on fish and octupus stocks in the region by diversifying the income streams.
TOLIARA REGION, MADAGASCAR – JULY 19 2013
Night photography of a traditional fishing boat on a beach.
ANTANARIVO, MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 2 2013
Photograph showing the bustling main TaxI-Brousse station on the edge of the city.
RAMANOFANA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 25, 2013
A thermal swimming pool, built in French colonial times, provides refreshment and enjoyment for Malagasi and tourists alike.
MADAGASCAR – AUGUST 7, 2013
Young girls dig up a rice field in Ivato, north of Ranomafana National Park, in the hope of finding tiny deposits of gold that fetch $1333 per ounce on the international market (price accurate on 14/08/13). This family pan the mud in specially irrigated pools on adjacent fields. Several years ago they made the calculated decision that they could make a better living searching for gold than from subsistence farming in the rice fields. Researchers at the Centre ValBio inside Ranomafana are running pilot schemes to introduce more modern agricultural techniques to the region and provide alternative livelihoods, mostly based on ecotourism; they hope to reduce the temptation for villagers to destroy the forest in search of food and gold.
RAMANOFANA, MADAGASCAR – JULY 25, 2013
A 12 year old boys pans sediment for gold in the Namorona River close to Ramonofana National Park. The sediment is mined in his village close to the river-side. In 2011 the price of Gold peaked at E1379.09 per oz and in the same year 50 hectres of primary forest were destroyed by mining. The sediement in the river water causes further damage downstream.