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11 Of The Most Dangerous And Expensive Mining Expeditions In The World | So Expensive

Business Insider・58 minutes read

Renato reveals amethyst in Uruguay, Enrio cuts Calacata marble in Italy, and miners face dangers to extract valuable stones, salt, and crystals worldwide. Mining operations for various resources, including granite, salt, tin, and gemstones, have significant economic value but also pose environmental and safety risks.

Insights

  • Pink Himalayan salt, marketed for its supposed healing properties, contains 84 minerals but offers minimal health benefits due to them making up only 2% of the salt, despite its high price and luxury status in the global salt market.
  • Offshore tin mining in Indonesia, controlled by PT Timah, poses significant safety risks with toxic lakes, environmental damage, and unlicensed miners facing dangers, contributing to health hazards, deaths, and reef destruction, despite the high demand for tin and the challenges faced by miners like Choco ID in the industry.

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Recent questions

  • What is the process of creating Olympic curling stones?

    The process of creating Olympic curling stones involves sourcing granite from Elsa Craig Island in Scotland, where only 10 people in the world have the expertise to craft these stones. The granite is transported from the uninhabited island to the mainland for processing. Two types of granite from the island are used to create the stones, known for their resilience and suitability for the sport. Each stone is meticulously crafted to meet Olympic standards, with a weight of 40 lbs, making them essential equipment for the sport of curling.

  • How is pink Himalayan salt harvested and its benefits?

    Pink Himalayan salt is harvested from limited places like the Murray River in Australia, the Maras in Peru, and predominantly from Pakistan. It contains around 84 minerals, although they make up only 2% of the salt, offering minimal health benefits. Despite being marketed for its healing properties when inhaled or used as a lamp, substantial evidence supporting these claims is lacking. Pink Himalayan salt is considered a luxury salt, with products made from it being more expensive, with the salt itself costing around $10 per kilo. Global salt consumption is forecasted to reach $14.1 billion by 2020.

  • What are the risks and challenges of tin mining in Indonesia?

    Tin mining in Indonesia, particularly offshore, poses significant risks and challenges. Miners like Choco ID risk their lives daily to harvest tin from the ocean floor, facing dangers such as toxic gases, collapsing sand walls, and high pressure at the seabed. Unlicensed miners scavenging the seafloor face even more risks, with 40 deaths linked to tin mining in Indonesia between 2017 and 2012. Offshore tin mining damages reefs and fish populations, forcing locals to fish farther from the island. PT Timah controls 90% of tin mining territory, with licenses requiring modern vacuum systems to avoid diving, and the environmental impact includes toxic lakes and tons of tin left on land and in the ocean.

  • How is Calacatta marble extracted and processed in Italy?

    Calacatta marble is extracted from the Apuan Mountains in Carrara, Italy, known for its rarity and high price. The marble is processed per order, with each slab carefully customized to meet the client's needs. Despite environmental concerns and high costs, the demand for Calacatta marble remains high, with the global marble market expected to grow to $68.5 billion by 2027. The extraction and processing of Calacatta marble involve meticulous attention to detail to ensure the quality and uniqueness of each slab, contributing to its reputation as a luxury material in the construction and design industry.

  • What makes the Bonito white gemstone so rare and valuable?

    The Bonito white gemstone is incredibly rare and expensive, with a single carat costing over $112,000 due to its unique formation and high dispersion, making it sparkle more than other gemstones. Found exclusively in San Bonito County, California, the gem is owned by the Bonito White Mining Company, formed from the interaction of oceanic and crustal plates, creating a finite supply. Mining for Bonito white is challenging and costly, requiring miners to locate veins indicated by surrounding minerals like nitrite and blue shist. Despite the challenges, miners like John and Dave Shriner remain hopeful in finding new veins, as the gem's color and depth significantly impact its value, making the effort worthwhile despite the high costs involved.

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Summary

00:00

Global Quest for Valuable Natural Resources

  • Renato in Uruguay sets off an explosive to reveal an ancient glittery stone, amethyst.
  • Enrio in Italy cuts slabs of the expensive marble, Calacata.
  • Stones, salts, crystals, and natural resources are worth millions, but obtaining them is challenging.
  • Miners worldwide embark on dangerous missions to excavate these resources.
  • In Scotland, stonemasons turn rare granite into Olympic curling stones worth over $600 each.
  • The granite comes from Elsa Craig Island, where only 10 people in the world make the stones.
  • The granite is transported from the uninhabited island to the mainland for processing.
  • Two types of granite from the island are used to create the curling stones.
  • The granite's structure makes it resilient and suitable for curling stones.
  • The stones are meticulously crafted to meet Olympic standards, with each stone weighing 40 lbs.

