Narrator: This isn't snow.
It's limestone.
And miners risk their lives
to carve it out of the white quarries of Egypt.
The valuable rock is at the center
of a huge industry,
and it's used to make everything
from cement and glass to plastic and tiles.
It's even what the Great Pyramids
were made out of.
But digging up and cutting these precious blocks
is really dangerous.
Miners face clouds of dust
that can cause diseases,
and they work with sharp blades
under the brutal sun
with temperatures reaching beyond
110 degrees Fahrenheit.
And all they have to protect them
is a cloth mask.
Atef Fathy Zaki has been working here
since he was just 14 years old.
Narrator: All for a wage of just about $6 a day.
But in this area,
it's one of the only available jobs.
Narrator: The government has tried to crack down
on mines after a slew of deaths,
but many are still operating,
even illegally.
We head to Egypt to see just how bad
mining conditions are
and learn why miners take the risk anyway.
About 160 miles south of Cairo
sits one of the largest limestone deposits
in the world.
This is Al Minya, Egypt,
and hundreds of mines dot the landscape.
Tens of thousands of freelance miners
chip away at this land.
For these guys,
each day starts in Minya City at dawn.
And this is where the danger begins.
These trucks aren't meant for passengers.
Workers have gotten injured from falls
along the winding journey.
Narrator: The trip to the mountain takes about 40 minutes.
Narrator: The workers first share a meal
while the sun rises.
Then it's time to get suited up.
Since these miners are freelancers,
they have to buy their own protective gear.
Often, homemade cloth masks, gloves,
and sunglasses are all miners have to shield them.
They grab their tools and descend into the pit.
The most important one is the round saw,
and that's also the most dangerous.
First, miners have to set up these two rails.
Two separate machines roll along the tracks.
They slice the stone into perfect cuboids beneath.
Narrator: The machines move quickly.
They're really heavy, and they're loud.
Narrator: Workers shout at each other
to warn the machines are nearby.
Because the real hazard is those saws.
A quick step is all that separates miners
from razor-sharp blades.
Narrator: Miners are responsible for fixing the machines
when they break
and sharpening the blades by hand.
That's also risky work.
Narrator: The cutting machines used to have coverings,
but they fell off years ago.
Now the blades are exposed.
Narrator: While the mine owner says he makes sure
the electrical wires are covered,
many are unprotected.
Narrator: As the machines cut stone,
they kick up rocks
and a haunting white cloud of limestone powder.
If there's no wind,
miners disappear in it like ghosts.
It's easy to inhale the fine dust,
and if they breathe it long enough,
it can cause a lung condition called silicosis.
Narrator: Injuries, sickness, and death in these mines
are widely reported,
but there aren't any official numbers.
At one point,
the life expectancy here was just 45 years old.
Narrator: Zaki says many mine owners will offer
under $200 by way of workers' comp.
Narrator: Once the stone is safely cut,
workers turn the blocks
so the machine doesn't break them
as it goes by again.
At the start of a new quarry,
the stones don't come out perfect.
Those chunks head to a separate factory
to be ground into powder.
Perfectly cut stones
that haven't been sold yet get stacked.
But these blocks have already been purchased.
So miners throw them straight into the truck.
And they have perfect aim.
If they're lucky, they might get a $3 stipend
for food and tea on top of their $6 daily wage.
Narrator: The bricks are sent to Cairo,
which has around 80% of Egypt's
limestone processing capacity.
The limestone is made into cement
and tiles and used in papermaking,
plastic production, agricultural products,
and even medicine.
Globally, the limestone market
hit an estimated $73 billion in 2020.
Today, Egypt is the largest exporter
of limestone in Africa,
producing more than 150,000 metric tons.
The stone is so lucrative
that Minya's economy depends on it.
That's why many miners do this work.
Their $6 wage is more than they'll make farming
or working in construction.
Narrator: And more people, from students to farmers,
flock to the mines when unemployment spikes.
Narrator: But human exploitation for mining limestone
in this area is not new.
In fact, its history is ancient.
Through the years, Egyptians used the stone in
pyramids, temples, and tombs.
Dark limestone made up the core
of the Great Pyramid of Giza,
and blinding white limestone
once covered the outside,
symbolizing purity and sacredness.
Then, in 1303, an earthquake loosened
the outer stones of the Great Pyramid.
The white layer was stripped off
to be used in the construction of mosques.
Today, by one estimate,
more than half the limestone quarries
in Minya are unlicensed.
The government has cracked down on some,
closing 400 by 2019 after reports of injuries.
But many illegal mines are still operating
with deadly conditions and no oversight.
So workers have had to take matters
into their own hands.
They negotiated a pay raise
and created a fund for injured workers
and their families,
but they faced pushback from mine owners.
Narrator: The mine we filmed is licensed.
It's called Uncle Walid's.
But the owner told Business Insider
the miners still have to provide their own gear.
Narrator: At the end of his shift,
Atef relaxes with a cup of tea
and a meal with his friends.
The eerily beautiful mine
stretches in front of them.
It's a beauty they hope will get the world's attention —
enough to send some help.