One photo shows the human and environmental dimensions of artisanal mining in Congo
People search for gold at a mining site in Iga-Barrière, Ituri province, eastern Congo, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dieudonne Dirole)
IGA-BARRIÈRE, Congo (AP) — Dieudonne Dirole is based in eastern Congo, where he started working for The Associated Press this year as the region recorded an Ebola outbreak that is spreading at unprecedented speed with no sign of slowing. He made this photo while on assignment with colleagues reporting on mobile gold miners whose movements and remote locations complicate efforts to track and slow the virus.
Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
Why this photo?
In this photo of the mine, I wanted to show the true scale of artisanal mining and the impressive number of people who depend on this activity. I didn’t just want to photograph an individual scene, but instead I wanted to give the viewer a broader view of what is really happening on the ground. The presence of child miners, women, and men in the mud, the polluted water used for washing, and the transformed hillside all demonstrate the human, economic, and environmental dimensions of mining.
How I made this photo
They absolutely refused to accept because they know they are exploiting children and women in the mine, even though it is prohibited by the law protecting children. Ultimately, he said he’s going to have one of his agents accompany us everywhere I want to film, but under his supervision.
Why this photo works
I think this photo is successful because it tells a story without needing a long explanation. At first glance, you immediately understand that it is an extremely active mining site; then your gaze discovers the different individual stories: the people who dig, those who transport, those who wash the ore, the women and men who work in the water and mud. And what makes this image powerful is the contrast between the very intense human activity in the foreground and the natural landscape in the background. The photo simultaneously shows the people, the work, and the impact of this activity on the environment.
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