Narrator: Thousands of miners squeeze through tunnels every day to search for a mineral called mica. This kind is mostly used in electronics, cars, planes, even paint. And Madagascar is the largest exporter of sheet mica in the world. But miners like Razanatsara
Orelli have to risk their lives to dig it out. These walls could collapse
and kill her within seconds. Narrator: Workers also breathe in mica particles that can
destroy their lungs. But in a country plagued
by a severe drought, many families that used
to farm have now turned to mica mining. And children
work here too, often making just a few cents a day. Narrator: This mineral is essential to making products that are
worth thousands of dollars. So why do these families make so little? And has anything being done to help them? Razanatsara lives in Antroby,
a small village about 10 miles away from the mica mine. She started mining after her husband died two
years ago to support her family. Narrator: Her sister, Zoe, is just
14 years old, and she's been crawling through these tunnels since she was 12. Narrator: Some tunnels
can be 500 feet deep, the height of a 50-story building. In here, mica shines
through the dirt everywhere. Miners started extracting it
in this region in the 1970s. Narrator: Stabbing at these walls
with a chisel can destabilize them and trigger landslides. Narrator: And temperatures
inside can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Narrator: They also showed us
their cuts and bruises from mining. Today, they collected
around 130 pounds of mica. Narrator: They make about
$3 from selling this load, and even that money has to be shared. Narrator: Many families here had
never worked in the mines before. There were mostly farmers
brewing rice, corn, or cassava. But in the last few
years, a crippling drought has hurt the agricultural industry. At least 1.6 million are now food insecure and need humanitarian assistance. It rains so rarely here that
people rush to collect water. Like Rafaramalala Hanitra Soa's family. They used to grow crops
in the town of Menaloha. Narrator: This land where
she mines officially belongs to the government, but no one
stops locals from digging. Narrator: There's little oxygen
inside, and hammering stirs up clouds of fine mica dust. The toxic particles
can cause a deadly lung disease called silicosis. Narrator: Even though
the Ministry of Mines and Strategic Resources
oversees the industry, pits often operate without permits, and miners say they have little support. Narrator: We reached out to the
country's mining ministry for comment but did not hear back. After a long day of work, Rafaramalala says her whole body hurts, Narrator: But just like Razanatsara, she barely makes enough to get by. Narrator: Miners mostly sell
the raw mica to middlemen. Some of them have no
idea what it's used for. Narrator: They sell the mica to
companies that process it overseas. Eighty-seven percent of it
goes from Madagascar to China. This specific type is prized
for being a great insulator. That's why it's used in electrical cables, car batteries, planes,
trains, and smartphones. One study shows that 15,000 different car parts
could contain the mineral. And Madagascar made about $11 million in 2021 from mica exports. But the wealth doesn't
trickle down to the miners. Rafaramalala's three children,
all under the age of 16, work here too. They help her sort and sieve
the mica once it's collected. Child labor in Madagascar
is well documented, but it's dismissed as a
result of extreme poverty. Often, families have to
bring their young kids to the mines because they
can't leave them alone at home. Narrator: At least 11,000 children work in the country's mining sector. But experts say that number
is probably much greater. After four years of drought,
we saw dozens toiling away at the mines we visited
in the Ambovombe village. Like 10-year-old Rasoa, who had to drop out of school after second grade. Narrator: Child labor is not
just a problem in Madagascar. Mica mines in India, another major exporter, are
also filled with children. The mica found here is used in cosmetics for its shimmering effect,
and at least 22,000 kids dig for it in India's Jharkhand
and Bihar districts. Despite the risks, families can't afford
to stop working there. So nonprofits like the Responsible Mica
Initiative are trying to empower them by providing education and access to better healthcare. It is also hoping to create a responsible international supply chain by trying to eliminate
child labor at these mines. But that can be tricky. Many tech and auto companies
buy parts containing mica from Chinese firms that source
it from different mines. So it's hard to tell whether it's ethical. Still, global demand for it is
expected to grow 8% by 2030. Back in Antroby, Razanatsara
and Zoe are heading home after an eight-hour day in the pits. Narrator: She has two young daughters, so she needs this job,
especially during the drought. Narrator: But she hopes to go
back to a life of farming one day.