22:25

"Pink Himalayan Salt and Calacatta Marble"

  • Pink Himalayan salt can cost $10 per kilo, with products made from it being more expensive.
  • Table salt is made by drilling into underground seabeds, while sea salt is evaporated from sea water naturally.
  • Rock salt is harvested from evaporated seas buried underground in certain regions.
  • Pink salt is found in limited places like the Murray River in Australia and the Maras in Peru, with the majority coming from Pakistan.
  • Pink salt contains around 84 minerals, but they make up only 2% of the salt, offering minimal health benefits.
  • Pink salt is marketed for its healing properties when inhaled or used as a lamp, despite lacking substantial evidence.
  • Himalayan salt is considered a luxury salt, with global salt consumption forecasted to reach $14.1 billion by 2020.
  • Calacatta marble is extracted from the Apuan Mountains in Carrara, Italy, known for its rarity and high price.
  • Calacatta marble is processed per order, with each slab carefully customized to meet the client's needs.
  • Despite environmental concerns and high costs, the demand for Calacatta marble remains high, with the global marble market expected to grow to $68.5 billion by 2027.

40:46

Indonesia's Choco ID: Risking Life for Tin

  • Indonesia's Choco ID risks his life daily to harvest tin from the ocean floor, breathing through a narrow tube powered by a small diesel engine.
  • Tin mining in Indonesia is now mostly offshore due to depleted land deposits, with unlicensed miners scavenging the seafloor.
  • Choco dives 65 ft underwater to collect tin, using a snorkeling cab and air compressor for oxygen supply.
  • Tin is separated from sand on the pontoon using mats and filtration, with tin heavier than sand and separated through pores.
  • Safety risks in tin mining include toxic gases, collapsing sand walls, and high pressure at the seabed.
  • Unlicensed miners face dangers, with 40 deaths linked to tin mining in Indonesia between 2017 and 2012.
  • PT Timah controls 90% of tin mining territory, with licenses requiring modern vacuum systems to avoid diving.
  • Tin mining in Banka has created toxic lakes, with 16,000 tons of tin left on land and 265,000 tons in the ocean.
  • Offshore tin mining damages reefs and fish populations, forcing locals to fish farther from the island.
  • Choco sells tin on the black market, earning $3 a day, facing health risks from inhaling tin fumes during refining.

01:16:36

"Arkansas Quartz Crystal: A Museum's Challenge"

  • The business of crystal prices has been rapidly increasing over the past two decades, making it challenging for museums to acquire and preserve specimens.
  • The journey of a giant Arkansas quartz crystal is followed, found by Josh, a fifth-generation miner, and his grandpa in 2016.
  • Most crystals have two sides forming a pocket in the middle, with points growing toward each other, creating intertwined points.
  • Initially, only one side of the crystal was removed due to mud covering it, but upon cleaning, it revealed a phenomenal size and quality.
  • The giant Arkansas quartz crystal took about 2 months to unearth, weighing as much as a forklift.
  • The crystal was eventually sold in Tucson, the world's largest gem show, where the Smithsonian expressed interest in acquiring it.
  • The Smithsonian, being a government-funded museum, relies heavily on donors like Michael and Patricia to expand its collection.
  • The Arkansas quartz crystal was appraised between $4 million and $7 million, with the donors emphasizing its value for the American public.
  • Moving the fragile crystal to the Smithsonian involved careful packing, suspending with straps and forklifts, and driving it halfway across the country.
  • The crystal was finally installed in the museum after a meticulous process involving a team of riggers, steel plates, and straps, taking 7 hours to secure in place.

01:34:39

Rare Bonito White Gemstone: Expensive and Unique

  • Bonito white gemstone is incredibly rare and expensive, with a single carat costing over $112,000 due to its unique formation and high dispersion, making it sparkle more than other gemstones.
  • The gem is found exclusively in San Bonito County, California, owned by the Bonito White Mining Company, due to its formation from the interaction of oceanic and crustal plates, creating a finite supply.
  • Mining for Bonito white is challenging and costly, with the need to locate veins indicated by surrounding minerals, like nitrite and blue shist, to extract the gem, which is doubly refractive and highly valuable.
  • Despite the challenges, miners like John and Dave Shriner remain hopeful in finding new veins, as the gem's color and depth significantly impact its value, making the effort worthwhile despite the high costs involved.
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