June 15th: Salt of the Earth

[xoxoxoBruce]

There seems to be a lot of salt mines in Eastern Europe with special attractions. Whether it's breathing salty air, or working where the Sun don't shine, salt miners seem to have a particular reverence for their workplace. I suppose the mines are refuge from winter cold and summer heat, so they build chapels... indeed churches, and museums, classrooms, you-name-it, down below. This mine in Yekaterinburg, Russia, could be a Disco... I guess Rave is the now hip term, it's the first psychedelic mine I've seen.



The round shapes are caused by the end of the boring machine, but the colors come from the Earth.

The Russian photographer, Mikhail Mishainik, says;

Many people know about the mines but it is very difficult to access them if you don't have an official permit.
The air is filled with small particles of salt and if we didn't have our torches switched on it would be pitch black. It is easy to get lost as many of the passageways look the same, we navigate our way around very carefully. We take our safety very seriously but of course there are always dangers. There is the possibility of a gas leak from chemicals such as methane, hydrogen sulphide carbon dioxide as well the risk of a landslide. The danger element is part of the fun and it’s a special feeling being somewhere very few people have seen.

LINK